I cannot imagine how many horrified bereft parents of other missing children are wondering why they can't get coverage right now. Jesus.

Yeah, it's really awful, and there's no reason for it but gross pandering.

The EMT on Making Light is my longtime friend Jim Macdonald.

Consuela, I'm wondering about your job situation-- are there any next steps to be taken or considered?

are there any next steps to be taken or considered?

I've asked HR to tell me my rank on the list, but they haven't gotten back to me. I believe they are trying to figure out how the scoring happened--if there were any errors, etc.

And I'm going to start having lunches with former coworkers (sigh). My sister tells me the city is hiring.

I am not in a rush--the contract I'm here under is good for another 7 months--but if it's clear that they can't bring me on as a federal hire, I'll have to go. The benefits with this contracting firm are kind of crap, and there's no job security.

Thanks for the smoothie advice, guys. M doesn't like almond milk, so I ended up getting strawberry yogurt and mixed berries (he don't want bananas, he don't want cherries, or any of these -- maybe I'll use VAAAAAASELINE.)

My blender's pretty aggro, so I think -- hope -- the seeds will be an non-issue.

Unfortunately, the first thing that came to mind when i saw ita's post about the little girl was "She's white, right?" And it was borne out.

Happy...goyim?...birthday, Shir!!!

(Is "goyim" a pejorative, or simply a descriptive? Is it like "gadjo" in Romany?)

For Steph, and anyone else interested in an experimental bellydance troupe's take on pony play (most likely NSFW, though there is no nudity)

That's pretty cool. (And it looks really hard!)

’Suela, I had to skip a ton of Natter since I’ve had limited internet access these past couple of weeks, but I just backread a bit and saw the asshattery going on with your job. I am so sorry. I can’t imagine how frustrated and even betrayed you must feel.

I can’t imagine how frustrated and even betrayed you must feel.

Yeah, you know, I know that they couldn't ever actually promise me anything, because that's not how the civil service system works. But the fuckups, and the incompetence, and the (in at least two instances) actual malice? Those piss me off.

And I've put all sorts of shit on hold because of this--I've planned no travel, haven't put my house on the market (and that's been fun watching my equity drain away), etc etc. It's enraging.

And yet I do know that I'm still better off than 98% of the people in this country, and I ought to be a little more grateful.

(Is "goyim" a pejorative, or simply a descriptive? Is it like "gadjo" in Romany?)

Can be either. IME, Israelis use it more as a descriptive, but American usage tends to be more pejorative.

That's pretty cool. (And it looks really hard!)

Unmata is totally badass. They do fire stuff and put on the Blood Moon Regale every year with a different theme (I should link you some of the stuff from the Batman one!). Also, actual quote from a workshop I took with them, as we all struggled to do the moves at pace - "I wonder how fast we'd dance if we didn't smoke pot? ...eh, we'll never find out."

Fuck that, though. Of course you should be happy to have a job, but that doesn't mean they are treating you like shit and jerking you around.

Man, I just had delicious clam chowder for dinner, made by my grandmother, but it reminds me why I haven't had hot food for dinner in months.