I can't even with this news. Thank you guys for being here.

I honestly believe that Ginger is a huge reason that I ended up writing for a living. I know for sure she got my ass through grad school. I loved her on this board and in our private communication - her edits were always so spot on, she was so smart and giving.

I'm glad I got a chance to see her in January. She gave me some stuff (a beer related print and magnet, a couple old purses to decorate.) And we drank milkshakes and talked and laughed at the gallows humor that her living with cancer had turned out to be. She was tired, but always quick to roll her eyes and take the opportunity to laugh in the face of her pain and aggravation.

Broth is good.

I dreamt I was with Ginger, and she had a miraculous improvement, and then was shaking her head at all of us for making such a fuss. It was strangely comforting.

I had that same dream this morning, except she posted on the board about how it had been a misunderstanding.

I also dreamed about Sense8, which is a show about a group of people who live all over the world but have a special connection.

Lurking and sending love. That's all I can do.

I'm lurking as well. Thanks, Zen, for all you've been doing.

Had four fillings repaired this morning, which wasn't so bad. Being tired at the dentist is a good thing, I think. Then I made an appointment for damage estimate and repairs for my car.

Cosigned, if you will, Miracleman.

Maria, may the socks you pull up be the most sparkly, brilliant, yet professional socks, ever.

Same goes for all of us who must gird up to ... stuff. Whatever stuff needs to be done. There is always stuff to do even when the primary motivation for doing the stuff is getting bread to eat and roof to shelter - and we have to beat back the feeling of futility of doing it when bread tastes like dust and ashes. What good is a roof to us when tears fall like rain? But we do the stuff, and keep doing it, and eventually the bread we get tastes like bread again and the roof over our heads keeps us warm again so it turns out to be worth it.

amyth, much ~ma of the swift and skillful surgery kind.

I...dreamt about a snake that was really a Scandinavian secret agent that I was helping to escape from my handlers who had captured it and entrusted me with its care...

So not really relevant at all, but a step up in intrigue from my typical mundane fare.

Why would he refuse to sign the contracts

The cost of our contracts adds up - by coincidence I'm sure [cough] - to the budget cut the provost is demanding. By not renewing contracts they can keep telling themselves no one has been actually fired.

But seriously, being the only one "saved" would really suck, in its own special way, despite still pulling a paycheck.

I was talking with Ginger in June about whether I could help her with Mr. Peabody then, when he was having seizures, and she was so much more worried about his health than her own.

I'm staying with my aunt and I got to share stories about Ginger with her. Dragoncon and the F2F and how...in awe u was if Ginger . Am in awe.

And then I talked about ita.

And what they both have meant and how creative and interesting they both are in their own right.

It felt right to share who they are and grieve with someine. Even though she doesn't know them she knows grief and the power of talking about those you love and care about

Zen, I don't know how much you're in touch with any of Ginger's Nashville friends, but if there's anything that I can do for them or for her family here, please let me know. I keep thinking there must be some way I can help.

Kate, thank you, I was wondering how to broach that subject. I don't know her Nashville friend well enough to know if she's the "embrace more people" type or if she hermits when she's grieving, but I will let her know that Ginger has other wonderful B'ista friends in Nashville, and that if she ever wants me to, I'll pass along your contact info.

MM, Kate, thank you both for these words.

Echoing.

I dreamt I was with Ginger, and she had a miraculous improvement, and then was shaking her head at all of us for making such a fuss.

I keep imagining she's going to wake up and pop in to the Board and scold me for scaring everyone. I wish she would.