This year, man. Thank you to Zen for being there for Ginger when we couldn't be and to Javachik for letting me know what was going on. I so hoped this day wouldn't ever come. My heart is with you all even if my pixels aren't around very much these days.

Your unconscious is affirming the choice to go to college, Sean.

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.

Man, fuck that shit. This is the kind of crap that makes me glad we are finally talking unionizing at my school. (Which I can post about safely because 1) on my own time, and 2) not trying to talk anyone into signing a card.)

Pain relief to amyth, and good luck to Maria. Thank you MM and Kate for sharing comforting words.

I'm at work but moving slowly. I need all the hours I can get before Xmas vacation. I told my coworkers what's up to explain why I'm all silent and cranky; one of them came over and gave me a much-appreciated hug. Add on that I'm PMS-ing so I have ALL the feels and my back hurts, and well - I've had better Mondays.

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

Definitely! Especially if they then expect you to do seven peoples' jobs.

I am outside my hairdresser. I drove over here (about half an hour) in the rain and morning rush hour because I have a 9am appointment. ...or so the reminder email and the website told me. But the place is dark and the sign out front says they don't open until 10. Wtf. I guess I'll sit here for a few and see if someone shows up???

And I just got notice that a guy at work died over the weekend. No info on how and he was someone I knew more by reputation than personally. But damn. STOP IT PEOPLE.

Meara, I hope you hair person shows up soon. Sparky, what a frustrating position. Sean, that is a special dream.

Concentrating on work is right out the window. Glad I don't have big deadlines today.

Not having deadlines today is good.

{{smonster}}

Weird, meara. I hope you aren't in the rain too long.

Banana and yogurt sounds like a good call. As does soup. I'm having pumpkin pie with pumpkin ice cream, because I can. Maybe my impulsive shopping monkey brain knew what it was doing yesterday.

You know, I'm okay with the inevitability of death, I just want it to be inevitable after a long healthy life, surrounded by what we love.

Work is actually a welcome distraction today. Plus, I have some real perspective on the bullshit right now.

Plus, I have some real perspective on the bullshit right now.

Yeah. I was upset about my car accident, but now it seems pretty trivial.

You know, I'm okay with the inevitability of death

I am, too. Except Ginger was supposed to be going home from the rehab center. This is not how her current hospital stay was supposed to turn out. That's what makes this extra worse for me. She was supposed to be going home, damn it.

smonster, for what it's worth, I miss hearing your sleepy voice every morning.

I keep trying to put into words what this community means to me, and instead I keep getting this image of a woven quilt, in all of the colors ever, spread out around the world. We're both the quilt itself and sheltered underneath it. I hope Ginger can feel that.