Thanks Maria. I am glad your bigwigs are recognizing you (finally!).

I'm so sorry, Maria. That sucks.

And the relative has just told me I need to learn from the Creation Museum.

Um, FTR, I've been to the Creation Museum (at least, the Institute for Creation Research), a few times, when it was located just outside San Diego. I still think your relative's full of crap and behaving like a jerk. Perhaps she should be reminded that "...All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (Assuming she's not presently afflicted with Stage 4 Judgment Cancer).

Sheesh, people like that making the rest of us look like a-holes.

Maria, so sorry it didn't go the way you'd hoped.

Thank you, everyone. I was hoping my luck with the win in late October was going to carry over. I appreciate that I have this space to be weak. I can't do that anywhere else.

Me too, Nanita. Too many losses like this, though and I'll be back where I started.

amyth, how are you feeling? I'm so glad the procedure went well.

Maria, that sucks. At least the leadership is in the know.

I've started my Xmas shopping. Oops. Got my one unique gift that everyone adult is getting (coasters printed with topi-maps of each of our addresses. Everyone gets one of each.) everyone else, well, for the boys it'll happen in B'ham, and I've got a few things I can only get here, but honestly haven't found anything really neat for either parent. I'll buy em socks. Some years, just like that. I don't really see the point unless there is a need or just something that screams out to be theirs. Some people are good deliberate gift shoppers; I am not one. Either I find something by accident or I don't.

My brother's Christmas present is, for real, locally-made (like, in our neighborhood) artisanal beard care products. NONE MORE HIPSTER.

But he has a beard, and I wanted to give my money to a small business, and so much the better that it's local. So -- hipster beard care products.

I gave my dad hipster beard care products (not local to me, but artisanal) for his birthday.

Those coasters sound very cool, sarameg.

I was kind of despairing of having any gifts for my family this year, just couldn't think of anything, n't it turns out I got them all coloring books (Jilli and Thea's). That'll work. Now I just have to get them packaged up and mailed off...

I'm so thrilled my brother and SiL are coming to town for Christmas, partly because it means I don't have to mail their presents. t /lazy as hell

Mailing stuff is hard. Fortunately, My family all share that gene and understand.

The best thing about hipster beard products is that they're basically 19th century beard products that went out of style. I love it.

All four finals done. All work submitted. i've had about 5 hours of sleep since Tuesday. As soon as it hits 10PM it's REM Cycle Bonanza.