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.

amyth! I hope you're healing quickly and feeling good! Better, at least.

I have to say, I didn't even mind getting LDB'd this year, by a no-hate commercial. Those guys could really sing, and it was a worthy cause. No bad there.

I am feeling better! I stopped taking Percocet earlier today, and the pain is much more manageable. The nausea is gone, and I had some chicken noodle soup today, which was the first substantial food I've had in days, and I felt instantly stronger and better after having it. It didn't completely agree with me, but I was warned that my digestive tract might need a couple of weeks to adjust to not having a gallbladder anymore.

I'm still sleeping in my friend's recliner, because lying down flat is painful, but since I'm improving every day, sleeping in a bed is something that I can see as a possibility by tomorrow or the next day.

I also removed the anti-nausea patch last night because I didn't need it anymore, but also because I googled "scopolamine withdrawal" and scared the crap out of myself. That is a serious drug!! I'm pretty sure that I'm in the clear, withdrawal-wise, since it's been 24 hours, and I only wore the patch for a day, but I'm glad I took it off when I did.

so happy to hear that, amyth. Are you getting sufficient time off to recouperate?