First words out of my mouth this morning at 6 AM, at full volume, "Are you fucking kidding me??".

So today got off to a good start. I want to throat punch an entire global multinational company who will now probably never be a client, as this morning's email took us from "are they crazy" to "fuck this shit." I think the come-to-Jesus with their leadership is happening now.

Eeep, Brenda. That is a bad start.

I'm waiting for my pt appt. The plan is to try some manual therapy to ease my headaches. My neck and shoulder muscles are so tight. Will see how this goes.

It's a rainy Tuesday in SF and the police pulled me over to say, "Hey, your registration has expired."

But I don't mind. You know why? They didn't give me a ticket, just a warning.

AND Jon B. and FAQ!Wife and FAQ!Boy (not a baby anymore) are in town and Zmayhem get to see them.

Also, there's a chance for other Buffistae get togethers this week, which is pleasing.

That is a terrible start, brenda. But maybe there's some thin comfort in their having finally crossed the line? It could be a workplace bonding experience; if you can't come together over a common cause, a common enemy will do in a pinch.

{{{Kat}}} I don't even know the details of the guttedness, but I don't need to know. I just don't want any of us to be heading into a long holiday weekend feeling gutted.

Ginger, I so wish I lived closer or that you could somehow be magically transported from your hospital to mine. I'm not good for anything that requires long travel or money, but if you were local I'd be organizing the crap out of your home or badgering everyone I knew at work about the best ways to ease your load.

(N.B.: This is not to be taken by any localistas as an invitation to get terribly ill and be admitted to my hospital. NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO BE TERRIBLY ILL. IT IS FORBIDDEN. But, if you do, I've got troops I can mobilize.)

In further cereal posting, [TJ's Maple Shredded Bite Size Wheats Plus Product 19 and blueberries] I educated myself yesterday.

I was reading this summary article on the current state of China's political/economic status and I was gobsmacked to realize how ignorant I was.

This article: [link]

So, I had some vague notion that a ruling oligarchy of Communist Party elites were running China in a semi-capitalistic, mostly authoritarian way in the post-Mao era.

But I DIDN'T realize that one guy surged ahead and took power three years ago and now it's all under his rule. President, Head of the CP, controls the army.

Did you all know that?

Yeah, so, Xi Jinping is the one of the most powerful people in the world and I didn't know that at all.

This is what happens when you're not reading newspapers every day with their broad base approach. You have to search for your news and you wind up getting deep tunnels of information and missing the big picture.

I feel like a Foreign Affairs Ignoramus.

Eek, Hec! Get rid of that car! Let's make it a goal to get that thing gone, and car-share it up and live high and fat on not having to pay big city car insurance ever again. Or at least live medium and not emaciated.

Also, bless that warning-giving cop.

Jon sounded pretty sick on the radio last week. Is he feeling better?

I'm checked in for my flight and I have a taxi coming to pick me up at 4:45am tomorrow. I'm working from home and only have one meeting today because everything else has been cancelled, so that's nice.

I feel kinda crappy and my allergies are terrible, but I don't actually want to punch anyone in the throat this week, so I'll take it.

I still have no news on who will be replacing my manager. I checked my visa application, and it says, "Embassy / Consulate has reviewed your application and is currently is 'In Transit' to the CKGS Application Centre." Dated yesterday. Which is not very helpful.

Jon sounded pretty sick on the radio last week. Is he feeling better?

I don't know. They were going to take Aaron to GG Park but it's raining. So I think they're laying in this morning and may take in the Cal Academy.

I just had to explain to someone that you don't just have to spend the money, you also have to do the stuff you said you would do. Someone in a fairly senior grants oversight role. So there you have it.