I got a job offer today that I am accepting. I will be officially joining the Alliance. I release all residual job-ma that was being sent in my direction.

I'm going to be in the SF area starting next Wendesday, October 24 thru Monday, October 29. I would love to see people. Especially if anyone is free on Monday (which is a long shot, I know). Come discuss in F2F.

As some of you know already, my mom had a bad fall a couple weeks ago and broke her back. She's been in a skilled nursing home and getting PT, and she's doing better, but her mental function has decreased even more. (She has vascular dementia.) We're looking at nursing homes now; the time when she'll need constant care is fast approaching. So, some coping~ma for my sister and me and a little brain~ma for my mom would be greatly appreciated.

I'm having surgery for my oft-dislocated shoulder tomorrow morning at 7:45 A.M. (PST). Please send some "don't get an infection and DIE" vibes my way, along with "don't get a blood clot and DIE" vibes and such variations. Also, "make it so my shoulder never comes out again" vibes.

For those of you watching the news of the fires in SoCal (and remembering that I live in San Diego) - so far, so good for me and mine. The next communities to the North of me are all being evacuated, but my little 'burb is still safe. Our high school is even being used as the evacuation site for the nearby communities.

The air's been barely unbreathable for the last 24 hours or so, and everything's covered in ash, but other than that we're still okay.

Pray for rain, those of you who are so inclined.

A little, well ... a lot of ~~ma~~ please.

Joe's mom is in the hospital. She had some heart episode - cardiac tachycardia - I think it's called and they're keeping her overnight for observation.

Assorted updates, all good news:

My sister and her baby are doing fine. He's still healthy and still staying put for the time being. He passed the 30 week mark on Monday and is showing no ill effects from his now much more cramped and less-cushy living space. Barring signs of infection, the doctors are content to leave him be until contractions begin on their own.

We got (barring something freakish happening) the house we wanted and close on the 31st. We went back and forth on the price and the owner refuses to remove the rusty ariel tower next to the house, but he agreed to all our other demands, including replacing the roof.

The house is going to need some work, though nothing major, but it met most of our requirements, is right next door to a really good elementary school and within walking distance of Lake Michigan. It's about 8 miles north from my current apartment, which is going to add 10-15 minutes to my commute and means we have to go through all the fun rigamarole of moving to a different state, but it's got 3 bedrooms, some nice hardwood floors on the main level and a good-sized back yard. It should be great house for Mattias to grow up in.

Speaking of Mattias, the last time I poked my head in Natter I saw requests for new pictures. I just uploaded a bunch from the last couple months here: [link]

Seattleistas. I'm going to be at the (hopefully big ) Oct 27th anti-war demonstration in Seattle to stop the war noon in Judkins park. basic info: [link] Map: [link]

I'll be with the South Sound contingent. We will be carrying Peace balloons with doves on them. (We'll have extras, so they may spread, but we'll be the big concentration of them.)

If you are going to be at the demo anyway, maybe we could meet. Profile addy good.

Thanks for the ~~ma the other day, ya'll.

Joe's mom is fine, though they don't know *why* her heart went racing at 200 bpm for about 6 hours. Enzymes and other blood work came back normal and she'll have a stress test and other stuff with her PCP.

Me again, asking for the mama ~ma. My mom developed a severe blood clot in her leg and as of this morning is back in the hospital.