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Going dark while I trade places with Scola. Just doing my part to keep the Buffistas balanced from coast to coast.

I need a little pre-emptive job~ma. Specifically, I need "Yes, her resume is fantastic, let's interview her!" ~ma, to then be followed up by (I hope!) "Quick, hire her!" ~ma.

I'm reaching out, not for hairpats or brackets, but to ask for peace-of-heart ~ma for a young woman who has just experienced one of the most horrible experiences possible.

One of my dearest friends, Kim, was killed yesterday in a car accident. I'm reeling from the loss, but I'm also feeling incredibly gifted to have known her. She had an incredible energy and had an impact on so many more people than even she knew.

Her daughter, who is ostensibly fine with a minor injury, was driving the car in which Kim died. A has always been fragile on a lot of levels and had been living away from home in order to deal with some deep issues. Kim went up for a visit. I'm having a hard time imagining how A will cope.

I imagine it will take a long time before I stop looking for Kim strolling down the street with her market basket and a big smile on her face. A, will have the most complex memories imaginable. Please wish her peace.

In about 15 minutes I'll need some continuing-existance-of-department-ma. Big meeting with higher-ups, no idea what's going to happen.

Not fired. Potentially sold to our new industry partner. Huge sigh of relief.

I hope no one objects to my posting this here. Please say if it's a problem.

My wonderful friend Imogen, who I've known for many years, has a progressive muscular condition. She uses a wheelchair and needs a lot of help to access the world, but she does fantastic things with her life, and is currently studying art and photography at university. She has recently lost the ability to speak, as a result of something going wrong during emergency surgery. Our beloved National Health Service won't provide her with suitable speech synthesising equipment, because it's too expensive, even though she is completely lost without the ability to communicate. The NHS wanted to give her a card with the alphabet on that she could point at. Given that she has both a movement disorder and severe dyslexia, this isn't working out particularly well.

Imogen is therefore trying to raise £7000 (around $10,000) to buy communication device herself. She and her friends have raised an amazing £2000, but donations are now slowing down, and she's not sure where to turn. She has asked people to publicise her cause. I couldn't think of anywhere better to pubicise it than this, the board where one individual Fay makes PepsiCo apologise for their applications and people generally achieve incredible things.

Imogen's website is at [link] and her Facebook group is at [link] (when Facebook can be bothered to function properly).

Thanks for any publicising that people feel inclined to do, even just re-twittering ( [link] ) or similar. It's hugely appreciated.

I could use some job-ma. I put in an application for a job that I am quite qualified for and would be a big piece in the Things Working Out puzzle.

Oh sweet jiminy Christmas, y'all, we need the house buying ~ma in the worst way. We're finally putting in a bid on our dream house in Seattle and I've got all sorts of grabby hands sort of want for this one.

Could I get some of the patented Buffista job~ma sent to the midwest from 12:45 to 3:30pm CST, today? I've got a whole panel of people to impress! Eeep!