Happy birthday , Sean. and take the day off it it makes sense to you, tommyrot. When our Bert died - I don't even remember what I did. I know I left early from work. for his last day. But there is no point being at work if you are falling apart. Both Matt and I still choke up when we think about him.

I'm so sorry about Senor Sock, tommyrot.

Also, they gave me a little clay pad with his pawprints on it.

That is really sweet. And, take the day off if you want/need to. If you don't feel comfortable saying why, lie. My former workplace would have been very supportive of taking a day off for a deceased pet.

Ginger's former supervisor, however, needs Aimee-level smiting.

Also, happy birthday, Sean!

I'm so sorry Tommy.

Clio is here sending her condolences too. She wants me to say that I should tell you to take the day off, and then I should go upstairs and feed her.

I would definitely recommend taking the day off. You can go do other stuff if you find you need distraction, but you'll have the option of just being home if you want, too. Whereas if you go into work, and then decide you need the space, it's more difficult.

Yeah, I'm leaning towards not going in tomorrow - I think I'll email them about Senor and make it sound like I was up late tonight. Which I might be. I'll just say I got almost no sleep.

I also have to retrieve my car tomorrow, as I was not in the mood to drive after leaving the vet. And I have to do laundry. And, um, I'm sure there's other stuff to do.

Oh, damn, tommy. Your love for that cat was quite palpably apparent in your posting. I think a day off is perfectly reasonable.

when I told her I'd be in a half hour late because I had to leave my sick dog at the vet, asked my why I didn't just put her down

The fuck? I am from a culture that's a lot less pet than the USA, and that crack is way beyond what'd pass muster there. Grrr.

I had a nice slow day with a good friend today. Which was good, since yesterday was a nice slow day, and would you believe it? A good friend. I can quite tidily believe Saturday never happened.

So sorry to hear about Senor Sock, Tom.

My eye lasers would've kicked in and the supervisor would've avoided me forever after a crack like that.

Not having eye lasers, I think I might have done something with a more tangible object (like, say, my fist) that would have ensured avoidance by means of a subsequent restraining order.

Zenkitty, my mom would say you're renting this guy space in your brain. He is probably eagerly awaiting your response so he can shoot it down. You might annoy him most effectively by ignoring him.

I have to echo Laga on this. There's nothing that infuriates the self-righteous know-it-all more than being dismissed out of hand.

Metaphorical type eye lasers. Apparently I am capable of shooting a look that instills lasting fear in the recipient. I've not seen it (since it's never happened while I was looking in a mirror) but I did have a supervisor who avoided me for months. All the benefits of violence without the nasty legal repercussions.

Second, I had what was one of the top three meals I've had in my entire life at a tiny little restaurant (indoors doesn't seat more than 35 people) in a tiny little former coal company town near Athens, OH.

Kathy, you've made this sound really good and need to tell me where it is so I can pass it on to my family.