Yeah, I would almost definitely do what Robin is suggesting, Allyson. Suicide threats are not to be taken lightly, nor dealt with by friends and acquaintances. Professional help is required.

lori, that video is awesome, and yes, I feel the little ball of rage settling nicely into my belly. I bookmarked it for future use. I love the bit where the music ends and he's all, hey, hey! with the vocalizing. And then he starts it up again and looks completely startled, then delighted, by this unexpected turn of events.

I was thinking about you and your neighbors and your project, Allyson, this morning during television yoga (am I supposed to be focusing during that? 'Cause I totally don't.). And I was wondering if the line is specific to neighborliness. Do you think it's possible for one of your neighbors to develop a relationship with you that would be within your bounds? Like, a superfabulous Polgara style person moved in near you; would you specifically choose not to develop a closer relationship with them because they were a neighbor and fell in a different set? Or does it just depend on the individual?

'Cause I think I might draw boundaries just because of the proximity factor. I need my personal space, friendly and nice and interesting neighbor people.

(Of course, by "family" above I mean the family you're born (or adopted) into, not the family you choose.)

Man, you give your notice and they pile a shitload of work on you for those last two weeks.

Noah = too cute for words. The dictionary fails me.

Can you be trusted to not set buckets of water on fire?

That was merely a sign of how awesome I am. Awesome and completely trustworthy.

Allyson, I agree with what Robin is suggesting. Threats of suicide are when the professionals need to be called.

Hey, the SO just bought me a present...a telescope!

He went to pick up the Craigslist studio mixing desk he'd bought (some guy is liquidating his whole rig) and picked it up for ten bucks. Tonight I'll look at the moon!

I'm sorry about the stress and blurry boundaries, Allyson. And I hope your neighbour turns out to get better asap.

Man, they need to discharge me soon. They want to give more liquids because of a high heartrate. That's just how I roll. Ride's waiting for me.

yay telescope!

And yeah, Noah, he is of the cute. His happy little gym has a happy little star that lights up at various points as it plays music. I think he likes it.

I'm definitely defining it in the book as a proximity-based community. Kristen, ita, Kat, lori, and Polgara are all within my general proximity but the boundaries I have between them are more transparent, and move according to need.

I'm closer to one of my neighbors than to the others, in terms of it being okay for either of us to run in and borrow a cup of sugar or a tampon when we're not home. But it's a very clear cut arrangement, agreed upon. I wouldn't allow any of my other neighbors to do that.

Clearly, if I lived next door to Kat and K, I'd take care of Noah a lot more, if I lived next door to ita, I'd be giving her rides to the emergency room....

...however, I'd leave work in a heartbeat if either one of them were in need, for example. I'd just run. My neighbors? Not so much. Still, it could be that the pre-existing friendships are completely different. If, for example, I wasn't friends with/knew Kat, and she moved in next door, would we have the same relationship? Yes. I believe we would. Because aside from the proximity, we have common roots, a common understanding, that allowed us to be friends in the first place.