Hil, breath! You ok? If your sister wants to come over, tell her the maid quit, and then tell her all about your seminar. Give her your entire speech even.

I'm ok, yeah, thanks. My apartment is a total mess right now -- like, piles of clothes and mail on the floor. I keep meaning to clean it, then keep finding other stuff to do.

Hil, we should never live together. For our apartments sound the same. Although, since moving to tx, my place is in much better shape. If you don't count the desk. Glad to hear you are doing better.

Shir, stay safe. I hope you are not in range of the new launching ground.

Right now, the big problem is some cardboard boxes that stuff was mailed in. There are a few really big ones (one from a sewing machine, one from a DVD player), and they're taking up a bunch of space. I need to break them down and bring them downstairs to the garage.

You could bake something, and mail it to someone. The baking helps you calm down in a zen kind of way. The mailing the box helps clean the place. And giving it away brings joy to someone else.

I think that requires way more mental coordination than I have at the moment.

I'm still awake too. I was just amusing myself playing solitare on my cellphone hoping it would make me sleepy. I'm very jealous of TCG, who is happily snoring at the other end of the apartment.

I am still awake but will shortly not be if all goes well. I have so much to say about your post earlier, Erin, but it will have to wait until I have a little free time. Man does the start of a new semester suck! In the meantime, big hugs coming your way. I feel your pain and wish I could make it go away for you. I know what it's like to face the choice of calling in sleepless, and it sucks mightily.

Also hugs to Hil and sj and anyone else around because I'm feeling snuggly. I'm working stupid hours with very limited sleep right now, and the thought of cuddling up with my Bitches is extremely appealing right now. Oh and of course hugs to Fay (and some snogging too, if she'd have me!) for having to deal with racist asshat man. And count me among the women who have enjoyed omnis hugging, though it was the affectionate hugging of dear friends rather than a love interest. He's very huggable. Also very smart, kind, responsible, and terribly romantic at heart. He's a fine catch for some lucky lady. They just have to find each other.

Wanted to slip in a slightly belated Happy Birthday to my very favorite superhero before I head to bed, however. Happy Birthday, Joe! We miss you terribly and hope that this new year will be fantastic for you.

Hugs to you too, Kristin. I hope you sleep well.

Oooh, it sounds like I may be teaching Year 5 next year! That's the 9-10 year olds! VERY chuffed about the prospect of literature and humanities, somewhat daunted by the prospect of mountains of marking, quite scared by the thought of teaching Hard Maths.

Fay, I think you really need to befriend the wife of that fellow.

I hope everyone had a good sleep. I was up at 4, which seems to be my pattern these days, but fell back to sleep after a few pages of reading.