Too many of my loved ones suffer from migraines. I can't even imagine trying to function with that level of pain. All the ~ma in the world that some brilliant minds find solutions to what is clearly a complex problem.

Betsy, nice to see you. So sorry for all the pain in your family, and the bs bureaucracy on top of it. Good thoughts for some relief and resolution.

BETSY!

Oh its good to see your pixels, even if they're weary pixels.

That's awful, Betsy. I am so sorry. But I, too, am very happy to see you.

The only thing that has changed for me since last October is that I got married in April. I still haven't found a FT job, despite having had a couple of PT teaching gigs, neither of which stuck or I liked, really. I am still unemployed.

I like all the de-lurking, by everyone - high-fives to those with good news to share, brackets and good thoughts to those going through hard times.

Not much has changed since my post from last year. link

We're all a year older. My two sons are still in college, my oldest daughter is in Israel for the year at a women's seminary, I haven't killed my teenage daughter yet (despite severe provocation at times), and I'm helping with 6th grade and 3rd grade homework for the two youngest girls.

Last spring, I survived being thought a troll in Buffista-land (because of my political views) and have tried to be a better neighbor (if unrepentant Republican) since.

I can generally be found (lurking, if not posting) in Literary, Natter, and Bitches.

I hope when we check in like this next year, there will a year of good news to share - or as we say in my neighborhood, "May we share only simchas."

Best wishes to Betsy and family.

I'm without permanent housing at the moment, couch surfing and spending most of my time in north Oakland, CA. Looking for work and expecting some stimulus money toward finding a permanent place.

Otherwise, I'm in good health. I've started playing music again, joining a band and making a concerted effort to get better on the guitar. Don't ask me when we're playing, though.

Betsy, that is crazy. Best of luck dealing with the paperwork bs. And hopefully something can be done to relieve the pain. I can't help but think with three of you having the problem, I wonder if it's an environmental trigger or something. I seem to recall something in the news about bad wallboard from China that outgasses and causes health problems. Or something like that?

I`m sure Betsy has investigated environmental stuff. And iirc, they did still suffer, particularly son, while on international travels. So although it would be nice if it were something simple like a sick house, I don`t think it is.

Oy. I think we need to add "fuck migraines" to "fuck cancer".

Indeed. As everyone said, good to see your pixels, Betsy, but hate the update.

I better post here before the month goes away, ack! I totally meant to hang out in here more and post earlier. But then I had a week of massive piles of papers to grade, and then a week where my Internet was out, and then my computer died and I had to wait for the new one to get here, and now October's almost over.

Ahem.

Hi! I still mostly lurk due to shyness and lack of time, but I adore this place, especially Firefly, Jossverse, and Minearverse. I am an instructor of biology at a community college in southeastern Washington state, on track to get tenure at the end of the year. Though I really hope to move back to the left side of the mountains either in Oregon or Washington, an area I have missed terribly since finishing grad school over there.

I have totally skipped to the end to post this, so I don't know what positions we are currently declaring. So let me just say that besides the fandoms, I enjoy this place for the other forms of geekery--including, but not limited to, fonts and punctuation. Someday I hopw to be half as smart and funny as you all!