I think this is my third year delurking and sadly I’m losing ground. I feel like the delurkiest! I try to catch up when I can but real life has interfered. I can’t say there’s any thread besides this one I’ve posted in since last year. When I have a spare moment I do try to catch up on Supernatural, Boxed Set, and Natter threads and as is always the case, conversations I have opinions on have long since moved on. I do send mental fist bumps and ~ma thoughts for the Buffistas ups and downs. Since, I’m all delurky, Java cat, my sincerest condolences on your loss. Happy Birthday SailAweigh.

My life is much the same as it was except after eleven years of consulting, I took the plunge into a regular job in corporate America. It was time. I wanted stability, less travel, and reliable health insurance. My new job gives me all that with the bonus of being the place I’ve consulted most. In fact, I moved from a consulting job to a regular job all while sitting in the same place and doing the same thing, with the bonus of paid vacation and crazy things like pension plans. This year did bring more fun travel, Copenhagen & Berlin in June to visit family. It was my first visit to Berlin and wow, it’s an amazing city. I definitely want to go back.

I’m growing more things, tomatoes, squash, volunteer corn, berries, apples and more. It’s been really satisfying to eat the bounty of my own garden. This morning I popped out for an apple off the tree. It’s equally heartbreaking to watch pests steal away some of my bounty. Monkey cat happily guards what he can, failing more than he succeeds.

I wonder if I’ll still be delurking a decade from now? Would that be weird? I think it might be a little weird.

That sounds amazing, ehab! And it's totally fine to delurk once a year! I'm glad to hear from you, but you shouldn't feel obligated to post any more than you want to or are able to!

Ehab, whereabouts in the country do you live? Just curious. Moving to a permajob sounds exciting, and I'm super jealous of Copenhagen and Berlin!!

I, um, still do the same thing I did last year, but for a different company. I still live the same place, and have the same roommate (and quite enjoying it--will be sad when she moves out in just under a year!). We got a cat (technically hers) who is huge (17.5 pounds) and very needy. I still travel a lot, but mostly to LA these days. ...that's about it exciting in my life.

I live in El Cerrito in the Bay Area.

The term permajob sounds terrifyingly permanent.

Thanks for the b-day wishes, all!

ehab, nice to see your pixels! Don't worry about being lurky, we all go through phases where life allows us to play more and others where it pulls us away. I'm in a bit of an away phase right now, too, but I know I'm always welcome when I come back. It's the Buffista way.

Happy birthday, Sail! And I'm glad to hear about the many good things in your life.

ehab, c'mon back whenever. It's all good.

Hi lurkers, delurkers, and nonlurkers!

I post so rarely anymore that I almost feel like a lurker, so my year:

The big news is that Hubs has retired on disability. After much drama (which he'd probably prefer I not go into detail about), the final approvals came in late in the summer.

At the beginning of the year, my closest friend at work became my supervisor. There are awkwardnesses. But overall, I think it's a positive for my career. Not just having a friend in management, but someone who's interested in developing the careers of his subordinates generally.

Still volunteering at the animal shelter on weekends. DCistas interested in adopting a cat or a dog are invited to check us out.

Not a lurker, but I support them in email.

I feel I am not around as much, but that is the reality of me working.

Good year - hard May and June with mac, but the end result has been a much more stabalized kiddo and less medication.

Still not loving Texas, but resigned and working on finding my people within my little world here.

I'm worse than a lurker at this point. I've been reduced to just lurking in the right hand threads. I only subscribe to 7 threads, including this one, and still the unread numbers are overwhelming. So I am jumping to current in each of them in another attempt to stay in touch.

At least I see a bit of news from time to time on Facebook. I go in there more regularly to lurk because my family members are there. If I have not found you for some reason please friend me. The last name is Holt for those of you not in the know.

My last year has been filled with stress on the work front. Lots of boring to everyone including me details, but the short version is the government has said that my customers get a chunk of cash if they meaningfully use my software and they all want the money. They don't want to actually do the work so I have to be all whip cracking with my doctors, which doesn't come naturally. I can't visit with the patients and document as required, but apparently it is now my job to make my doctors do their jobs. But it is happening.

My boys are now 18 and 20, which is exciting and horrifying on many levels. They both get to vote for the first time this year helping to swing Florida in the best direction. They are healthy and could cause me a lot more stress than they do. I certainly misbehaved more at that age, but this would not be a perfect measuring stick I suppose. I have a much smoother relationship with them than their father does, but I think that is likely a father/son dynamic that is natural.

My mom is 91 now and doing quite well. I am very grateful for her and also blessed that she has my step-father to dote on her every moment of every day. They had their 25th anniversary this past summer and are as cute as honeymooners.

My husband is still a total keeper. Working and living together for 24 years now. He is as stressed and overworked as I am and since we share all the same work and home stresses he at least understands my state.

Here's hoping for a bit more free time to participate in the board more, and participate in life more. You are in my thoughts often.