The 2013 gift exchange is OPEN - GO! JOIN! - read Press!

I'm excited about the exchange this year! Thanks, msbelle.

I've also been lurkier than usual for a bit. Reasons.

I, too, have a couple of monster projects for the work that is supposed to be part time...and never seems to be...including rewriting an operations manual that is SO poorly written that it just makes me sad...and avoidy.

Things are actually well with me otherwise. After a couple of pretty awful years, this one started out really, really badly (hospitalized and treated for something I did not have...legal action ensuing) but has gotten much better since.

I'm sidling up on the two year anniversary of losing my beloved Bartleby and wondering when I will ever NOT grieve that loss to my very core. Honestly, it feels like yesterday.

On the other hand, his successor is keeping me busy by being both incredibly cute and mind numbingly dumb. Cagney really is a joy but, boy howdy, his-we'll just call them 'deficiencies'- make no sense!

Still, when we walk down the street and three enormous Marines fall to the sidewalk and turn into cream puffs (with actual tears in their eyes) in the face of his massive LOVE-BUG-ness...well, you can't argue with charm.

Professionally, I'm striving to create a web-show to share the tools that have worked for my coaching and counseling clients over the last 13 years. I need some help with it, and have not quite found the right fit yet. It's important though, so I soldier on.

My loved ones are actually doing really well despite health and emotional challenges.

As always, I'm infinitely grateful for this community and all that I have found here. In April, it will be 10 years. Except for the apartment I live in and the dog I loved so much, I have NEVER done anything else consistently for 10 years. That says something pretty amazing about this place.

Hi lurkers, semi-lurkers, and denizens of threads I do not frequent!

I love msbelle running amok through the threads. Amok, amok, amok...

... but in the nicest way possible

I only body-check while running through threads when it is absolutely necessary.

I'm lurking in this thread. But I support you all, email or no.

Hello lurkers, semilurkers, demilurkers, and other nonlurkers who just dropped by to say hi!

I've had a pretty good year. Work's going well, my family seems happy and healthy, and my friends are terrific. But I'm sad about living so far from my family, so I'm looking into possibly moving to northern lower Michigan (Traverse City area, for those familiar with MI). I might be able to work remotely, and three hours from family would beat the heck out of 14 hours. Of course, then I'd be sad about living so far from my NC friends. Eh, we'll see how it goes.

Hi lurkers, et al.!

Hi Lurkers! Please feel free to support me in email.

It's been a year since my Mom died. I've been unemployed for over 6 months so far, and I'm on my Unemployment extension. The good news is that my portion of my Mom's estate has come in, so I've got enough money in reserve so that I feel like I can breathe again.

I think im probably a lurker now. For a long time I read but didn't post but lately I haven't been reading much. But I do see lots of you on FB. And I'm thinking about reinvigorating my DW account since I have stuff I want to say but not on FB.

Anyway...my law office is growing and that keeps me super busy. Just hired a 4th person part time this week. I love what I do and it included a trip to El. Paso/Juarez this week. The rest of my life is super busy with the kids. Ellie is now 8, Frisco is almost6 and Sammy is almost 2. I miss you guys a lot.