Hi Bridget! I hope you stay safe from the fires and find convenient employment soon.

Hi erikaj! Keep writing! I hope to see you published more in the coming years.

Hi Delurkerers!

Most years lately there hasn't been anything new to share -- still driving Lyft/Uber, still driving around in big circles and barely making ends meet. But this September I started a 30hr/week job as a driver for an assisted living facility in Cambridge that I can walk to and life feels like it's changed quite a bit to being both more organized and more purposeful.

'Driver' means that I do the facility-sponsored transportation, in a nice Subaru Legacy sedan for small parties and in a much much larger wheelchair lift bus. I also do grocery list shopping (Insta-Connie, I call it, but most of them don't get the joke), carry around packages, lead some (very gentle) exercize classes and anything else that Programs needs a hand with, like going out and buying $173 worth of wine.

They are really nice people, both the staff and the residents, and it feels like this will be a keeper.

It's good to have this positive thing going on -- alas, there was a serious bereavement in my family that struck me really hard, because my incredibly vital and wonderful cousin David died in a truly freak accident. That's brought back all the sadness from my aunt's death (last year) and worry for my remaining cousin, who now has to solely wind up her brother's estate and also take over as primary caregiver for my poor uncle who is slowly progressing into dementia.

So I've been down and up, but mostly trying to keep moving forward.

That's awesome, Theo. A good driver is worth a lot to people who can't.

Hi BridgetS! It's good to see you. Sounds like you have a lot of life happening.

I'm so glad the new job is working out so far, Theo

I like this thread. I don't feel like the only one who has a hard time keeping in touch.

Hiya Bridget and Connie! Glad to see your pixels around the place.

Hi everyone, if you are natterers you know my story, but I have had a tough couple of years, culminating in almost being evicted for hoarding. I am working on it.

So, I was diagnosed with diabetes, solved it with radical diet change. My uncle died. My mom lost her sight. My father's family, who I never knew, found me. I got promoted, but no one capable was found to take my old job and I ended up trying to do both with an annoying person that I was "training". My cat died. My mom got her vision back. The theatre is building a new building. The regular work is building two new floors. I need to get a masters and or doctoral degree to advance in my new job. I got a new kitten. I missed an inspection and am almost getting evicted. I am trying to fix that. I have therapy and professionals coming in tomorrow.

I took a leave of absence from theatre to take care of my mental health and keep from being evicted. I am cleaning and in therapy. I am hopeful right now. I am grateful for the Buffistas community who supported me through this so far. I am happy with my therapist. I am looking forward to having something clean when the professionals come tomorrow.

I think I have gotten my work to agree that I need time to train the new person, rather than half ass train them and then expect them to take over and not bother me, which will lessen my stress. I had been told to let it go, but people really weren't getting things like saving on a shared drive or making sure the database matched reality which seems like a normal expectation.

My little kitty Petunia is a joy. She is so cute

Hi everyone, if you are natterers you know my story, but I have had a tough couple of years, culminating in almost being evicted for hoarding. I am working on it.

So, I was diagnosed with diabetes, solved it with radical diet change. My uncle died. My mom lost her sight. My father's family, who I never knew, found me. I got promoted, but no one capable was found to take my old job and I ended up trying to do both with an annoying person that I was "training". My cat died. My mom got her vision back. The theatre is building a new building. The regular work is building two new floors. I need to get a masters and or doctoral degree to advance in my new job. I got a new kitten. I missed an inspection and am almost getting evicted. I am trying to fix that. I have therapy and professionals coming in tomorrow.

I took a leave of absence from theatre to take care of my mental health and keep from being evicted. I am cleaning and in therapy. I am hopeful right now. I am grateful for the Buffistas community who supported me through this so far. I am happy with my therapist. I am looking forward to having something clean when the professionals come tomorrow.

I think I have gotten my work to agree that I need time to train the new person, rather than half ass train them and then expect them to take over and not bother me, which will lessen my stress. I had been told to let it go, but people really weren't getting things like saving on a shared drive or making sure the database matched reality which seems like a normal expectation.

My little kitty Petunia is a joy. She is so cute

Getting just under the wire!

Am I a lurker? I try not to fall too far behind on reading threads, but I don't have a sense of how much or little I post. I probably think responses much more than I post them.

Not much to report in my life. Theatre, cats, reading books, watching tv, and trying to keep my ankles functioning have occupied the bulk of my year.

Java cat still here.

Hey, folks. Hell of a week.

. . . no, is too much. Lemme sum up.

Jim, Ken and I left Salt Lake City and moved to Washington five years ago (he's in Bellevue, we're on Bainbridge Island). Ken is now 32, graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in anthropology, and seems to be a happy and competent human being. We're both delighted to know him.

I've lived here for three years and while it falls well short of the marketing (because humans), it suits my solarpunk-loving heart.

There was some health stuff earlier this year, which is pretty much resolved; family loss, which is very recent and most definitely not; otherwise not much has changed.

It's good to "see" you all again.