I have a theory that a depressive turn of mind that mentally plays disaster scenarios and permutations thereof over and over again serves as sort of a rehearsal for preparedness. What do you think?

You're not the only one with the theory. Some scientists have speculated that that is the reason the tendency for depression has persisted in the human population instead of dying out.

If I were as calm and competent in my daily life as I am in emergencies, I'd be the queen of a small nation by now.

bonny, Trudy, Barb, and Bartleby are all impressive!

If there were a fire here, heaven forbid, I could probably get Leo in a carrier if he weren't already panicking, but Percy fights going in the carrier, every time. I ought to spend some time getting him accustomed to thinking of the carrier as a comforting safe thing, not Danger. I wouldn't let them run outside unless I had no other choice; Percy's never been outside, and although Leo usually heads for the pine trees when he escapes, he has once run right into the road. Scared the hell out of me.

They e-mailed me a proof of what the altered billboard would look like, and I almost peed my pants laughing at my new "quote," because WOW, I would SO not say something like that: [link].

So that's their translation of "I'm less likely to kill someone"?

Sometimes I leave the carrier out and sprinkle nip in it, just to let them hang out in it. If I know that Gimlet needs to go to the vet, I'll try to do it a week ahead of time, because she's a big freak. Cosmo is an amiable ditz and doesn't care.

I have a theory that a depressive turn of mind that mentally plays disaster scenarios and permutations thereof over and over again serves as sort of a rehearsal for preparedness. What do you think?

I think there really is something to this. As I was making my way out, I thought of all the plans I'd made...get the passport, grab the wallet, etc. But none of that mattered. I was so cool and, 'let's hit the street, Bboy.' I'm sure this is because I have gone over the 'plan' in my mind so many times.

I've even got a plan for tying Bartleby up in a sheet to lower him out the second story window. I suppose I should find one of those emergency ladders because, as someone pointed out today, the liquor store? Going up like a bomb factory, so the stairs won't really be an option.

No, this one! "Back view!"

Ha! We were joking that I should ask them if they want to run a giant picture of my tattoo!

They e-mailed me a proof of what the altered billboard would look like, and I almost peed my pants laughing at my new "quote," because WOW, I would SO not say something like that: [link].

So that's their translation of "I'm less likely to kill someone"?

Chatty!co-worker and I came up with many alternate "quotes":

"I take WAY fewer Percocets now!"
"When I kick ass now, it doesn't hurt ME!"
"Yes. This is a picture of my spine."

"When I kick ass now, it doesn't hurt ME!"

I like this one!

I'm so very tired, but G was worth it. Tomorrow I get to go out with his mommy for yummy food and alcohol.

Hee. Agree with sj.

Bonny, after I got mugged in my own house, it made me feel much more secure about knowing what I would do in an emergency, strangely. I mean, after I MOVED. But I have all these different scenarios planned in my head and responses, and most of all, I know absolutely, from experience, that I will not freeze up and be passive.

Silver lining.

I know absolutely, from experience, that I will not freeze up and be passive.

Yes. It's a great comfort to know this about myself as well.

See, now y'all are kinda freakin me out about my new house--the old place, I was totally down with the fire plan and had gotten into the "murderers breaking in to kill me" plan (obsessive checking to see that I'd locked the door, and knowing no one was rappelling down to get into my balcony, and couldn't get up a ladder from the busy street to get onto it). New place, I'm already doing the "too big to obsessively check doors and now I have MULTIPLE DOORS OMG AND MULTIPLE WINDOWS MURDERERS COULD GET IN" AND now I have to re-figure out how to escape in a fire PLUS I have no idea where my "things I want to grab in a fire" are? Eep. (Not to mention, that whole "Now I live in a place with earthquakes" thing that I still haven't quite grokked)

...gah. I may be a little overly anxious at times. And stressy, right now. I pointed out to my boss that although we are required to do 7 visits every month, in June I am currently supposed to do ELEVEN. And they stopped giving us bonuses. And currently I have no idea how I'm supposed to finish what I'm supposed to get done at one place--I think it may not happen (they'll flip, but I told them A MONTH AGO I needed help, and now they're all "Um, maybe we can't help?" when they said they would). AND, they're asking for ridiculous shit like "To make it look better, can you do that one thing on two days instead of one?" and I'm like "FUCK NO, there are actual things I would LIKE to take two days to do but don't have time, something that will only take me two HOURS is not going to be given two DAYS just because it will look better".

...breathe. breathe. breathe....

I'm supposed to have an interview for a new job in a couple weeks. I'm not actually sure it would be a BETTER job, though.

I'm exhausted, but too keyed up to sleep. Way too many things on my mind, and I can't get my brain to slow down. (Or my heart, either -- I just checked, and after lying down for about five minutes, my heart rate was 102.)

...breathe. breathe. breathe....

This.

I really wish I could sleep in tomorrow morning, but the latest that I can possibly sleep is 9, and that's cutting it kind of close. Then I'm busy on Friday, then I'll finally be able to sleep on Saturday, when I'm pretty sure I'll sleep all day.