IOW, hello, Erin! I'll be in KC in April!

Hey, Sparky, that's great. We can haz gimlets! Let me know about when you'll be around.

Guys, I feel ya about the income stress. I've been unemployed since 10/1, moved in with Dan and got engaged, all without bringing in any income past November. It's been incredibly hard for me: just an uncomfortable LEECHING feeling. I have felt so off-balance and so not me. It's been really hard.

HOWEVER...I have an adjunct gig ( 1 course)firmly in the bag -- starts 2/17, AND I have a presentation to give on Wednesday for another adjunct gig. All English courses, one on-line and the other (it's not nailed down, but it's dependent on the presentation, which I am 99% confident on, so I feel really positive about it) in a classroom setting. And that would be two courses at that school. So I should have income coming in on 3/5. Not much, but I'm jazzed.

I can work partly at home, and I figure the more experience I add to my res, the more gigs I can get. I can work from home a lot, and be flexible this July, when my soon-to-be stepson is here for 5 weeks. This means he can be at day camp for 1/2 days instead of whole, which means more bonding time, and less $$ spent on day camps.

SO. Relieved, And happy, career-wise, because I will be much happier with a flex schedule and teaching college courses. I've been wanting to do this for a LONG time, but the lack of health bene's has really been an issue, especially with my surgeries. But when D and I get married, I can get health through his company, do the work I like to do, and the possibility of working on my Ph.D in the near future is a real possibility. If I should so decide.

Dogs just enjoy stuff so well. Muddy floors are a pain, but watching the glee must mitigate the mud at least a little.

Maybe a tetherball for the Sass? Advantage--in one place, so no need for a walk or a run. Possible disadvantage--need a place to hang it.

Askye, that photo is amazing--it reminds me of the Gotta Dance nmber in Singin' in the Rain, with Cyd Charise and a green scarf, and of course the trio of couples in Kiss Me Kate, where two of the boys were Bob Fosse and Gower Champion--they used scarves much the same way. I think there's another great 50s musical that had a bride and a white scarf--I just can't place it.

But it's a fantastic effect--all the more wonderful for being outdoors, rather than on a soundstage!

Your kitcats are very cute and snuggly.

ETA--Matilda is such a big girl. And yes, she does look like her mom--both of you just beautiful.

And Erin, all of that sounds beautifully dovetailed and serendipitous. I'm so happy for you!

Brrrr. Cold outside*! Day off. So I crank the heat inside. But chores has me needing to take out a huge pile of recycles. I bundle up, and head out, expecting it to be a 5 min walk. But run into neighbor/co-worker, and it turns into 30 minutes. In freezing cold weather!

*cold for Dallas. Technically it is freezing, at 30f. Yes, my blood is still Californianized.

I just went out to dinner with a friend and several of her relatives. It was fun, though I wish I could have had more time to just talk to my friend -- there's a lot of stuff going on that we couldn't really talk about in front of all the relatives.

meara- backflung with more info than you probably wanted - and even a referral to an IRS publication that you can download and read on your flight!

Barb, I'm KaffyM on flickr. Friend, please? I wanna see the cover!

ZoneWombat on Flickr...me too please pretty please?

Also, should we have a list of our names on other sites (LJ, FB, Flickr, Xbox, etc)?

askye, that is a really cool picture.

JZ! I tried to call you and you did not answer. Now I am back home.

JZ! I tried to call you and you did not answer. Now I am back home.

She says she hasn't turned the phone back on since the movies.

I texted and called before the movies! Alas.