continue listening the the sequel to Bram Stoker's Dracula written my his great-grandnephew

Bath yes, honey bathbomb thingie YES, Dancre Stoker's "sequel" to Dracula NO NO NO. Could not stand that book.

amyth, I'm sorry your brother is being a jerk.

Yes, self-centered is putting it nicely.

Dang, I was hoping it was more the kind of thing I'd say to my sister--"Well, I really hope dad doesn't die right BEFORE this birthday thing we have planned for him, because I'm busy with work before then". Which, um, we did say (we also said that if he did, we could repurpose the birthday thing as a funeral thing!). But he was in...rather less likelihood of dying, and it's not like I wouldn't have GONE. But it sounds, sadly, like he wasn't so much joking. I'm sorry, amyth. :(

In other news: I just did my taxes! I get lots of money! Which I knew, because of the tax credit. But still! I feel I should do something big with it.

I know, you could buy a house! Oh wait. Nevermind.

Ugh, amyth. I'd like to smack him upside the head. Family is family, and you may not like them, but they deserve a little more consideration than the job at the very least. I'm sorry you have to work through this.

Barb, bella--go get your goddamned iron checked. sj is wise and speaks from experience. Now I shall stop Italian mommying you...

Trudy and Daniel--any anyone else who's not feeling well--I hope you're feeling better.

I have to recharge by myself, but I also need to be around people too. I can't take huge crowds anymore though, but maybe that's impatience with all the people who think they're the only ones occupying the space. You know, the space right in the middle of the concourse/street/walkway which, when blocked, impedes the movement of the other 18 thousand people trying to get around.

I read social cues well, but sometimes I blow right past them in my eagerness to be liked. When I'm out with people, I constantly worry I'm too loud, or I'm oversharing, or I'm monopolizing the conversation and trying too hard to identify with everyone there. And I do an after-action report in my head, which is usually very critical of my behaviour and focuses on things that no one else noticed or cared about. Oh, and if I've ever hugged any of you and you didn't want one, I'm sorry. Just tell me and I'll keep my hands to myself.

Andi and Tep, I need to thank you for bringing up the empath discussion. I never would have even considered it, but a lot of the traits apply to me. I've always wondered why it's difficult for me to figure out how I feel about a situation when it's happening, but looking back, it's because I'm absorbing and trying to process everyone else's emotions along with mine. I've never been good at visualization, and I'm hoping that simple awareness is enough to make me acknowledge others' feelings without absorbing.

ION, Christian Kane is playing a free show 2/19 ten minutes away from my parents' house, and I'm thinking about going. Don't know if I want to go by myself though.

I know, you could buy a house! Oh wait. Nevermind.

Hah! I am thinking "I should send some of it to my mortgage!" except that in comparison to what I owe, it's hardly anything!

But still! If you pay extra (make sure you specify against principal) now, it will be super duper extra later with less interest you'll have to pay! The earlier in the mortgage it is, the better!

ION, Christian Kane is playing a free show 2/19 ten minutes away from my parents' house, and I'm thinking about going. Don't know if I want to go by myself though.

He's a hell of lot of fun.

If you pay extra (make sure you specify against principal) now, it will be super duper extra later with less interest you'll have to pay! The earlier in the mortgage it is, the better!

While we have the ability to do so, DH and I are paying an extra amount per month against principal, for this reason. We can't refi because our mortgage isn't owned by Fannie or Freddie, and we're upside down. So the easiest way to take the sting out of paying 6.5% interest is to pay down the principal as quickly as we can. We're in year 5 of a 30-year mortgage.

Cass, so I hear. Though I'm slightly afraid of the fangirls who I expect to be in attendance. I really don't like the crazy dynamic they bring.

Oh, they'll be there. Just don't try to be stageside and you'll be fine though.

The crowds aren't so big that standing at the back has ever been an issue for me and it staves off the wicked Motts that such shows can bring.

Alternately, do shots.