Liese is wise.

First, beth, lots of ~ma to all of you there. I understand completely all of the emotions coming out of it. Confusion, stress and all of the rest. When facing violence, we don't know how we're going to react. Never. I have a lot of respect for Matt, first for stepping in, then for not wanting to be called a hero. My ~mas to you, your family and your community.

Into other things I randomly picked up from the conversation...

Happy holidays, all! I had a great time. Most importantly, I built up some confidence I needed during that vacation, and refocused on other things. Possibly grew thicker skin. Definitely feel better (confidence is great, man), but now, kind of wonder how the hell I got myself into all of these responsibilities I have. Also, I can haz new awesome bra and a swapped holy-something-it's-so-stunning skirt.

Cash, your roller derby photos were a hell lot more exciting to look at than I thought they'll be. Looking at them, I wanted to be a part of it! I'm glad you're still high of it; looks worth it. And y'all so damn pretty. I'm a sucker for pretty.

I think that's even worse than the guy who answered that question with "Twilight."

Ooh. Now I want to sign into a dating site just to mention that the last book I read and lurved was The Problems of the Philosophy of History. Which is a lie, for I read others I loved since, but it's still a good test, I think, to my One True Date's character (if I only believed in dating...).

Also, I like to breathe and blink. I'm weird like that.

And get your stuff sooner~ma to askye.

because i would have to go around telling people to stop using the word hero- it isn't helpful for him.

I hope as he progresses through dealing with the experience, he can sort of look at the act of people calling him hero, acknowledge that it's their shorthand for being nice and of thanking him, and then take their words and set them aside. *He* doesn't have to accept or apply that label to himself, and maybe as he starts to heal, he can just let their words exist but not attach to him. If that makes sense.

I don't mean right this moment, just in case it wasn't clear. Right now, he -- and you -- just needs to process it all and start to heal.

"Phone Ambassador"? Srsly?

What Steph wrote. Every word.

As if being on hold is not irritating enough, I need to repeatedly hear a recording thanking me for waiting for the next "Phone Ambassador"?

Maybe "Phone Führer" was already taken.

Words fail me, and other have put what I want to say so much better, so I'll just say much ~ma to Beth and Matt and all involved and cool beans, Cash.

What libkitty, JZ, and so many other wise people have said.

Hey, Erin, saw this link and thought of you. I figured my fellow Virgo would like a list of things to watch out for. I think there are more pitfalls to self-employment than this, and the biggest one for me is the need to keep up with the mundane. For example, during this month of situational depression, I've let some financial stuff slide that I really can't afford to. Being self-employed means I need to keep up with it, and there's no one else to do it. My printer was having problems, and I decided I was geeky, I should be able to fix it. Hundreds of dollars later and countless piles of toner, the problem is nearly back to where it was when I started. If I were working for someone, I'd call the techs, or at worst, the person with the service contract for the printer. But I don't have one! Stuff like that.

Anyway.

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