How could he have not been with all that regalness?

I am thinking you submitted the flailing devil dog portrait. Totes regal.

My reply? I knew it would get me noticed, and it's an example of how I can be unorthodox while working within the system to achieve my desired result.

Damn, you rock.

It's not normal to be tired and listless all the time and in pain most of the time, even if I am a middle-aged peri-menopausal woman, is it?

My theory is no.

But I don't have the spoons to fight enough to see what's really wrong. Or killer health insurance.

I still think it's really not the way things are supposed to be though.

Kato got picked for the canine calendar!

Live the dream, baby!

Nora, you are not a bad kitty parent. I'm thinking that with Taz's history, the vet maybe should have been more proactive. Lo those many years ago, when I worked for a vet, if we had the same thing happen, the vet usually did some proactive measures.

MFNlaw, I am in awe of your answer-fu! So awesome - and yeah, them walking you to your car after 2 hours is probably a very good sign.

Cass and Dawn are too kind. I keep replaying large chunks of the conversation, wondering if I overplayed and/or undersold myself. I'm now thinking of things I could have said differently. Hindsight is definitely 20/20.

Cass and Dawn are too kind.

You've met me, I am really not.

That was a fantastic answer. Really fantastic. And it wasn't even disingenuous, it shows why people should hire you. You do work within the rules but redefine the hell out of them at the same time. Awestruck.

Insomnia sucks. This is the first night in a while that I haven't had to take Vicodin for pain at night, and I guess my body got used to it, because now I can't fall asleep.

You've met me, I am really not.

To others, perhaps. You've never been anything but kind and generous and supportive to me. You'll just have to deal...

I hope they feel the same way. This company has a really good corporate culture, even if they're enamoured of Six Sigma certification at the moment.

Oh, Hil. I'm sorry. When do classes start for you?

When do classes start for you?

Next week. This week is meetings and getting things set up and stuff.

To others, perhaps. You've never been anything but kind and generous and supportive to me. You'll just have to deal...

Kind, generous and supportive is easy with you, it's a reflection of what you give back to friends.

I'm just not "kind" in a vacuum. If I am nice to you, I like you and see value in you.

And you? You rock, Maria.

This week is meetings and getting things set up and stuff.

Hopefully this week allows you to slide into the semester rather than being thrown in head-first.

I need to start recalibrating my internal clock myself. I've been sliding back into my nocturnal habits as the current job winds down, which is going to make life miserable if I don't get my act together in time for the new job.

Now I'm tearing up. That post is going into the "Look At When Depressed" file.

I know I've been sappy lately, but the day I stumbled upon you people is easily one of the five best days of my life.