he ended up paying for us all, which is not how it's supposed to go.

No, but that's really nice of him. And perhaps he's moving on to something where he gets paid a lot better.

Erin, I hope you get the Black Dog under control. I hope that it helps that we're here and supportive (as much as we can, being invisible people inside your computer).

Please don't read any cynicism, commentary on men or anything of the sort, I'm just retired from that pattern. Being with someone is not worth repeating it.

It's a good pattern to be aware of and not repeat, and it's good to be happily solo, but I just want to state the obvious here that being with someone shouldn't require repeating it.

I have no stress about not wanting kids. My parents might have stress.

I can't focus on what I need to focus on. I have to finish editing this proposal. I promised I would. I did every other thing in the world I could do...it just...the whole thing needs to be rewritten.

So this afternoon I was supposed to go have a crown removed so they could poke and prod and maybe cut a little of the gum, but when I got there, the dentist said "you know, I don't think we should do any of that except maybe the gum cutting (or as they called it crown lengthening)", and then she tried to send me to the in house periodontist who was supposed to do that part, but he kept back talking what the dentist had just said, so I said "you know, you two have done absolutely nothing to bolster my confidence in you, and I'm not letting you near my gums today, so I'm leaving" and then I left, and then I decided since I had already taken the afternoon off, I would go pick up my new glasses, but when I got there, the clip-ons I ordered to go with them don't actually work with my new glasses, so they had to keep them and my new glasses to try and fix them, so then I came back into the office instead of going home, in part so I could work on a project that requires the use of the NDCal Pacer, which as it turns out, isn't working right now.

In other words, MOTHERFUCKER

Also, HOOKERS AND BLOW

I just want to state the obvious here that being with someone shouldn't require repeating it.

Plei, I threw my hands up in the air, with a big smile on my face. EXACTLY right. I just haven't been stumbled upon by that person yet.

I've stumbled upon them, but they were with someone else!

I have no stress about not wanting kids. My parents might have stress.

It's very likely that much of the reason that I never had stress about it was that my mother never pushed the idea to me, indeed I don't recall her ever mentioning it. Though she certainly loved us and was proud of us and did her best as a parent, I'm sure she knew how much easier her life would have been without kids. Well, at least without me -- my big sister helped her survive her marriage to my (putative) father; my existence only made her life harder. (This is not whinging; it's simply fact. I don't blame myself, or her.) I think she always knew that I wouldn't be happy as a parent, and understanding that, left me to decide for myself. Besides, by the time I was in college, my sister had already had a baby girl, and four years later, she did it again; we used to joke that she'd replaced both of us, so I didn't have to have one. My mom was happy and satisfied with her two beautiful granddaughters, and I with my nieces.

My god, I'm wordy today. You should see what a tome I've cut out of this!

I have no stress about not wanting kids. My parents might have stress.

My Mom was a little sad that I didn't want kids, but she got over it, and really got over it once my friends started having babies. It turns out that Mom wasn't that invested in the idea of grandchildren, she just liked babies.

Semi-related tangent: You guys! My Dad has started going contra dancing at the local community center, and is apparently quite the sought-after partner! There is a very nice lady who has pretty much claimed him as her usual partner; when they were taking a break and getting some water, another lady asked my Dad if he would like to dance, and the nice lady with him immediately said "He's resting!" Hee!

I'm really, really happy that he is doing this. My Dad is an extremely social person, so I completely support him going out dancing and meeting people.

Jilli, that's great! A friend of mine has been contradancing for many years (not continuously), and it looks like such fun! It's a great way to meet folks, too.

Jilli, that's wonderful. I'm glad to hear your dad is doing well.