Jilli, you are such a joy to everyone you meet. You inspire me, and Kara, who has never actually met you. You bring beauty and whimsy to the world. So many of us want to impact the world for the better, and you do every day. I hope the hard goes away soon, and you feel better soon.

The problem with admiring Jim Caviezel's cheekbones is that eventually you notice that he's talking.

I will, naturally, be in Nashville while Kate is Massachusetts. I have promised my mother to stay longer than usual, because I haven't been up there for a while. We gave up on turkeys some years ago, because they're really a lot of effort for three people. I am supposed to choose what we're having, because I never express an opinion. She doesn't make anything I don't like. As a general rule, I try not to be the person who picks out anything, because if anything goes wrong, it will be my fault.

Feel better, Jilli. You're talented and creative and have a wonderful sense of self, and that will take you to good places. You also have every reason to feel overwhelmed.

Warning, rant ahead. I waited a little while because I don't mean this to be directed at anyone specifically, but I really, really hate the notion of the FPC. Overwhelmed and stressed is plenty of reason to ask for hairpats. I hate that it seems like people feel they can't post their minor or major hurts without apologizing for it upfront. Isn't that what we're here for?

Diamond shoes and a root, fine. We all have times when we're bitching about something we know is minor or silly. To me, this feels altogether different.

Now, it's not all about me and others probably take it differently. But it really bothers me.

I feel you on that.

I hate that it seems like people feel they can't post their minor or major hurts without apologizing for it upfront. Isn't that what we're here for?

I *so* agree. There's something really devaluing about apologizing that my problems aren't "big enough."

Hairpats, Jilli. The hard days are hard, but you'll get through them.

WRT the FPC, I can see where you are coming from, brenda. I find the FPC disclaimer extraneous. But then again I also think about the number of times I don't post about things that are hard or upsetting me because I feel like, if I start counting my blessings, they are many and I shouldn't bitch about my little grievances. And so I usually just don't post when I'm down. And well, that's not really the answer either, is it? So I figure if posting a disclaimer helps empower someone to post, then it's a net good.

I feel overwhelmed and stressed out about everything, and I just want to lay down and cry for a while.

Possibly a nice therapeutic cry would be ... therapeutic. I know your therapy has been really intense and you need to take good care of yourself.

OMG, this week has been horrible and exhausting and next week after a long and grueling transatlantic flight will be even more so and the pissing contest between Walgreens and Blue Cross Blue Shield means I will run out of medication while overseas and work is overwhelming and and and.

Bright side, I think we have things pretty well planned for the trip. Though we still have to pack (boo!) and meet friends from out of town (yay!) for dinner tonight.

Alrighty then. ONWARD!

My father's mother could not stand not being the center of attention. Once a friend was telling a horrifying story about her recent brush with death when she had a reaction to the anesthesia for surgery. Then my grandmother said, "I have this terrible hangnail."

No one here is anything like my grandmother, for which we should all be very thankful. I'm with Brenda; I think everyone deserves support when they're stressed or overwhelmed. Also, I assume that some of you are like me, in that sometimes I can't bring myself to talk about the really bad things, but moan here about the last straw.

There's something really devaluing about apologizing that my problems aren't "big enough."

looks around suspiciously

Are you people in cahoots with my therapist? Because, ha!, this is one of the things we've been working on. I have this habit of trying to take care of everyone else, because whatever is going on in my head is obviously not as important, and I can deal with it later. Which is probably why I latched onto the idea of the FPC - hey, I can apologize for asking for reassurance!

I am starting to understand this is not a good thing, long-term. But breaking that lifelong habit is hard.

Possibly a nice therapeutic cry would be ... therapeutic.

Well, there was crying earlier, and it didn't seem to help. But you people are being very kind, and I have a small black cat on my lap, so things are easing up a bit.