{{{{{Maria}}}}}

And, yes, tell them to wait, or outsource the telling; there are so many people who want to do anything they can to help.

It helps. It hurts, but it helps.

Aims, I'm so glad you are off to a good start with your therapist. She sounds pretty great so far.

Ginger, I really hope that the blood test results are a whole lot of nothing.

Maria, I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this. So much. Please let me know if there's anything I can do. I'm really good at making calls. For real.

Oh, Maria. I wish I lived closer; I would totally come and be organizational bitch for you.

And if there's anything I can do long distance, just let me know. And you know you can always call and talk, yell and/or scream.

Maria,

but seriously. you can designate someone to take care of these financial matters for you so you don't have to bear the weight of it. have someone else open that kind of mail.

a lot of this stuff is bullshit under the best of circumstances. there are plenty of people here who would be happy to help and actually don't hate arguing with creditors/dealing with financial stuff.

Oh, Maria. I wish I lived closer; I would totally come and be organizational bitch for you.

I was just thinking the same thing. I've spent the last year at work sorting through drawers and bankers boxes full of papers nobody else could stand to sort through. If you and I both found cheap weekend tickets to Maria's, it would be AMAZING. A total organizational frenzy (yes, both organizational and frenzied, truly), followed by a ritual bonfire of everything in the to-be-shredded stack as we all drink chocolate martinis.

I have started recording the radio show. Good grief, this shouldn't feel so difficult.

I have started recording the radio show. Good grief, this shouldn't feel so difficult.

Take comfort in knowing you have a very appealing voice.

Maria, would it be worthwhile for Buffistas to handle a bunch of calls for you?

If we just had the basic info and the necessary phone numbers we could at least notify various parties and find out what the next steps would be.

If you and I both found cheap weekend tickets to Maria's, it would be AMAZING. A total organizational frenzy (yes, both organizational and frenzied, truly), followed by a ritual bonfire of everything in the to-be-shredded stack as we all drink chocolate martinis.

Oh, man, if I could afford it I'd jump in on that in a heartbeat. I'm not the greatest at organizing but I can carry out orders quite well, and I find sorting and shredding very soothing.

I'ma keep talking about my minutiae, not because I don't care, but I'm almost worried that we're overwhelming Maria despite our love and best intentions. So here's my quotidien crap to break it up.

I came home, walked the dog, fed the animals, heated and ate leftovers, washed All The Dishes, scrubbed the kitchen sink, fixed tomorrow's lunch, spent 15 minutes on a VERY rough draft of my reference letter, and put my work and personal cell numbers on the national Do Not Call list - all while listening to Clark Howard podcasts. I'm self-validating my adult card and calling it a night. Time to shower, pull out work clothes for tomorrow, and read in bed.

Amusingly cute yet annoying side note: Frankie is SUCH a fiend for cat food. I had been feeding Xusha in a box with an opening cut out that he couldn't access, but moved her bowl to her carry crate since it had a bigger opening while she was limping. Anyway, Frankie likes to play with toys after he eats, but I heard a noise with the pouncing I couldn't identify. The little stinker was chewing through the box and tossing it in the air to get the stray bits of kibble out, like one of those "genius" toys at the pet store. I'm honestly at a loss with how to keep their food separate. I tried locking my cats in their carriers to feed them, but Bella wouldn't eat anything - she's a grazer. I can't put her food up high, because Xusha will hurt herself getting at it.

Wow, that ended up longer than I planned.