Crosspost of disbelief!

Now I want to watch that show. Too bad I can't remember the name of it.

My brain is wiggly I'm so tired.

I know! It's craziness. It's already moving too fast.

I realized today that I totally forgot to give you ltc's present!

She's so alert and looking around at the world, more than I expect for a 2 month old.

No posts at all in here yesterday? I hope everyone was busy having fun. We had a wonderful weekend at Mom's. We didn't quite manage to fit a whole summer into one weekend, but we came pretty close. I think ltc is missing her fan club this morning. No grandmother, grandfather, or great-grandfather to dote on her all day long.

I realized today that I totally forgot to give you ltc's present!

An excuse to get together again soon? Any chance you're going to make it to the Halloween party at Victor and thessaly's? We're going to try to at least stop by for a bit. So, you'd get to see ltc in her Halloween costume.

She's so alert and looking around at the world, more than I expect for a 2 month old.

She really is so alert, vocal, and desperately trying to control her head and limbs.

Tea:

TCG and I were patting ourselves on the back for our successfully being able to go away for the weekend with ltc, and then Mom texted me this morning that we left behind all the clothes we packed for her.

Me, me! Look, I have a post!

(Hello, y'all!)

I promised an update in the great tradition of Goodbye and Good Riddance (for it is just after the new year's holidays in this part of the world), and it's only natural to post it here.

I skipped and skimmed a lot - a really, really lot - but did paused to read about ltc's arrival to this world. That was wonderful and heartwarming read, sj, and I couldn't be happier for you and your family.

My ~mas are with you all, as always. I carry this place and its people with me wherever I go.

So, this year. Pretty much in order.

I was moved to a mostly support/part analysis position rather than a full analysis position in my work and it's not really working for me (as in, it's working great for the company and I get bonuses and raises and praises, but it's not what I signed up for and it bores me).

I dropped out of the library science diploma studies program (NOT MLIS) I started in 2013 and I wish I'd done so last year, since the program doesn't work for me either and doesn't give me the option write a thesis (which I really really really want to write. It's also not technical, and I'm working as a technical librarian for all ends and purposes).

I became a foster mama for two great cats.

I hosted a friend from Seattle for five days in Jerusalem and it was wonderful (her travel tumblr starts here: [link] So wonderful that I'd like to replicate this experience as often as possible. Consider this as an invitation. But, you know, not just now with all of the horror that is around.

I decided to chase a proper MLIS abroad. Preferably next year, as living in Israel began to be too much for me (violence wise).

My therapist made me realize that my first instinct with everyone who approaches me with a questions/request/crisis is to help them and totally forget about myself (she referred to it as "deleting/sacrificing yourself"). I've been working on not to forget myself when interacting and living with other human beings. Also, it appears that I have feelings other than anger, rage, and "hi, it's funny/feels nice".

My fangirlyness interests have changed.

I almost lost my father this June and July to his untreated heart condition (it was a touch and go for a few days). He's alive, but things are complicated, mostly emotionally since I love him very much and he has PTSD and a screwed up childhood which make him act as if he's anywhere between 6-16 years old most of the time.

I was at Pride in Jerusalem where Shira Banki was murdered. [link]

I turned 30.

I cut my hair much shorter than usual, and it's working great.

In August I lost my uncle to cancer, less than a month after he was diagnosed. He was 51, a social worker, and a wonderful human being. He died due an infection, before he could even fight the damn thing.

I started taking oral Arabic lessons to refresh my Arabic, in the Jerusalem Intercultural Center. It's a lovely place.

My company was sold. For now, we all get to keep our jobs, but we'll see again in 3-6 months time. Things will change for a lot of us.

There are riots and violence in my city and all around Israel and Palestine. It breaks my heart and terrifies me and I feel the despair in so many ways.

I was in a wedding this weekend where the bride's uncle had a heart attack and passed away on the dance floor (and it happened to the sounds of Johnny Be Good). The bride is a friend and a colleague. I was shaking for at least 30 minutes.

My mother and sister will be back from a three weeks vacation in the U.S. on Thursday and Friday and I. Cannot. Wait. I took care of my father the whole time my mother was away, and it was demanding.

These are the main events, I think. It's been a hell of year, quite literally. And I think, all in all, that I'm doing well. Feels like my heart was dragged through a field of thrones, but nevertheless - I'm also OK. Which is quite a thing, I think.

Also, for (continued...)

( continues...) those of you who donated for my sister's iGEM project - [link] - thank you! They've done amazingly well and I couldn't be more proud of her: [link]

And that's it. Now it's dinner time, and after it I hope to be back here more often.

Shir, thank you! It sounds like you had quite a year. Tons of ~ma that your 30th year treats you well.