Well, hello there. I wasn't away, I was just constantly 150-350 posts behind. But I read them.

First, health and general ~ma to all buffistas and their pets. To Aims and the Pixdesigns and Sean and erin and smonster and meara and omnis (oh, babe. Tell your ass I'll kick it if it'll continue to mess with 'ya) and Ginger and Laura and bonny and to Hil and Steph. I hope I didn't forget anyone.

I also planned meara'ing, but there are references I had to delete because I couldn't remember the context anymore. Gmail drafts will only take you so far, I guess.

I did some searching and research and I came to the conclusion that religion comforts me. It gives me something more to count on

Aims - FWIW - I know far more intelligent and compassionate (or, you know, just "mensch") people who are religious than just intelligent people who are compassionate to their fellow human beings. I tend to see religion - at least mine - more as a culture than a faith, and that's why I define myself as "mostly secular" and not as 100% secular. It took me some time, with my ultra-secular upbringing, to find out that there are some nice aspects in Jewishness that I actually like and would like to have (even not if to practice) in my life. It gives frame and context and even some sanity if it's done right.

I like to think this is a safe place to type the stuff we shouldn't elsewhere, at times.

Hell yes.

Thank you for sharing, bless your little heart

I'm Gonna use this THE WHOLE TIME now. (Hi, I was raised in the south. Not your country's south, and yet, a south).

And last, to the edition of "your pixels nearly made me choke on my food, numerous times":

billytea: "Hey, maybe we should cross out 'GOD' and write in 'THE PARTY'."

And that's where I nearly chocked on my salad.

Can we send B's GF's mom after the manager at the dog walking outfit bonny works with? Oooh.

Once again, nearly getting chocked by my (another) salad (on a different day) and your pixels. I spot a pattern here. Salads are evil!

It's the last day of the holiday, and I wish a good New Year to those of you who celebrate it. Myself, I'm having an angry migrainated day, but all in all, I think I'm doing better, and till now holiday was good. I realize, slowly, how angry and stressed I was, because I was doing so much all of the time, and also because I could channel the anger to motivation (not anymore). I'm also re-understanding myself these days. My self image on who I am became very different than the one I had in mind in the past few years, and it's OK; I probably came up with it when I was 22. Lots have changed since then, including me. So I try connect the dots towards a new image that works for me, try remember what is it, anyways, that works for me, and letting go of the stuff that's bad/not working anymore, and not going beyond the resources I have and trying to get enough sleep, only I tend to forget all of that whenever I reach balance. I still didn't figure how to stay in a balanced place.

The last semester of my MLIS will start in a month, so it's deadline season now. I'm also trying to figure out how to make a minor career change (from ed-tech to governmental org), but I'll only be able to do this transformation in March. My current job is in a great place that I love, but I'm just a bit tired from years of commuting an hour in each direction to another city. Getting my life back fully in Jerusalem will take a while.

Edit: editing for grammar. As always.

Happy New Year, Shir! May 5774 by filled with blessings and love for you and yours.

Erin, bless your plagued belleh. Hairpats and praise for your liver and high hopes for good results on Monday. It's great that you've found a workable pain management plan. I hope you get decent rest as a result.

Good luck, Suze! I'm told brown belts are quite fashionable. I hope yours fits easily...in every sense.

Thanks bonny, was feeling a bit invisible. I slept but I'm still stressing. There are three levels of brown and then it is black.

Best of luck, Suzi.

Good luck, Suzi! I'll be keeping fingers crossed for you!

KICK SOME ASS SUZI-Q!! Seriously. That is awesome.

I am throwing this here because I can't really post it elsewhere and it doesn't apply to anyone here or anything, but I just have to say that weak-ass people annoy me. Especially when I never would have thought they were weak-ass and now they are weak-ass and I am completely annoyed by my lack of perception of their inherent weak-ass-ness.

ION - David and JZ and Matilda and Emmett were in my dream last night that consisted of tomfoolery and shenanigans but the annoyance of the weak-ass people has eliminated the details.

Accidental omission, Suzi. I thought it but didnt type it. The best of luck to you in your test!!

Hi Shir. What a delightfully reflective post. L'shanah tova to you and yours.

Moving into the new apartment today. New hardwood floors arent ready, apt isn't cleaned. Luckily, since I have never known construction to come in on time, I did not schedule the movers for today. But this is fucking up my plans to move in stuff today. And I can't just leave because I have to wait for the cable guy.

Side note- one of the wireless networks in the building is named "Anal Fisting 69".

That's hilarious.

I'm with ya about weak ass people Aims.

Zen was so helpful to me regarding my email to former friend that I calmed down so much...I decided not to send it. Instead, I was going to write a briefer, respectful note and mail it to her.

This morning I was told that former friend has been telling people in the neighborhood that I provoked the dog to attack me...this, even after telling me (in writing) that the rescue was negligent, the dog was never socialized, and that he had gone after someone else 'who didn't provoke it.'

Sope. I just sent the email, with even stronger language, outlining every detail of the event and aftermath.

I closed by saying that I will respectfully avoid her on the street and hope that she will do the same and that I am taking the issue of slander very seriously.

Weak ass people, indeed.