Suzi - that sounds good, if supidly hard.

Go Aims!

I am glad my family actually believes in civility

Andi, that sounds like a great approach! And I like your organization's philosophy about space ownership.

I really like how "person-centered" the philosophy is. Some staff members cannot really wrap their heads around it - too much reliance on having authority that we just do not have. Sure, they get results in the short-term, sometimes, that way. But the people we serve really do know that it is a false authority, and will find ways to kick against it. On the other hand, it takes more creative persuasion to get things done without using an authoritative attitude in some immediate situations, but it builds a level of trust which works better over the long haul. And when I do occasionally exert the legitimate authority I do have, I get even better results than those who use false authority.

Hugs to them as are having family weirdness.

Hi all. Having my first panic attack (this one about money and the ability to keep a business running) in a very long time. Have taken a Xanax because Xanax. Sigh.

No hugs or hair pats needed. Trying to get ducks in a row. (Autocorrect keeps trying to make that "dicks," which is inaccurate but kind of hilarious). Anyway, we will make it through, and it's still a thousand times better than worrying about a loved one's health. But stressful. Have lost complete sentences.

I feel like this is one of the only places I can talk about mental health without judgment, so thanks.

the money ducks are of the suck, Pix.

Continued ~ma to Connie and Hubby.

Suzi, ugh on your family drama. At least you have some backup?

Was thinking about Ginger today because our connection in Atlanta looked tenuous for a little while and I thought a great silver lining if we were stuck in Delta hell was if we could hang out. I was a little sad that it didn't happen, but I was more glad to be home after almost a week in Ohio.

"The money ducks are of the suck" is my new favorite phrase.

Suzi, family drama...is just awful. Draining on so many levels. I'm so sorry.

Anybody else stuck with a mental image of a row of large dicks?

No?

Just me then?

I can't wish anyone airport hell, but a Nora would have been lovely.

I knew a guy who talked about getting all his ducks in a heap, and I have come to think of a heap as my default measure of duck organization.

I normally have my monthly infusion for my bones on the first Wednesday of the month, but when I left for Christmas they hadn't set up the 2014 appointments yet. I get back to find they've scheduled it for tomorrow, so I had to do blood tests today. I also had to buy black-eyed peas and collards on the odd chance that my luck would have been even worse if I hadn't been eating them for New Year's all these years.

Vibing hard for your DH, Connie. Hope the chemo goes well.

Merit Badge of Dealing With Family Shit Like A Grown-Ass Adult.

Hey, where's my Merit Badge? I totes earned it, I swears I did.

Oh dear Ginger, way for them to ruin you NYE!

Drat! I knew I did something wrong. I made the soup from the ham bone two days early. And I made it with black beans and spinach. If my life falls to shit this year, it's totally from screwing up the Christmas ham bone soup.