I once heard a doctor on some talk show say that he'd never taken steps to end a patients life, but that he'd "helped many patients to die"... he felt very strongly that at some point when they're ready people can "let go." He'd tracked down a missing relative, listened to various concerns...

When my own grandmother was in the ICU and moving in and out of lucidity I took her by the hand and told her I'd forgiven my father and that her youngest child (who had lost two pregnancies, wasn't going to have any more, and will likely end up burying her seven older siblings) would never be alone in the world. Those were troubles of hers I could relieve. She looked relieved. I don't know that it did a thing, but I think it did.

Oh msbelle, that's hard. I'm so sorry.

I guess my phone interview last week with Amazon went well! The recruiter just emailed me to ask about setting up a second one. C'mon, giant internet retailer! You want your very own gothy tech editor, yes you do.

Msbelle, much ~ma for your grandmother.

I hope you all find peace, msbelle.

I'm done for the day. My cats mostly behaved, though Pumpkin snored up a storm during a meeting and Loki tried to bite the phone.

I took a break from working to take CB over to play with her best buddy and drink a glass of wine and try on corsets. The dogs got filthy playing in the slushy yard but much fun was had by all. Now I need to try to get some more work done. I did finish my annual evaluation before I left so I feel like I accomplished something!

My mother is headed down to where her mother is and she and her sister are going to look at hospice options.

huh, I posted that 15 minutes ago and I just came back to post it again. brain not working.

I am so unmotivated to do this performance review. 1-2 goals - find a new job.

I am, however, very good at bullshitting. I hope they are pleased with my answers and give me a gold star.

I went to the optometrist. My eyes are fine and my prescription hasn't changed. I then blew through the rest of my FSA ordering glasses I technically don't need, but I don't have any with transition lenses, so... I used it before I lost it?

That's how I ended up with pricy glasses one December a few years ago.

So I celebrated my birthday by getting up at 5:45 for a run in the cold and the dark, and taking Dad to the urologist. But then we had a decent lunch at a little brewpub and bought some books at a used bookstore (I got a first-edition Andre Norton novel for old time's sake), so that was pleasant.

Next I will take a nap, then watch last night's Sleepy Hollow and the most recent episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which is my new favorite comedy. Andre Braugher is the awesomest.

And then I will go out to dinner with my sister and a friend at a shmancy place in Jack London Square. I may be unemployed, but at least I can eat well...