And Kat, really really sorry. Even if you were no longer close, the shock you describe has to be very real.

You need input from users up and down to chain to explain how they actually use features, so that you understand how what seems like a minor change affects work flow.

My company's last version was such a catastrophe because the programmers were so giddy about the potential of Win8 and such that they moved everything around, changed the system requirements, and essentially made it so nearly everyone would need close to a top of the line computer to run the program decently. They forgot that a lot of users run barebones operations and could not care less about bells and whistles and the capabilities of quad-core processors in tricked out 64-bit environments. Plus they completely rearranged the user interface, which anyone who's been watching the Win8 fiasco knows doesn't make people happy.

I'm sorry, Kat.

Oh Kat, that's upsetting in that not-ready-to-face-mortality kind of way. And like JZ, I just can't let go of that fact that it's too young to die, even if I have ample evidence that some people die young.

Sorry to hear that, Kat. That's always weird news to get, at the very least.

Well, I think I have successfully navigated the company holiday party. Wore a sparkly dress, chit-chatted with co-workers over dinner, applauded various awards, and bailed. Not too bad. And now it's a long weekend, so yay for that.

AW, must be last call here as I hear maroons whooping at the top of their lungs. No matter where I move, it's always the same.

Weirdly, this is NOT the first person I have had sex with who is now dead. The other person died when we were in college. Car accident.

Yeah, the first person I ever kissed is dead now. Which is weird and sad.

I am out dancing with my roommate, her BFF whose birthday it is, and an ex. Very weird

Oh Kat I am sorry for the news.

The twins photos are utter joy.

Called doctor's office at 9am Friday. Finally called again at 2 and got an office person, who came back with "doc had an emergency in the am and the rest of the day's schedule is tight and she doesn't have time to talk to you, so just document your symptoms and make an appointment to come in." I made the appointment, for Monday, but get to spend the weekend documenting worsening symptoms. And feeling like I shouldn't have called.

Timelies all!

I'm sorry, Kat.

Oh man, I just found out a former coworker's mother died suddenly yesterday. The coworker isn't even 30, and her father had been really sick for a long time, but is at least somewhat better now. She had a reaction to the dye for an MRI. So sad.