May the down-slope be postponed as long as possible, Scrappy.

I'm glad you had a good birthday, Beverly!

Hour and a half into 2 day meeting with new departmental leadership and I am fucking livid. Need to control my expressions.

Scrappy, much love and ~ma to you, your mom, and your family.

Yay for good birthdays, Beverly!

Louvre tips: with the multi-day museum pass, you skip the line even at the pyramids! It's pretty sweet.

I AM ENVY.

Uh oh Brenda--that's no good!! Sending some calm-ma.

I keep feeling like I'm forgetting something hugely important. Like pants. (Note, I'm wearing a dress, so I am not, in fact, wearing pants, but). As if I'm going to show up in the entirely wrong city today, or something. I don't know what this freaky feeling is about. Stop, weird feeling!! I remembered moms birthday on Tuesday already!!

Internet and AC power on the Acela train! Truly, we live in a golden age*.

*That is, we would if the internet didn't keep crapping out. Oh well, at least it's free.

Many {{scrappy-hugs}} from this end of the state. And congratulations to amych's dad, way to go!

I'm back from Colorado, which was beautiful and filled with my adorable nephews. I am sore and bruised--don't remember the last time I skiied four days in a row.

On the down side, Dad removed his elastics again, couldn't put them back in, and at least once went out for lunch for a meal that he could chew. There is not enough facepalm in the world.

On the up side, some local friends got together and gave me a gift certificate to a really posh spa in Berkeley, so at some point in the next few weeks I will get a massage.

On the down side, my hot water heater isn't working.

On the up side, I have some freelance work that will cover the cost of going to Colorado in the first place.

On the down side, my house smells of dog. Woof.

On the down side, Dad removed his elastics again, couldn't put them back in, and at least once went out for lunch for a meal that he could chew. There is not enough facepalm in the world.

OMG Dad-of-Suela, why????

Meanwhile, work frustration: we are having an important check of our system and needed everyone to call their patients and confirm if they were alive. Easy enough. I came out here literally to do one thing: check that they have a note saying "I called so and so and he is alive on this date". They had put that info into our database and I came to check it and..."oh, you need that? Oh, she must not have put it down, I'll have to give it to you later and by the way I haven't been able to log in for a week but didn't bother to call you or the Helpdesk, so I can't make any changes today either". OMG WHY IS THIS SO HARD FOR YOU??

The winner for "Most Ironic Headline" (or maybe "Most Ironically Named Bar") goes to: "Man Stabbed with Samurai Sword at No Drama Lounge."

If you name your bar "No Drama Lounge," you are just BEGGING for people to get stabbed with samurai swords.

I am in Belfast! Now I just need to be awake for a few more hours to try to combat the dreaded jet lag.