I used to put on red lipstick and combat boots to go work in the library when I was having a hard time motivating myself in college.

Many hugs to everyone who's had a hard day! And much plumbing~ma, sara!

And probably lots of other stuff I meant to respond to, but cannot brane.

All of this. And I also have totemic objects - well, usually makeup and/or scent, but the same idea of fortification.

Since I work from home, I can wear whatever I want, but what works best for me when I need emotional shoring up is to re-read something beloved when I take a break (this week that's been Blue Beetle comics, seriously; other times it might be Little Women or Skulduggery Pleasant).

I should have totemed today. I'm at the office with the monitors turned down to their minimum brightness (that's not much) and tearing out of my right eye like it was last week. I suspect my tiny fever (I usually vary by .1, not by 1 degree) is still in play, because it's not actually warm out today, and I am.

I am here because I got called at home yesterday about a project (I let communication of my illness fall through the cracks to all parties--most definitely my fault) and so I said I'd be in today since the guy I need to work with has his accommodation needs and being here would help tremendously.

Which it did. Him and the project. He at least thinks I'm crazy for being here.

If I eat my miniature '67 Impala, does that count as totemic enough?

I need to find a dark place to take a break, and under my desk looks both gross and inviting.

Let's see, totems. I don't know if they're totems or just desk toys, but I've got a wind-up Nosferatu, two cheezy Halloween knick-knacks with skulls, a small seated Buddha, a smallish seated Kuan Yin, and a Iron Man Pez dispenser. I guess, really, my most totemic item is my tablet, because it's rarely out of reach (yes, I carry it around). It's got Things To Read on it, and I get very twichy when I don't have Things To Read.

I have a small, wooden, heron statue and a small, Greek, owl statue flanking a jade plant at work. I dust them sometimes when I'm stressed. Our CEO just announced probable pink slips for an unknown number of people this morning, so my wee statues will probably be spotless in the coming weeks.

I clearly need more totemic thingies.

Since I work on the couch in an ergonomically horrifically manner, I can see an array of dinosaurs marching across the top of the TV (all of which were sneaked into the wedding reception and strategically placed on tables, gifts, etc., by Tim's best friend, who did one of the readings, which was a dinosaur-based reading [he really went all out; he even bought a dinosaur-shaped earring and wore it as a tie pin, which he later gave me]).

So I've got dinosaurs watching over me right now, which is reassuring.

t edit Dinosaurs on parade: [link]

Plus there's always Kato, who is 110% my mental-health therapy dog, even if he is unconscious a large part of the time.

(all of which were sneaked into the wedding reception and strategically placed on tables, gifts, etc., by Tim's best friend, who did one of the readings, which was a dinosaur-based reading [he really went all out; he even bought a dinosaur-shaped earring and wore it as a tie pin, which he later gave me]).

Aw, that's sweet.

I have a gnome my grandfather carved on my desk to keep me company.

Difficult meeting was fine! Perhaps mostly because I think the person who has an issue with me is nonconfrontational, but whatever.

Hooray for that!

You know what I absofuckinglutely needed today? Communists. I never know when those stealthy bastards are going to invade anymore, and I was unprepared.