Burrell, that is wonderful news about your sister. I'm so glad to hear it.
School stress -- I am sorry. That sounds super-frustrating.
I am with you guys on the furlough thing. DH has been off, and though he has vacation accrued, he's burning through it ans super-bored. And we're both really stressed about it, and then we (well, he) is going to mediation with the ex next Friday. And my bff of 20 years flipped the fuck out and "broke up" with me via TEXT last Tuesday (OMG, she unfriended me on FB!) because I am not "recovering" from depression fast enough for her and she can't take the stress. (I get being friends with a person who has chronic depression IS stressful, but since I actually, through intense therapy and a change in ADs, am doing pretty damned good, I am all "Well, fuck you! I stood by you through your recovery from alcoholism (and all the years you were a drunk hot mess, and you can't even fucking call me and break up to my face? So damn be it.) Do some goddamn research about what depression is, because I'm real fucking sorry it's hard for you to deal. Try living with my brain.)
And if I WEREN'T doing well with my depression, this last week would have me in a shuddering mess on the floor, and instead of going semi-catatinic, I'm PISSED, applying for jobs, and cutting my hair and doing housework. So fuck her.
Huh. I guess I needed to get that out.