In random work news, I have to write a report for every visit I go do. Normally these get sent back saying "Great report, a few changes to it" or whatever (sometimes "just a couple changes" or "had some question on the letter that goes with it") but I kinda figured the "great report" part was fairly reflexive. But then someone else covered a visit for me, so I got cc'd on the revisions part...and it was just "They're ready for revisions, blah blah issue blah blah". And when I responded to say "oh, I can explain issue XYZ", the reviewer wrote back and was like "Yeha, it was a really poorly written and confusing report". ...so I feel kinda better about me now?

Suzi, I am sorry for your loss.

Strix, I'm sorry for your loss, too - even though it is a different kind.

You know, there are times here when I feel so overwhelmed with my own crap that I can't reach out to others when their stuff overwhelms them. It's just that I can barely keep my own head above water, so that putting even the effort required to type something supportive is simply more than I have to give. But often I am thinking supportive things. Sometimes all I can do is wish I could think supportive things. I've been doing a lot of wishing lately.

Go you, meara!

You should feel good about you, meara!

Suzi, how terrible.

Strix, I am assuming your friend needed to do what she needed to do, perhaps because she is emotionally not handling what is going on in her life right now. It is unfair to you and your long relationship, but I'm thinking this isn't about you. It really sucks though.

The NY Times has an online test checking how good one is at reading people's emotions through their facial cues. [link]

I got 33 out of 36, which was way better than I expected.

I'm reading more about the details of what happened with the shooting at the Capitol yesterday. I have no idea what actually happened, but I know the streets in that area really well, and I can easily see somebody taking the exact route that she took if they had started out near the White House, took a wrong turn into the entrance (from that point, it's not really obvious that what you're entering is the White House), and then panicked when the security guards rushed at her. Like I said, no idea if that is what happened, but from what the newspapers are reporting now, I can easily see that as a plausible scenario.

The NY Times has an online test checking how good one is at reading people's emotions through their facial cues

I got a 29, which is high-average (and mostly if I was wrong, it was the other thing I was thinking "well, it could be X or Y....")

Why do so many people think it's a good idea to pass on the left on a residential road when someone has their left blinker on and is slowing? This has happened to me often enough getting into work that I watch my rearview like a hawk just before I turn, with the window rolled down so I can shoot my arm out with a STOP signal.

Today our cleaning crew actually got into an accident with some young guy who went speeding past them.

Doesn't help that we're on a curve and it's basically a blind driveway. But, on the left? With the indicators on?

Thankfully no one was physically hurt, although one of the clients was shaky. We fed them up with brownies until E stopped looking so lost and I broke my vow to not talk about t-shirts with him, because E really really loves t-shirts to the point where the topic was forbidden him. (Apparently another client really really likes shoes. We just need to find someone who really really likes pants. I don't know what will happen when we do, but I suspect I'll feel a sense of completion).

So, time to talk to the mayor/community services/town hall about a solution. We've had so many near misses and now this hit and I fear for when someone isn't quite so lucky (the cleaners ended up turning into the guy, instead of taking the hit in their side like they could've).

Those aren't facial cues! Those were acting and modelling shots! Damn it!

The expressions shown were "ACTING!" and "Allure face!"