I cannots talk about real stuff, possibly getting tipsy. I did make my bourbon tea in a large Sonic glass, so there's that.

what things do I need to put on my wish list? favorite things in your house? GO!

Also, it costs money for sites to be up, no?

Well, you gotta pay people. And electric bills (though those are no doubt still being paid. It's not total lights out- JWST cryo testing went into safe mode, should be ok for a couple weeks before they'll have to start warming it back up and start over.)

We're still up, but we're a hybrid/ a couple layers from NASA direct. There's both the budget monies we already have in hand and AURA's resources to float us.

JPL is still looking like JPL, but there's a notice the site isn't being updated and queries will not be responded to. You've probably got enough outside funding to have basic IT still running. Just not officially under the JPL/NASA logo.

Same thing with DOE -- it's up, but not being updated. Also, husband is taking the customs broker exam on Monday, and some of the websites he'd be using for reference aren't available.

A friend works for a NASA thing through CalTech, and although she is still working/getting paid, she was told not to update their project's facebook page, because it's part of the shutdown. Even though that's part of her job. Bizarreness!

I'm terrified of being furloughed. And I have savings and family that could help. But the idea of losing my only independent source of income? Panic-inducing, even with these cushions.

For those without those resources? Gah.

what things do I need to put on my wish list? favorite things in your house? GO!

Natural spectrum light with magnifying lens for sewing and crafting

I want to strangle the people who are saying, "See, the government is shut down, and everything's fine. We don't need all that government."

I have a friend who's an intelligence analyst and is working without pay trying to do his work and the work of the people he supervises. His job: keeping track of parts of the Russian navy, which inconsiderately did not shut down.

Yeah, I hate the bullshit dissing of federal workers as bloat. Uh huh, you want your pretty things?

what things do I need to put on my wish list? favorite things in your house? GO!

Natural spectrum light with magnifying lens for sewing and crafting

Wow, -t is good at this game.

The shutdown infuriates me, but even more it summons despair. So many thing about this country are going to shit, and it just gets worse every day. And even trying to figure out how to stop it or fix it is beyond me, which is how I imagine a lot of people feel about it. I used to be more conservative than I am now, that's for sure. The blatant lack of humanity on the part of the Republicans is just obscene.

I will never get to do crafts again. again, the bourbon.