That's great, Calli!

Calli, every damn thing about your post makes me smile. Also, we gotta get together soon so I can get your take on my ex-department (even though it appears to be like 90% people who weren't there when I was there, these days!)

I've tried the dry food, the salmon, the "chicken with gravy"....nothing. He just meows and meows at me like I am punishing him. (He also purrs a lot and winds around my ankles). Normally I have no trouble dosing the kittens--if you grab by the scruff and sorta stick the syringe in the side of their mouth they automatically swallow...except he somehow doesn't and instead spits it out and drools it out. If he's not better tomorrow I'm calling the foster emergency line. :(

Thanks! Amych, I'd be happy to get together some time. Maybe hit Fullsteam for an after work drink?

But damn, I'm glad I finally have a job. And so far the job itself and the people I work with have been great!

That is awesome.

Non-eating kitten of meara, not so much!

Ow, -t!

I had a perfect afternoon: Massage and then got to the movie theater just as the first preview was showing. The good local theater by my house with matinee prices, real butter, and beer! Perfect.

I had lunch with a friend who's in town to see his family for the holiday weekend. Gorgeous weather, so we ate on the patio of a restaurant in my neighborhood. He's one of those people who is gregarious without being overbearing, and has never met a stranger. It was nice catching up with him and just listening to him talk.

And then I've been reading Avengers fanfic since I got home.

We have a Cthulhu-themed party to go to tonight, and I don't have the spoons for it. Well, I have, like, 1 spoon. I can go if I don't have to get dressed up for it, and if I don't have to stay long. Fortunately, it's in our neighborhood, less than a mile away. So I can walk home and Tim can stay as long as his extroverted heart desires.

Maybe I should think of buying a condo or something. The tales of woe of people buying real estate have daunted me, and I have no idea of I could qualify for something like this (I have no downpayment). But my area doesn't have the mindset of an apartment as long term living, and I don't want to be at the mercy of getting my rent jacked up unreasonably. There aren't a lot of tenant protection laws in Utah.

I guess I could go to my bank and see what they think of my chances.

I went to see Mad Max and now I'm in a very loud sports bar downtown watching hockey. SO LOUD. And there are too many Houston Rockets basketball bros in here.

Is it wrong that I'm pleased the Houston Rockets are getting smoked because of these loud and drunk basketball bros? If it's wrong I don't wanna be right.

What is it with me and this world's forgotten?

I was out on the deck supervising Loki and the doves as this older guy is walking his dog down the alley. I know them by sight and sound well, they've both got a limp and have a distinctive shuffle. The Lokes starts caterwauling at his dog, who responded in kind, so we got to talking. I now know all his friends and family are dead, so he doesn't get to talk to people much, he's apologetic for talking my ear off, the cats and dogs aren't good conversationalist, his mother died from Alzheimer's, he grew up in a dying mining town, he came to Baltimore in the 70s and has lived all over the city, likes walks in this area best and likes searching on the Internet for stories of forgotten, dilapidated, abandoned or just weird places to live. His name is Richard and I'll make a point to look up his hometown and the names of some of the places I've seen photoessays on lost and abandoned places to mention to him next time.

I run into this so much. I'm like a magnet for these elders. Very often, there are reasons more complicated and difficult why these folks find themselves so isolated, so it's not as simple as leading them to one of the senior community groups at the Y or whatever. But if all I have to offer is a friendly conversation...well, it's not enough. But I can offer it.

And now he's not invisible. His name is Richard.