And ISTG she always gives me feedback on things that I did/didn't do because of our style, and so I point out that XYZ is our style, so that is why I didn't change it to ABC even though she thinks I should have. Then she replies "It's true that XYZ is our style, but I changed it to ABC because of [crazy-ass bullshit I couldn't have been expected to know because she just decided it's relevant]."

Is there any way to recategorize these emails in your head from negative to neutral? Like is there any way to hear it as "I know our style is XYZ but I decided to not follow it here. Just FYI"?

Okay, yeah, I get how that might be a hard shift to make, but it's what I'd start doing with it.

I am having a mild work freak out of my own. Friend and I are going for an NEH grant and I fear we are way behind the 8 ball. Ugh. This stupid parenting gig sucks up all my time.

Crap. I need to look into that.

I think they recommend HepA and Typhoid, but that's about it.

Well, that makes me slightly less envious of the trip. But not by much.

Was going to head up to see my family next week, but things have happened and now there's a delay (all oldest sons fault) in getting into rehab (or rather, keeping him in there), so now I don't know when I'll get to see them. Mom has a scary procedure on Friday that has me fearing the worst. It involves stopping her heart to get rid of her arrhythmia, so she doesn't want me coming up anyway. But now I feel like I should just in case.

Okay, appointment made.

Shrift, Did the typhoid have any side effects for you? I made it for the morning, but am wondering if I should change to an afternoon, in case I get sick.

Let us know if there are any unexpected super powers after the shots.

Julie, that's really scary. I can understand why you'd want to go, despite oldest son. My big sister has a heart arrhythmia too and it scares the crap outta us regularly.

Do you want to manage associations, Zen? Or do you already?

No... I don't particularly want to do anything, including what I'm doing now. I mean, does anyone say to themselves, man, I really want to manage associations? I'm just thinking about maybe expanding my career options. I have some management experience, mostly from my current job, and it seems like something I could move into if I need to move into something. I have to have a career-type good-paying job for another 12-15 years or so, and if this might pay me what I'm making now or more, and might be interesting for a while, maybe I should look into that. I dunno. The classes are on-site at the NJ office, which is real convenient for people still there, but it would be really inconvenient for me, because they aren't being given on consecutive days. So I have to be more sure it's worth it than I am now.

It seems like a pretty specialized certificate if you aren't already interested in it. Acquiring education/training that was supposed to make me hirable has never worked out for me, so I am biased against, I guess.

Damn, there's a 40+ baby boom going on amongst my college cohort I've stayed in touch with. Expecting to birth babies, adopting babies, adopting older-than-babies. A few kittens and puppies and businesses. But definitely a swarm. I do think my favorite is the salty navy vet who was a contEd physics cohort. He's probably got at least 5 years on me and is gonna make an awesome dad.

I mean, does anyone say to themselves, man, I really want to manage associations?

Somebody probably does. What I can more easily picture is someone being in an association and thinking it needs better management and by golly I'm going to learn how to do it!