Fuck cancer. Fuck all these things that take good people too soon when shitstains like 45* keep on trucking to bring darkness to the world.

RIP, Ouise.

Suzi, I'm so glad to hear your daughter will be there for you.

I'm getting my brows done so I won't be all washed out in all the pictures from Africa... 48 hours until liftoff!

Sad news, I'm sorry to hear about Ouise. Sending strength to Helena, Megan, Sue & all

Africa... 48 hours until liftoff!

Super exciting, Consuela!

I hadn't brought up her not being there in any of our conversations over the last couple of weeks. But I'm all choked up that she made this effort for me.

Aw, that's great.

I did a good half-day of work, got myself a burger, went to the supermarket, got myself organized with my mother, and started cleaning the house. Mostly straightening so far, which is most of it, really.

I've got my list, and everything seems doable. Especially if I do more stuff today, but now I'm watching TV, so we'll see....

I am so sorry to hear about Ouise. Godspeed her spirit, and peace be on the hearts of all who love her.

She was my first Sekrit Santa and she made me feel so welcome to the community.

I still have the box she sent it in.

Bless her.

Suzi, good luck with your surgery and how wonderful that you will have healing in more ways than one.

Damn, sorry to hear about Ouise passing. My condolences to her loved ones.

I finished my surprise Christmas shopping today (Mom decided she didn't need my help paying for Dad's new coat, so I got him a couple of snap-front shirts), so all I have left to do is make spinach dip tonight and deliver presents at various gatherings over the next 3 days.

Gizmo came through follow-up surgery to remove the button holding his chin on with flying colors today, and the vet says he's about 90% healed. He just wants to keep him for observation one more night.

Edna St. Vincent Milay said it better than I can dream of, in "Dirge without Music":

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.

So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:

Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned

With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.

Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.

A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,

A formula, a phrase remains,—but the best is lost.

The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love,—

They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled

Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve.

More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave

Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;

Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.

I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.

I am really bummed that someone who was a good friend of mine in my Houston chorus, who was funny and seemed like a good person to me, has turned out to be a full-scale Trump supporter. She just reposted something from Dinesh D'Souza's FB page about the tax bill, and I had to unfollow her. I just...I don't understand.

I'm sorry Dana. That sucks.

I went wading through old threads for a while to see if I could confirm a conversation I was remembering as being with Ouise actually was. Didn't find it, but just reading random conversations from 10 years ago has me verklempt. Love you all, whether you are still here a lot or a little or not at all.