erika, my kitty kept knocking my Hillary Clinton off the TV stand where she was living. I asked the kitty if he was a Berner, but I suspect he might be a Libertarian. Anyway, I moved Hillary to the top shelf of the bookshelf, where she hangs out next to the Farscape action figures. Hilz and D'Argo are pals, which is pretty surreal.

but I suspect he might be a Libertarian.

Isn't Murdertarian a political affiliation?

Maybe a Berner kitty would push her to the left a lot. I would agree that knocking her over is kind of antigovernment. There is something...slightly male-looking about Action-Figure!Ginsburg but I can't put my finger on why.

Maybe a Berner kitty would push her to the left a lot.

Ha! True!

I would agree that knocking her over is kind of antigovernment.

It really is.

I'm starting the new year in customer support hell with Microsoft. The disc drive on my xbox wont work. My account shows it is still under warranty so I sent it in. I got an email saying it isn't under warranty. I contacted them and on my account it's under warranty but in their system it's out of warranty. I can't find proof of when I bought it but I'm looking.

In the meantime I got an email about the support ticket opened on New years eve and I just have to send my console in using the mailing label.

So I contacted them again today and after expanding I don't know why this was created and that they have my xbox the support person told me maybe there was n exception made and they will fix it. I just have to send it in. Which I pointed out is impossible because they have it. He then told me to just follow the instructions on the email..

So I read it to him and we went back and forth and he is escalating it but he can't promise it will get fixed because it's out of warranty.

Lovely line from the 2nd season of GBBO, Sue referring to Mel and herself: "A pair of perimenopausal numpties."

I miss them.

Good news on the DH's health. He finally went to the Rheumatologist because he has known for a year that his blood shows high RA factors, and he has the lovely Keith Richardsesque knuckle growth. He checked his results, manipulated all his joints and had a long informative conversation with him. Says there is no joint intrusion, and he suggests doing nothing except a healthier diet and see him for a follow up in a year. Says he is better off than his grandmother because he never smoked and that really makes it much worse. No meds! He asked about his energy level and fatigue and the doc said to lose 100 pounds and see if he still lacks energy. Ha! Same thing the surgeon who refuses to do hernia surgery on him says.

So he could do surgery on the knuckle, but it isn't recommended since it would only be for aesthetics. Now for that losing 100 pounds part. He says he is ready to get back on that.

edit because I fail to proofread before hitting post

Great news, Laura! I'm sitting in my rheumatologist's waiting room. Eventually, I'll get to hear the same, I'm sure.

That's all really good news, Laura! Good for him.

Great news, Laura!

Classes start on Monday. I just got an email today saying that my schedule had been switched around, and for a class where I was originally supposed to teach it online, I'm now teaching a regular on-campus class. I'd already spent several hours getting the online stuff set up. Also, I've never taught this class before, and for the online one, the person who'd taught it online before had given me all the materials she used. Everyone who's taught it in person before has done it as lectures. The course coordinator is giving me her lecture notes to work with, but still, argh.

Also, it violates one of my accommodations, but I don't think I'm going to mention that now, because if I do, then I'll just get switched to yet another different course, with even less time to prep. (I'm supposed to have any back-to-back classes in the same building, and taking on this course means that I've got two back-to-back classes in different buildings. They're close enough that I'll be able to make it, but I won't have any time to talk to students before or after class.)