In cancer is the worst news, I found out today that a dear friend passed away Sunday. It was expected, although the last time I spoke with her she sounded optimistic. Her son called to let me know. June was one of our first customers back in 1988 when we opened a clone computer shop in a strip mall. She and her husband, Bob, became the very closest of friends. She made my wedding dress and Bob along with my sisters made all the food. Really, I don't need comforting because I was adequately prepared for this loss. I'm not ready for Amy! Although losses remind me once again how much you all mean to me.

This year really is of the suck.

(But I got off my ass after months of "...I should do that soon." and wrote a letter, which I enclosed in a card, in which I also enclosed a lenticular Captain America Valentine's Day card [tiny], and which I stamped with a lenticular T-Rex stamp. USPS, don't you fuck this up.)

Oh Laura, I am so sorry. Plei, Captain America is such a good call!

What terrible news.

Laura, I am so sorry.

I just got a call that an industry friend passed away this morning. Heart attack. He was a brilliant writer and editor, and while I'm going to miss working with him, I'll miss him as a person even more.

Seriously, fuck this year.

I don’t talk about it much here, but Amyth’s been my next door neighbor for several years now. She, and I, and two of our neighbors have been this group of four, where we go to movies, hang out in each other’s apartments, and one memorable fall, travelled to France. I hate the thought that I’m not going to see Amyth in the parking lot or text each other about silly university stuff or exchange cat stories. I’m a single, middle aged cat lady alone in an apartment, but there’s this great person on the other side of the wall even when we’re not hanging out. I want to hear Amyth make plans for her retirement and tell me stories about visiting her niece and see her get passionate about things like Girls Rock. In a country full of Nazis and people who cheer putting refugee children in cages, the cancer hits Amyth? This is wrong and unjust and I hate it.

My roommate was all “ooh I found a great apartment I’m going to move out before thanksgiving” and I was like “great”. Today she’s all “shit I got scammed”. Apparently she hadn’t actually been to the apartment in person (!!!) and believed the person when they were like “we moved to la and decided to rent out our apartment but don’t have a property manager, sign this lease and PayPal us first months rent”. And she did. THEN she googled and realized it was a scam.

Timelies all!

Once again, fuck cancer and fuck 2020.

the cancer hits Amyth? This is wrong and unjust and I hate it

Exactly. And Calli, I'm so sorry -- I forgot she was on the other side of the wall (just like Sara and Becky in A Little Princess!).

We joked that we both wanted to retire to NYC -- public transport, walkable, art, culture, books!, food -- and that we should find a place together. I really, really wish that could happen.

She, and I, and two of our neighbors have been this group of four

Part of what's breaking in me is all the years I've seen your little group of neighbor/friends together (who are all spirit Buffistas, even the ones who aren't literal Buffistas) and how you've all made this great found family of smart creative kind nerdery, and it feels like there's another community I know feeling the same loss that we are (and that we all are as individuals as well). And I also think of meeting up with Amyth and her friends G+T in New York, and how they're another delightful set of beautiful souls whom I also wouldn't have known if she weren't a part of that family. Circles and circles, rippling out around one lovely person.