Just checking in; I wasn't anywhere near Gilroy today, but the news is alarming and I wanted to let folks know that my household is safe and sound.

(Context: Apparently some homicidal motherfucker shot up the Gilroy Garlic Festival tonight, and I'm hearing victim numbers in the low dozens, although no one has said anything official yet. Please note that I am not a reliable news source, and all of this is second-hand at best; verify with your own sources.)

I wish I had something pithy to say, but I'm just wrung out.

~ma to all who need it.

Thing is, I think I lot of SEO is flim-flam.

Although it's not my product, speaking as someone who works where I work: you're not wrong.

I made it to Dublin yesterday, got some food and had a nice sit in St Stephen's Green, and then crashed for about 12 hours. The jet lag may get me later, but I'm feeling all right thanks to that hard snooze.

Top 'o the morning to you, shrift, or afternoon as the case may be!

Gud, I'm sorry for the bad day. Please remember that no one ever has the right to abuse you or make you feel bad about yourself. You deserve to be cherished, and nothing less.

Gilroy news is depressing, glad you are yours weren't there, Karl.

I had to say goodbye to Coco on Friday.

As I'm sure I've mentioned, Coco had been diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemo since 10/2017. Last week, he started acting not like himself. On Friday, I took him to the vet. They found that the cancer had spread, plus he had developed pneumonia. They could have treated the pneumonia, but it really wouldn't have helped his quality of life because of the cancer. So I had him put to sleep.

In rescue, we say that sometimes you choose the cat, and sometimes the cat chooses you. Coco chose me. We were at adoption event looking at the cats. I opened Coco's cage, and he jumped into my arms. He's been my best friend ever since, and he was with me all through the upheavals of the last couple of years.

Coco also had a well-developed maternal instinct. We adopted or fostered several kittens after we adopted him. He took them under his paw and taught them how to be cats. Including his little idiosyncrasies, like waving his paw over his food to "bury" it after he had finished eating.

Goodbye, little black cat. No more struggling for control of the laptop when I work from home. No more curling up in my lap. No more kneading on my stomach. No more just-enough-claw when I don't feed him fast enough.

I'm so sorry, Fred. It is hard to let them go. Coco knew you were the one and it is wonderful you found each other.

I'm sorry, Fred. Farewell, Coco.

I'm so sorry, Fred. Coco sounds like a great cat.

I'm sorry, Fred. Goodbye, sweet kitty.

Fred, I'm so sorry.

He took them under his paw and taught them how to be cats. Including his little idiosyncrasies, like waving his paw over his food to "bury" it after he had finished eating.

I can just picture this. What a sweet memory.

Gud, I hope today is better. Perhaps today is a good day to call a therapist or an Employee Assistance Program if your company has one. Talkspace.com is a text based therapy that you can do one week for free.