I'm aware this is going to sound terrible, but: we're leaving for vacation on Sunday, and I'm not changing my plans to stay home. There is literally nothing I can do to help him. He's in a hospital, which is where he needs to be.

He's where he needs to be and you need to get a few more spoons together. The beach is a good place to gather spoons.

All those years we gathered shells and little did we know...

They were spoons.

Steph, do you what you need to do and take that vacation.

sj, just keeping you and your family in my thoughts.

Today just just bugger off. It's almost 4pm and I'm just now eating and getting started on the list of things that need to be done today. I've spent all of my time up to this point on the phone with Bacardi trying to troubleshoot a system in their visitor center in Puerto Rico. The system is ancient. I didn't design or implement it. It's failing in multiple new ways. They know it needs to be replaced, and they just keep delaying on doing it. It's operating mainly on hope at this point and one of these calls it's just going to not work. They have a quote from me for fixes, but they keep trying to delay until they remodel the entire experience, but that might still be years away. This system does not have years left in it. It might not have days left in it, I just don't know.

That sounds very frustrating, Noise. How disappointing that interacting with Bacardi should not be relaxing and fun!

They were spoons.

You feel better when you touch them or look at them, right? Spoons. Even just think about them or think about when you got them. Spoons.

It's operating mainly on hope at this point and one of these calls it's just going to not work.

I hope they figure this out soon. Before it just stops preferably.

Steph, how is your brother doing? I hope he is doing well and that this isn't adding too much for him.

Hang in there, everyone.

I have been to that Barcardi place! It could have used an overhaul then, and that was years ago.

Steph, how is your brother doing? I hope he is doing well and that this isn't adding too much for him.

He's doing pretty well, fortunately.

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ND, they seem to have adopted my slogan, "Never put off 'til tomorrow what you never need do at all."

Hang in there, everyone.

Yes, please! Be kind to yourselves.

I'm dealing with much more mundane issues like the fact that I have a research paper due in two days and my brain literally will NOT write it. I've got 6 pages of total garbage so far and every time I sit down to make it better I just have NOTHING to say. Blech.

I'm also struggling to find my 11 year-old something to wear for her upcoming school band concert. The teacher sent home a flyer with dress code info on it, and I just...this kid lives in leggings and hoodies 100% of the time. She does NOT dress up. And I honestly don't need her to - it's a 5th grade school concert, not tea with the queen. So I just need to come up with an outfit that's dressy enough to pass muster and I'm discovering that the market for gender-neutral dressed-up-but-not-formal tween clothes is WIDE open. If anyone wants to start a clothing business, there's your niche. Nobody else is doing it. (We will probably end up with black leggings and whatever long-sleeved solid color shirt she has that fits, and if the band teacher has a problem she can talk to me.)