Shir! I’m glad to see you but do sorry for all that you’ve been going through. It’s sometimes hard to fathom how things got this bad this fast. Here too, of course, where we are working on our own version of terrible.

So good of you to check in, Shir, and yes, I've been thinking about you and Nilly a lot, a lot.

And just to put things in perspective, for now climate catastrophe still scares me more than the shitshow we're having here.

I do understand that perspective! Thank you for the update, Shir. I think of you and worry for you and your neighbors so often.

Yeah, I'm upset about climate too.

Perhaps a new thread - Pike's Bitches?

Bwahahaha. Thread proliferation!

Enjoy flopping in your fancy upgraded room while you can, brenda!

It's good to hear from you, Shir, I was just wondering how you were doing. I hope Australia is good for your sister and that all the protesting pays off with eventual increased sanity and that you enjoy Barbie

It’s good to see your pixels, Shir. I hope your sister’s move to Melbourne works out well for all concerned and that your new apartment is nice. I’m sorry that your government is experiencing, um, difficulties. It’s great that you’re protesting, and have plenty of company in doing so, although the water cannons sound scary.

I’m in Denver for a conference. It is nice to bake instead of steam for a while. The conference has three 90 minute keynote speeches—one for each day. Unless Tom Hiddleston is giving them, I expect that’s 270 minutes I’ll spend fantasizing about Tom Hiddleston giving them. Or Hiddles doing almost anything else. Seriously—what can conference organizers talk about for that long? They’d better have the world’s most comfortable chairs.

Shir!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, friend, how much I've been thinking of you through all of this mishegas!! I go back and forth from day to day on whether we're still a democracy either, but in any case I heartily endorse getting your living space the way it finally makes you able to relax, and going to see Barbie with good friends.

Hey Shir - that is a lot. That sounds scary and exhausting.

Also...Trigger Warning on Barbie: It has a coup attempt and a Constitutional Crisis in it.

Oh, Shir, many good thoughts for you and all your fellow protestors.

I am on tenterhooks: my niece is in labor and we're all just waiting for news.

Oh Shir! Good to hear from you but sorry it’s such hard news!

This morning we woke up on our “luxury alpaca farm stay” and got to hang out with the alpacas. The weather was awful so we chose not to do the walk up and down the hills and paths which would’ve otherwise had a gorgeous view of the ocean. Then we drove to Wellington, went to the national museum (very cool, also free!), checked into the Airbnb, returned the rental car, went on a tour of parliament, and then decided to go to the “fan zone” downtown to see if the store was any good (no). While we were there my friend was like “something is happening, there’s too much security” and I hadn’t noticed anything (because American) but even though they weren’t keeping people away or metal detecting entry or anything, the prime ministers of New Zealand and Australia rocked up, took some photos, showed themselves exchanging jerseys, and had a ceremonial beer. So wild!