Hec so glad you have your niece to spoil. I know you'll both have fun.

Spoilage ensued! Went to Zazie with her and EM (who has known Crystal since she was 14). Then this evening went to see "Spirited Away" on the big screen with Matilda, Crystal (who has never seen any Miyazaki) and Jes (who's never seen Miyazaki on the big screen).

Pretty fuckin' good Day 1.

Cashmere, I hope and pray that your brother will be able to get the help he needs, both for him as well as for you and all your family.

Cass, hopes and prayers for you and your sister and her daughter, and all your family, as well.

msbelle, good luck on the job front! They'll be lucky to get you.

David, how wonderful that you could show your niece such a good time, and in such a good company, too!

And Timelies.

It's another day of dragging my feet in the mud and fog of war, but if there's one thing that brings me hope and an anchor now is Jewish/Israeli and Arab/Palestinian partnerships.

Not everything is terrible here, even if it sometimes feels like it.

Also, I'm really really trying to ignore the "let's transfer/kill them all! (doesn't matter which side)" that's coming from people that aren't directly involved in this war, but wow, they're loud and bad at geography and international law and oh, yes, also basic human decency.

I always used to be an early-morning poster, but got out of the habit. Now I have the incentive to go back to my old ways to wish timelies to Nilly and Shir. It is so good to see your posts and a reminder that there is some normalcy there and it is not all close-minded leaders focused on destruction.

In Laura Land I am busy trying to work and pack. Had a good layer of frost on my car this morning, actually, it is still there at 11! Time for me to flee toward warmth.

It's turned downright cold here. I listen to the weather report, so I pulled out some wool sweaters yesterday evening to be prepared. Wore a coat, wool cardigan over a turtleneck and, for the first time this season, gloves. They were warning people to bring in plants in the expectation of a hard freeze.

I can take the change in weather, but hate the days getting shorter.

Ugh Laura I hear that. You should not be in frost land at this point, Florida or bust! But the late sunrises are killer for me, I hate getting up in the dark, but now the sun rises so late that I have to. Booooooo.

Shir, I’m glad you’re finding some moments of goodness in this mess. It feels so un-solvable from here, I can’t imagine what it’s like there. But I am so glad you and Nilly are able to give us a tiny glimpse.

It feels so un-solvable from here

If human beings messed this up, human beings can fix/change it. This won't be magical, this won't be pretty, some things changed for good, and I'm afraid that more casualties are to come.

But human beings messed this up, so human beings can fix/change it. I wholeheartedly believe this. We can't get the dead back. We can prevent more deaths and unnecessary suffering. And that's worth fighting for, even if we can't save all (like, in the non combat sense. That's not my role in this.)

The world is just so...I don't even have words for it right now.

I'm also beyond stressed out about business and money and projects right now.

{{{ND}}} May you get some good news soon.