I am on the side of everyone who is trapped amid all this and just wants to stop.

My inability to sleep continues and it means sometimes I read through random news trying to get tired. I know I should stay away from screens but after lying in bed for an hour and not sleeping I need to do something.

And for the first time since July (I think) my period showed up I'm not happy. I have cramps (I took something it helped but didn't make them go away) .

I don't like Nentanyahu or Hamas and I feel terrible about all the innocent people caught in the middle.

Going to be a rough Thanksgiving. We are traveling South to Kansas City to see everybody, but a lot of tension has developed between my wife and my younger daughter's SO. So much so that I don't think my wife will be seeing my younger daughter. I tried to defuse the situation but it didn't take.

just the act of gathering together, Jews and Arabs, and putting in time and intention in a non violent and hopeful direction gives me hope.

Gives me hope too.

Went running this morning after a few days off and my body had more bounce. I'm planning on taking up Pilates and alternating that with the running. Stretching is a big part of what I do when I run anyway, and it's what I need to keep sciatica in check, so Pilates is next. My friend, Jes, is up for doing it so I can have a workout buddy to keep us both accountable.

Matilda has a friend over this morning after a late night with friends so she barely got out of bed before the arrival. But she's keeping busy socially!

Emmett's coming over at 1pm today. I have to clear space in the attic because we're getting sixteen boxes delivered tomorrow that have been in storage since JZ's father's house burned down. These were all of Jacqueline's things she had stored in the basement and they weren't damaged by the fire or water. From what I recall most of this will be childhood books and school papers and other ephemera. Maybe some of Emmett's old childhood toys too.

but a lot of tension has developed between my wife and my younger daughter's SO. So much so that I don't think my wife will be seeing my younger daughter. I tried to defuse the situation but it didn't take.

I'm sorry, Gud. Nobody needs that over the holidays.

just the act of gathering together, Jews and Arabs, and putting in time and intention in a non violent and hopeful direction gives me hope.

I am on the side of the people, who are amazingly finding ways to live and work together in spite of the best efforts of their terrible, terrible political leaders.

Absolutely that, yes

In one of the kinder things I've seen, someone suggested sending one or both of the U.S. hospital ships to Israel/Palestine and making their services available. Something like 1,000 beds each with doctors, nurses, ancillary services, and plentiful medical supplies. One way to get the injured and non-combatants to someplace out of the actual fighting.

Oh look, it's dark out. And has been for some time. It must be three o'clock in the morning....

::checks clock::

Nope. 6:37pm.

So thanks to sj and ltc, I just impulse-bought myself two rock advent calendars on my phone while trapped under a cat. Sometimes the laziness enabled by modern technology is a little frightening.

(BUT shiny rocks to give to kiddos next Halloween sooo…)

Also count me in for wishing that people would treat other people as they’d like to be treated. We are all people.