I love the holidays, but it can be a hard time to be unpartnered. Even if you're me, who has to kind of...factor that in all the time. It would definitely make missing someone harder, smonster. Also, Laura, the whole estrangement thing.(again, I *think* I'm used to it.) My brother broke his arm when he was, I think, a little older than your son, Nilly. At least you don't have to listen to him play violin with the wrong hand, which we had to. Kind of a long six weeks.

Oh, smonster, this is such a confusing stage! All these emotions and thoughts all mixed up and not yet at the same place, and you in the middle of it all. I hope you may get to the other side of this as peacefully and as sure-of-your-own-strength as possible.

The only silver lining I can think of is that I imagine it will likely heal better and more easily than a broken actual wrist.

Oh, I didn't even think about this point! Thanks, dcp!

Plus bonus practice at time management, patience, persistence, and self-control. It won't be easy.

Oh, I wish this will be the case, but things are already complicated enough with almost half of the school staff being away, serving in the military. I keep my expectations very moderate lately.

He now has motivation to learn *all* the keyboard shortcuts.

Or to mouse (can that be a verb?) with his left hand. That's what he thinks he'll try to do.

I've watched some amazing demonstrations.

I have to admit I enjoy learning stuff from this hoby of his, so, yeah, I totally agree with you.

At least you don't have to listen to him play violin with the wrong hand

erika, wow!

a blossoming hope for reduced homework

He could perhaps do homework with voice recognition. (he may not forgive me that thought) Yes, as dcp pointed out, less complex than the wrist. I hope he heals quickly.

Trying to just watch my brain and heart do their gymnastics without letting impulsiveness drive.

Making the lists is a good exercise. I'm sorry you have to go through this process.

Yikes, wrong-handed violin playing sounds super painful, for the ears in range.

Oh, it was. not that a 3rd grader starting second-string violin wasn't...kind of already, of course. Maybe he thought playing a little guitar might make him better at it, but it didn't.

Thanks, y’all. I think Xmas itself is going to be a major temptation point. Gotta figure how to cope ahead for that.

Yikes, wrong-handed violin playing sounds super painful, for the ears in range.

My eardrums are sealing themselves shut just thinking about it.

Nilly - I mouse with either hand depending on my carpal tunnel. I recommend he start by playing simple card games or the like and he should pick up left-handing mousing quickly. I don't have quite the level of control with my left hand, but he's young so he should be completely mouse-ambidextrous quickly.

Nilly I broke my wrist many years ago (somehow 20 years ago I was already a Buffista though?!) and while it was awkward for the few weeks I had the cast and felt very weak and scary after getting the cast removed, it wasn’t long before it was only a vague memory! And he’s even younger so will likely bounce back very quickly.

Oh no, poor PiBoy, and poor Nilly! Hang in there.

And you too, smonster -- hang in there. You are in the right place, as hard as it is.

I could use another weekend after my weekend, but I haven't done much at work today, so I guess that's as good as I'm going to get. I did a ton of house stuff Saturday (laundry, fixed the lights outside, brought my mother's outside furniture to the basement, baked two kinds of cookies and a loaf of bread) AND went to Macy's for a Christmas present, and then yesterday was a two-service day at church, so I was in the building literally from 9am to 5pm. Phew.

I bundled up all the packages I wanted to mail out for Xmas last Friday and carried three heavy bags to the Post Office on Saturday. And arrived at 4:10 to find the doors locked because they close early on Saturday.

So...I braved a torrential downpour this morning to go to the PO and get these packages out Priority so they arrive before xmas. And that was a long steamy wait at the PO with one clerk working and then heavy rain coming home and I feel like that should be enough for today.

And yet there are several other things that must be done today, so my impulse to curl up in the chair in the window and drink coffee and watch the rain come down while listening to melancholy carols will not suffice.

Matilda's therapist told her, "Let's face it - there's no way this Christmas won't be shitty."

And I understand that her therapist wants to validate Matilda's grief and sad feelings. But that was so deflating for me.

It's hard enough generating Xmas on my own without JZ here to collaborate. I just felt so undercut.

It's mostly me and Ms. Nihilism at home and while we have the tree up and decorated it feels really hard to generate any xmas feeling.

I asked Emmett and Kalena to come over but they haven't. Emily couldn't come over last week, and I am getting buried in Consequential Details Which Require Attention and Executive Function.

All I'm feeling is a pressure to get shopping done, plus the aforementioned details.

Oh David, I just wish we could descend on your house with a wave of Christmas Cheer and give that to you and Matilda!