Good job staying safe Steph! That’s a creepy symptom to be surprised by for sure.

Jen I hear ya. That sucks a lot. Glad the pain is turning a corner but sorry you’re in pain at all!

Working on the east coast is so much better, nobody expects me to be online at 7am and I can wake up after the sun rises. It’s so much more civilized. But I like being in Seattle. Sigh.

Keep us updated, Steph. Abundance of caution is good.

I feel like I deserve a gold star for actually following the advice that I would give to someone else

You deserve a gold star and a ride home!

Dirt rubbed into inflamed eyes and/or shingles pain will not help! I am not a medical professional, but I am, like, PRETTY SURE of this.

Teppy, I hope that it’s nothing.

David, that is so sweet. ltc is practically my height now, but I hope she never stops climbing into my lap.

Pix, I’m so glad you found a good home for Sunny.

ltc has left the tomagothchi with me today. She was very upset to get home yesterday and find it on 0 happiness yesterday.

Health~ma, Steph!

Hoping it's nothing, Teppy.

Health~ma to all. Wonderful news re: Sunny.

I'm about to try to nap off a headache so that I can get back to work. I have been sleeping poorly, and it's taking its toll.

L went through a period last year where she wasn't at all cuddly for various reasons that have since been addressed and discussed and resolved. (I will admit here that I will always be slightly resentful WRT my older sister for what's been going down for the last year or so, even though some of it was unavoidable, in part because my child was going through some things and tried to handle them on her own as a result of me having to deal with my sister's issues. And after July of last year, just flat-out angry, frustrated, and borderline done, which makes me feel guilty as hell, but anyhow.) She's back in the land of attacking my person with hugs and a need for cuddling, which is nice. Occasionally smothering, but nice.

She's back in the land of attacking my person with hugs and a need for cuddling, which is nice. Occasionally smothering, but nice.

It is nice!

Mac occasionally requests hugs or asks if I need one and those are the best days. He’s almost a foot taller than me, so it’s a bit of a bear hug.

Oscar nominations are out and all I want to do for the rest of the day is plan out the next few weeks of watching schedules, but work expects things to get done.

We've never done much of that in my family. (Here and there...don't want to act like I haven't been touched in twelve years.) And I'm sure that my feelings about that have often been complicated by people I don't really know thinking that if they talk, I won't be able to follow it. Or they don't know what to say and want to take it, like, beyond words and stuff. Which, maybe, *I'm* not good at. So, kind of a lot of unanticipated physical contact that I haven't been all that into, if maybe not, you know, the metoo kind.) And hugging is like having a sense of humor in one way: Everyone thinks they're great at it. Sometimes, not. (Buffistas should give workshops, though.)

Yeah, the dirt in the wound trick is overall sketch... now that I look at it, from my grown perspective, where I don't rub dirt in my eyes... it's all much clearer this way!

Steph, 100%.agree with your soapbox rant on all counts. 100%. Hope your eye woes are getting resolved.

And how are you doing with care and feeding of the Tamagotchi, sj?