I'm glad you've got Ginger and Kala, and a great team at work.

I'm glad your employers value you, and provided support while you not only made these transitions, suffered a major health crisis and multiple losses.

I'm glad things are getting better. You deserve all the good things.

Javachik, like meara, I knew it over time, but seeing it together, well I just want to hug you. I admire your resilience so very much. Yes, you do deserve all the good things. May 2021 be filled with joyful surprises.

Thanks for the kind words, peeps. It’s been a weird time for sure, but I think I’m through the worst of it, and can now talk about stuff without crying. When I was able to talk to a colleague about Cayenne last week without crying, I knew I’d passed a huge milestone. It’s been a year since the hospitalization and I am healthier than ever thank goodness. One very sad thing this year is that one of my closest friends back in the Bay has stage 4 ovarian cancer. And it’s so upsetting not to be able to fly back to see her and be by her side. And I also really regret not being able to travel and see our beloved Amyth. The enforced distance is so very hard, but it’s also so vitally important if we are ever going to overcome this fucking pandemic.

My best to everyone! I’m usually way behind in the chat threads, and tend to read before bed on my iPad and not post, but I appreciate the conversations, even if I read them weeks or months out of date.

Hi friends! Nice to see your pixels and catch up with how you all have been. I'm in the midst of a lot of brain fog and fatigue coming off a major depressive episode, with a few days sprinkled here and there that make me remember what it is like to enjoy life (and Do the Things!) even as the effects of quarantine continue apace. <3 <3 <3

esse! Big virtual hugs. I'm sorry it has been such a rough while and do hope that the year to come will be much better.

Hugs right back! Me too, the bar is set figuratively so low that even minor improvements will make a huge difference. :)