Happy birthday, meara!

I find that when I walk through my neighborhood to the park I get nods of acknowledgement from Clearly Old People and it makes my whiskers bristle. "I'm not one of you! Stop acting like I'm in your cohort!"

But I am.

(The population on this side of the Panhandle is older than where I used to live, though it's only a 12 minute walk.)

Saw my Dermatologist today and she only cut two chunks out of me. The last time she took like five and they were all clean, so I'm liking this trendline.

She did look at my ear which I had gotten pierced for my birthday and didn't like the look of it ("It might be forming a keloid and it's irritated and seems like it could be retaining water"). So she gave me a tiny steroid shot in my earlobe. So I'm hoping that takes care of that issue.

One of the great thing about Dermatologists is they have a wide range of tools to Fix Your Problem Immediately.

Happy birthday, meara!

I'm done with my first week of classes. Went pretty well, I guess. Still trying to get the chair replaced in that one classroom -- I was told that they're looking into it, because there isn't a budget to buy any new chairs, so they need to find one somewhere that they can put there. I'm going to email again and stress that this is a disability accommodation, because my back is killing me from trying to teach like that.

Going in the other direction, I have seen it asserted that one's grandparents' siblings should be called your grand-aunt or grand-uncle, not great-aunt or great-uncle, but they do not seem to be getting much traction.

I’m against any change that doesn’t let me say, “I’m not the great aunt, I’m the fabulous aunt.” That said, to my grandnibblings, I’m tante. Possibly because my niece and nephew have known me all their lives, and decided to nip that in the bud.

Speaking of family, I’m off to visit mine for the annual family lake get together! Assuming the airline cooperates. My last family trip was derailed by Cloudstrike, so I’m a tad cynical.

Still trying to get the chair replaced in that one classroom -- I was told that they're looking into it, because there isn't a budget to buy any new chairs, so they need to find one somewhere that they can put there.

That is ridiculous, Hil! There is no excuse.

My sister and I went to a Sound Bath last night at the local theater. We attend (most) every event at the local theater and library to support them. The woman conducting the event went to school with my nephews. Anyway, gongs and bowls and all manner of sound-making stuff. Some of the attendees (about 30?) brought pillows and blankets and reclined on the theater stage. It was nice. A good showing for a weeknight.

This is the last weekend of the season with the big fund-raising party at the firehouse. Raffle off a truck and countless donation baskets from the public. Live music and dancing after the 'steak bake' which is steak, salt potatoes, and corn. It is generally a good time had by all.

Grey and rainy here today. I have a short workday, yay!

Proud of myself, so I will share here: I've finished two books this week! Used to read all the time, and I love it, but I got out of the habit when I stopped my long Metro commutes back in the early aughts. So, I'm purposely doing a thing I like, for myself, that takes time, and finishing it. Gold star for me!

⭐⭐⭐

I've mostly been listening to one book and reading another. I try and keep them different genres. Right now I am listening to Gaiman's narration of his The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It is nice to hear the author's narration adding his emotion. I'm at the gym an hour a day so that is my listening time. I've not been proceeding as well on my Kindle book as I seem to only read a few pages before falling asleep.

Ooh, thank you for the stars!

I listen to audiobooks, too, yah. My mind wanders more with those than when I'm reading, so I often have to rewind. It's pretty funny. And I also put them on to fall asleep to and invariably fall asleep before the sleep timer, so... rewind. I'm good with them in the car, though.

I'm better at listening to podcasts. Something about following a conversation is easier for me or something? I don't know.

I read so much online between social media, news, and troubleshooting for work that I've gotten out of the habit of actually sitting back with a book that isn't a comic. I did pick up A Very Punchable Face from the library and start reading it this week, though, so maybe I can get back to old habits.

So I've invited the Sacred Circle and G&T Society over on this anniversary of Jacqueline's death. Emily, Hannah, Lisa and Marta will join Matilda and me.

Matilda has been very depressed lately, and she had asked if Emmett could come over too. He's not somebody who was doing the hospice caretaking so I didn't really think to have him here with us. But I asked him to come over at noon today before everybody else arrived to give some support to Matilda.

I dragged her out of bed at noon with bagel and coffee, and got him a coffee and BLT and she sat there at the kitchen table being very low energy and radiating sad. Finally I prompted her to talk about the bureaucratic academic bullshit her boyfriend is dealing with as he's starting City College (and a subject Emmett is all too acquainted with) and once she got to complaining with outrage her energy ramped up.

Next thing you know, he's got her laughing again, and he said, "We're going downstairs."

"Are you going to watch anime?"

"Yeah, but she's bringing her laptop so I'll also help her with her college application."

It is one of the verities: When Matilda is in pain, apply Emmett to the emotional wound.

That is lovely and sweet and hard. Love to all of you always, and especially today.