Brenda, enjoy the heck out of the Globe theater. It is absolutely magical seeing a play there.

I’m at my volunteer library bookstore job. It’s lousy out. So, I have no customers. I’m pretty much just reading and shopping for books. And ordering groceries.

Wow Brenda, that sounds awesome.

As does David's visit with pigs and otters. Around here we only have cat cafes, and I'm allergic.

It's raining here and chilly, but the dog is on my feet. I'm trying not to stress about work, but. {{hugs}} to all the other fed-types. It's so hard not to know what's going to happen.

My management is trying to get the telework folks settled before our internal deadline of Feb 12, then try to solve the issue of the full remote workers. It's particularly hard on folks who do a longass telework thing (live outside the locality but work 2 days/pay period at the office to retain locality pay). We have a couple people like that, and they are worried about being forced to return to the office or (if they can go remote somehow) taking a big pay cut.

I have 4 full remote employees, 1 of whom is NOWHERE near any agency facilities. The other 3 we may be able to find homes for, so they can keep doing their (useful! important!) jobs.

I'm grateful my boss is being a complete mensch, but he is hobbled by the need to comply with the directives we are getting. And frustrated that we aren't getting ANY GUIDANCE on how to comply. The silence from HQ has been fucking deafening.

We are on the phone with the world's weirdest insurance representative. Two weeks to the move, and everything is going to be insane.

I'm so sorry for everyone affected by the governmental job weirdness. Husband still keeps in touch with a former coworker from a national DOE lab, and things sound grim.

So while time is short, I am hoping to make the most of it.

Oh! It certainly sounds like you are doing so. Well done.

I went to the beach, and went swimming and stuff, since I have visitors.

Sounds pleasant, Laura.

Good luck, Dana.

Had a great lunch visit with newish friend, and we made plans to get together before we left so we wouldn't wait eight months again, ha! Plus, we met in a playwriting class and then ended up in the same acting class and totally hit it off, so we are going to be writing accountability partners.

brenda, your trip sounds fantastic! And with people you enjoy as well. I'm so glad you get some extra time there.

Otter cafe beats stroller owls

The beautiful thing is, they apparently coexist without strife

It's a wonderland of small predators! I don't know how I missed going to fox island while I was here.

BABY PIG CAFE!!!!

The piglets were cute with their bristles and waggy tails and snoots and little trot.

I enjoyed the otters more, though, I have to say.

Had a great lunch visit with newish friend, and we made plans to get together before we left so we wouldn't wait eight months again, ha! Plus, we met in a playwriting class and then ended up in the same acting class and totally hit it off, so we are going to be writing accountability partners.

I love that for you! And sj's new lunch companion too. It's tricky making new friends as we get older.

Today's my last day in Japan, and I'm in no flurry or hurry to go do something I'm afraid I've missed. Rather I'm probably just going to go to my favorite places, and get some travel gifts out of the capsule toy machines.

Back in November I bought tix for a sketchfest event where Peaches Christ (local drag legend) would be interviewing Tim Curry live. Then belatedly realized I'd be in Japan for the event (which is tonight).

So then I thought, well I'll give the tickets to Nicole who's housesitting for me, as she's a gender-blurry gal in a drag king troupe who would appreciate that. But I couldn't find the tickets in my email or my phone, and didn't have time to deal with the box office before I left.

But just like magic I got a prompting email from Sketchfest that said, "Hey, your event is coming up. Here's your tickets!" And I was able to transfer them to her, and she's going tonight.

Hooray for Nicole getting to use your tickets!

yeah, that's pretty cool. wish I could travel more.

That worked out nicely, then!

I’m glad the tickets worked out, Hec. Have a safe trip back tomorrow.

Brenda, I hope you enjoy the play. Cymbeline is one I haven’t seen live.

What are everyone else’s plans for the weekend?

Today I went to Detroit’s Eastern Market with my sister and BiL, where I discovered there’s a wine maker in Ypsilanti. I wonder if Aimee knows. Afterwards we went to the Detroit boat show where I saw a waterskiing squirrel. And a lot of boats. But the squirrel is what I’ll probably remember this time next week. Tomorrow I’m going to church with my sister, meeting up with the cat sitter to show her the setup, and then picking up a book for a new-to-me book group. It’s part my effort to meet people who aren’t related to me.