I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life

[Gazoo]

I'm off to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning (assuming my stomach's better by then), with my family until Saturday 12/26.

Rod, hope it's an uneventful move!

And I hope you all have very merry Christmases.

[Lightnin' Rod]

I am off after Wednesday until the 4th.  Unfortunately, I'll be moving the week on the 28th, so it won't be a great vacation.  But I'll have plenty of time to get set up at the new digs.

Hey, best of luck with the move. Where you relocating to? Still in Alameda?

Yeah, just moving down the road a little ways.  Owners of current pad moving back in, so I had to go.  No more roomie, either, which will be nice, though likely a bit lonely at first.  He's taking the cat too. 

Merry Happiness during the holidaze, everybody!

[Alicat]

Best wishes to all for a grand 2010. Hope your holidays were good.

[RGMike]

Best wishes to all for a grand 2010. Hope your holidays were good.

Dittoes and backatcha, Ali.  Wishing you good luck, jobwise.

I've got a 10:00 meeting -- back to the same-old same-old -- so I'll be missing AL's set today.

[Gazoo]

The guy who was commissioner of my gay softball league 5 years ago spiraled into meth abuse and more or less disappeared off the face of the earth.  Apart from his befriending me on Facebook many months ago, I haven't talked to him in about 3 years.  Tonight, though, responding to something I'd posted on Facebook, he sent me a note - informing me that he is now homeless, freezing on the streets when not able to crash on friends' couches.  (I don't know where he got computer access - probably a library.)

Sigh.  At times like this, I am very grateful that meth never crossed my mind, nor my path.

[RGMike]

It has been a weird couple of weeks:

My cousin Joan -- pretty much the only blood relative I'm in any kind of touch with -- has been living in an assisted living facility on LI for the past year; she's in her late '70s. The Xmas card I sent her came back "undeliverable/unable to forward" and my heart sank. (I didn't get a card from her as I usually do.) I wrote to the only other family member I still have an address for asking if she knew anything. The day after i mailed that letter, I got a note from Joan herself saying she's been staying with one of her daughters for the last 2 months. Crisis averted and I felt much better.

But then.

I just went to the Facebook page of a buddy of mine from the Regular Guys days --  we've been emailing back'n'forth, he was supposed to come and hook up my new computer and transfer my old files, but we've kept postponing because he had the flu, in fact Sun nite he thought he might have pneumonia and was on his way to the emergency room when we spoke on the phone....

And his FB page says he passed away Tuesday nite.  I am stunned. Can't remember the last time I felt so kicked-in-the-stomach as I do right now. Damn.

[Tinka Cat]

It has been a weird couple of weeks:

My cousin Joan -- pretty much the only blood relative I'm in any kind of touch with -- has been living in an assisted living facility on LI for the past year; she's in her late '70s. The Xmas card I sent her came back "undeliverable/unable to forward" and my heart sank. (I didn't get a card from her as I usually do.) I wrote to the only other family member I still have an address for asking if she knew anything. The day after i mailed that letter, I got a note from Joan herself saying she's been staying with one of her daughters for the last 2 months. Crisis averted and I felt much better.

But then.

I just went to the Facebook page of a buddy of mine from the Regular Guys days --  we've been emailing back'n'forth, he was supposed to come and hook up my new computer and transfer my old files, but we've kept postponing because he had the flu, in fact Sun nite he thought he might have pneumonia and was on his way to the emergency room when we spoke on the phone....

And his FB page says he passed away Tuesday nite.  I am stunned. Can't remember the last time I felt so kicked-in-the-stomach as I do right now. Damn.

oh man, I'm so sorry. 

Thankful about Joan, though. It's good that she's with family...  My mom is in an independent living place back east, but was just admitted to the hospital yesterday after spending two days in an observation bed in the Emergency Dept. She went in b/c she has COPD and emphysema -- she's on O2 24/7 -- and was having a lot of breathing difficulty.  they might release her soon, but the questions arise: What's the next step? assisted living, etc.   I feel helpless, but my brother is back there with her, he lives there. so that's good.

[mshray]

Yikes Mike!  That's terrible news.  Big virtual hug from me, wish I could do more.

And John, sorry to learn of your mother's condition.  Sending positive thoughts for the best.

[urth]

Yikes Mike!  That's terrible news.  Big virtual hug from me, wish I could do more.

And John, sorry to learn of your mother's condition.  Sending positive thoughts for the best.

Likewise, I am thinking of both of you guys. Coping with aging parents/relatives is something almost all of us face, and it's never easy. Usually brings up all sorts of baggage. I had a go-round with this last year (still dealing with aftermath) and I know Alicat has been concerned with her mom's health recently as well. Hope your mom is able to bounce back, John, and your bro is up to the task of advocating for her with the medical machine.

Mike, can't imagine how gutted you must feel right now. Take care of yourself, OK? Perhaps a personal day is in order?

Sending out positive vibes all around.

[RGMike]

Thanks, guys. I did indeed leave work early (I have a very understanding supervisor, bless her).  I realize this is the Internet Age (and gawd knows I spend enuf time enmeshed in it daily), but this is the 2nd time I've learned of  the death of a friend on a message board or social networking site.  This is progress?

[ggould]

Mike,
I first saw your post on FB.  I don't pretend to really know what to say, but it seems especially hard to have this happen to someone you were actively in contact with.  Not just a blast from the past.  Take care, take time.

[Gazoo]

this is the 2nd time I've learned of  the death of a friend on a message board or social networking site.  This is progress?

I'm afraid it is.  It's not as painful as a phone call nor as after-the-fact as a letter.

When we get Tweets advising of deaths, however, is when we've gone a step a step too far.

[urth]

As long as we're sharing our personal trials today, I might as well toss mine out there.

I've been reminded of the other definition of the word redundant, as that's what I've just been made. PCWorld is no longer requiring my services; my last day is January 31. Oh joy.

I did just pick up a new freelance client, but it's not enough to take up the slack. So if any of you know of any person or business requiring offsite editorial assistance at reasonable rates, send them my way, or send me in theirs.

 

[ggould]

well, I might as well join in the unfun.

Even though I'm supposedly in a good position, being a science teacher, I've just been told my future next year is uncertain due to declining enrollment and budget woes.  It's really getting me down.  I'm too old to continue to be bouncing around from school to school.  I don't want to worry my wife yet, and I won't really get a serious picture until sometime in March, when they sign students up for next year.  We shall see.

[princessofcairo]

Sorry to hear it all, you guys. I suppose I'll throw my painful separation from the wife onto the pile. Let's all hang in there.