Sarahliz

3. The inspiration for a Georgia O'keefe style painting.

Technically I could do any of my meetings from the floor but since most of the people I work with don't know I have fibro I wouldn't want to explain it for on-camera meetings.

The kid's summer break threw off my morning routine and I haven't been exercising. My shoulders have opinions about this, so I took a break to do some simple yoga. While I was lamenting the lack of technology to work from corpse pose, I realized I could at least do off-camera meetings on the floor.

As he worked
on next semester’s syllabus
the academic told me
that he worries
his students are preparing
for careers
that won’t exist for long,
but then he paused and added
that he really worries
his students are preparing
for a world
that has already stopped existing.

Yeah. My parents' place is reasonably good habit (though not as good as where we lived when I was growing up) but there just aren't enough left for that to matter.
We were also there too early in the summer, but it doesn't sound like they ever have more than a few, which is sad.

I grew up in Wisconsin and it seems there are many fewer lightening bugs than there used to be. My 8 year old wants to see them so badly and did cry about it this last visit.

Hinestly, a lot of non-pharmaceutical treatment modalities seem a bit woowoo. I don't know much about EMDR but there seems to be good evidence for it.

Even if there weren't, I'm all for things that help with unlearning old patterns and make being human with a human brain easier.

I can see the similarities. I hope it helps.

I'm having one of those annoying days where my brain has fallen into melancholy reminiscences. I also just noticed a couple of splinters in my hand from the weekend's garden work.
I know how to deal with the splinters but what's the metaphorical equivalent to a sterilized needle for the brain?

One of the research projects I work on that's been in limbo for the past six weeks finally got the notice of award for next year's funding. In normal times getting the 4th year of funding on a 5 year grant is the expected outcome. But in these times it was very uncertain so it's worth celebrating.

We've reached a point where it's inevitable that things will get worse before they get better. I just selfishly wish I didn't live so close to where that breaking point is likely to happen.

Thank you.

I am at least heartened that the raise means I'll be in a position to help neighbors more if social security (or food stamps) stop showing up. I'm still holding some meager hope it won't come to that, but the chances of things stabilizing any time soon seem to be getting lower and lower.

My promotion and raise are finally official. I worked so hard to get here, and I'd like to just be proud of that for a bit, but in the current environment pride's drowned out by anxiety and grief. How long will research continue to be a viable career? What do I do when it isn't?

Unless you live with another adult who also likes cheese, in which case you should probably not eat the whole thing. They might not stop you from eating all the cheese but they'll probably pout if you do.

Me: the current administration's anti-science bullshit may eventually put me out of a job so we should spend less.

My car: I guess now is a good time to mention my potentially expensive problems.

My vacuum cleaner: you know, I've served you well, but it's time to retire.

"Like a sharknado in a shitstorm"

That's how someone characterized the current situation (re research specifically, but it probably applies more generally) in a meeting today.

So, how does one stop a sharknado? (I didn't watch the movies).

It's only day 9 and the stress is getting to me (granted I wasn't at baseline to start because of the fires).
Knowing that their intention is to wear us down doesn't keep it from working. I need a better survival strategy.

Lots of people have names they use at school/work and names they use everywhere else. Turtles could too.

I'm sorry you're in that position.

My kid definitely benefits from being in school because he needs routine but the toll it takes on the staff isn't worth it.

Of course I'm astounded that the whole district closed at all so I'm not surprised they're open.

I'll admit my brain isn't firing on all cylinders so maybe this should be obvious but why would the national conversation be different if it started 9 days earlier?

And that's not to say that the organization isn't super supportive and flexible, but the work continues on as long as it can. This will not be the last disaster I spend working and doomscrolling.

In the past as I've read various predictions about climate disasters I've thought to myself that when they happened my work would just carry on for anyone not directly affected.
And well, here I am writing R code while the city burns.

Well, I did send him off to play rather than continuing to sit with me. Probably just as bad.

I tried explaining this to the seven year old but he was much more focused on it being an accident. We'll keep working on that message.

My son 100% did not mean to punch me in the nose. Knowing this does not make my nose feel less punched. I'm not mad because I'm clumsy enough I could punch my own damn self in the face (Also I'm not injured). I'm still gonna whine about it. (Here on the internet where he won't hear and feel guilty).

For a game with such simple game mechanics, Blockus requires a surprising amount of concentration.
I suppose it's probably easier without a 7 year old playing drums in the next room.

This is a good question. I think the answer is yes, but I also walked out to my yard today, December 14, and picked tomatoes and basil for dinner, so that's pretty magical too.
I also picked a pomegranate, which is less surprising than the tomatoes but also very satisfying.

Sitting on the front porch and the neighborhood flock of parrots came careening overhead. Sometimes I think of leaving LA but after 23 years living in a city with palm trees and parrots nowhere else will ever be ridiculous enough.

This basically sums up the day.

(And for those who follow me elsewhere, yes, I do take a picture pretty much every time he does this on the couch in my office.)

Wow. Those cabbage pots are amazing.