Philotic Web

Hi Bob.

Lately, as you may have noticed in our last convo, I'd been a bit doubtful about myself.
Last night I had a pretty good positive vibe, though. While it was never the real, overall goal, my site reached about 13,000 plus posts in a 24 hour period.
An achievement in itself, but also contrasted with Ponychan's 11,500 or so in that same 24 hour period made me realize that we had, in fact, arrived.
While it's not the only goal, and certainly just having 'more' of something isn't terrible meaningful, and that posting is distributed differently, it means people are really enjoying what we've created.
It's a benchmark, and goes along with the fact that we are still on the rise, still under 5 full months old, and growing. =)

Bob,

I'm laughing (what else could I do after I cussed to high heavens?) because I had so much trouble falling asleep last night -turned off lights and computer a little after midnight and couldn't fall asleep until after 2- that I slept through my alarm. Thankfully(!) I woke myself up...12 minutes after I was supposed to have left for the train.

Curses were spewed, clothes were literally grabbed and thrown on (I'm still sporting my bra over my pajama top, underneath my work shirt), just enough water was splashed on my face to hopefully get rid of the worst of the various crusties around my eyes/mouth, and out the door I ran.

For a mile and a half.

I made the train but man, if I had woken up even a minute later or ran just a bit slower or taken a minute longer to get dressed, I would have missed the train for the second time since I got here.

Stress does not do wonders for me. I'm sorry for people who had to be near me as I'm sure I wasn't entirely fresh.

Bob,

Sometimes I can't believe I did this to myself voluntarily. Why do people go to graduate school? I'm so beat.

Claire

Dear Bob,

Both my boys are sick. I've been lightly sick, too, but whereas I am getting better, they are getting worse. Particularly Donny, who fell down twice last night.

I foresee a long day ahead.

My poor boys.

Bob,

I'm sick and i'm picking up extra shifts at work. This week is going to be exhausting!

I'm still stuck in Canada and it sucks.

I'm really sorry, that sucks. *hugs*

Bob,

Another moment where something unimportant on a grand scale yet somehow still important to me comes up and I think, "I'll tell it to Pweb!" followed up by a "Pweb doesn't care; I'll keep it to myself. "



I don't entirely understand. It still makes me a little sad.

Yeah, that pretty much sums up my feelings about pweb for awhile, now.

Sorry you, and anyone else who feels that way, feel that way.

Sometimes, when I'm in good mood, it's really easy to sit and try to respond to things others say and just post in general to try to spark conversation but if the quiet persists, it drags my good mood down, so I figure why bother. If I'm already feeling upset about something, I jump right to the why bother because it's easy to assume the quiet means people are purposefully not responding because they really don't care. That's painful.

I miss pre-2011 Pweb.

I'm making an effort now to jump back in and be all lively. It doesn't feel as effortless as it used to, but that may come with time. In the meantime, you'll all have to put up with a lot of pointless nonsense from yours truly.

You'll all have to put up with a lot of pointless nonsense from yours truly.

Nothing makes me happier.

Bob,

I did a rough estimate of my taxes last night and I'm so, so bummed. I thought owning a house for all of last year would make a big difference in our refund. But no. I was expecting a much larger refund but it's going to be about the same as last year, which isn't much. So much for paying off bills and/or getting a new (used) car. Blergh!

For the first time ever, I am terrified at sitting down to do my taxes. Two states, possible moving expense deduction (though looking at the IRS site, I don't satisfy one of the two "tests" for qualifications so probably not), took different exemptions...ugh. I just want my stupid W-2s already so that if I'm going to cry, I can get it over with.

Dear Bob,

We're going to take our taxes and move to North Dakota next month. Those of you inclined to pray, have at it.

My advisor says there are jobs. Atty will grow up near extended family. We have friends pretty well built in. I want to go home.

I'll miss our church and the refugee family I've started building a relationship with. But I think this is right.

So much good luck and well wishes headed your way. I'm excited by the possibilities that lay ahead for the starlooker gang.

All my good thoughts are headed your way!

So, so many prayers and good wishes for a tough decision.

You will be and are in my prayers. I hope this works out so positively for your family.

We're going to take our taxes and move to North Dakota next month. My advisor says there are jobs.

North Dakota: Land of ice, wind and too many jobs. Lucky you, the worst of the wind is occurring today and yesterday, and the ice will probably melt six or seven months after you've moved back.

We're going to take our taxes and move to North Dakota next month. My advisor says there are jobs.

North Dakota: Land of ice, wind and too many jobs. Lucky you, the worst of the wind is occurring today and yesterday, and the ice will probably melt six or seven months after you've moved back.

I'm so happy that Atty will grow up knowing real cold. Every kid should experience being bundled so much they can't move.

Dear Bob,

We're going to take our taxes and move to North Dakota next month. Those of you inclined to pray, have at it.

My advisor says there are jobs. Atty will grow up near extended family. We have friends pretty well built in. I want to go home.

I'll miss our church and the refugee family I've started building a relationship with. But I think this is right.

Yay Jobs and family! You guys will be in my thoughts and hopes of good things to come.

I'm so happy that Atty will grow up knowing real cold. Every kid should experience being bundled so much they can't move.

*insert obligatory quote from A Christmas Story here*

It's very true. Warm climates make you weak.

It's very true. Warm climates make you weak.

Hey!

Thanks, everyone. I'm nervous today, but hopeful still. So much to do. Need lists. Lots of lists.

I'm so happy that Atty will grow up knowing real cold. Every kid should experience being bundled so much they can't move.

*insert obligatory quote from A Christmas Story here*

It's very true. Warm climates make you weak.

Haha Mussolini actually held that belief He said he wanted to reforest all of Italy because woods cool the climate, and colder climate breeds stronger Italians.

So i guess that proves that cooling the climate is a fascist thing, so, in opposition, warming it is democratic.

We are living an age of overpowering democracy, then!

And yet AZ, one of the warmest states in the US, remains steadfastly stupid and is becoming more and more what I would consider fascist.

Your theory is lovely, though.

Bob,

I got maybe three hours sleep last night. Donny got laid off today. A loan I thought was consolidated is in default. Also, 40% chance of tornados tomorrow.

So. Life. Good times.

*huge, huge hugs*

Bob,
T-minus 12 hours until left shoulder surgery number 3. Trying to keep positive.

Hugs and so much hope for Kirsten and Teresa!

What Fred said. I really hate seeing such bad luck for people I care about.

Huge hugs and prayers for Kirsten and Teresa.

Thanks, everyone.

It's not as dire as it sounds - at least there's unemployment. It's the off-season st his job, so we were barely making anything, anyways. It doesn't affect our moving plans. But, man, this is gonna be a crazy month.

*hugs Teresa*

Hope surgery went/is going well!