I hadn't quite realized how long it had been since I updated. But, apparently, it has been eleven days. My claim is that I was participating in a sympathy strike with the Writer's Guild of America, who are having difficulties getting paid decent wages to write the movies and television shows that make so much money for the OTHER people involved in their creation.

Yes, I know no one believes me, and the strike started several days after I stopped updating. Still, I will stick by this claim, because I like to lie from time to time, just to keep in practice.

I'm sitting here with a cup of tea, thinking that, alas, nothing is terribly wrong with me. Everything is . . . just fine.

I've had this feeling for a little while, now (about a week), and it all started when I damn near broke my finger at work.

My middle finger, for those who know crude American hand gestures.

I was attempting to prevent falling, heavy boxes from cracking open my noggin, and I succeeded, at the expense of my finger. For the next several days, I had my finger wrapped tight to a splint. Fortunately, I work at a drug store and didn't have to travel far to acquire a splint.

It was a lovely purple color and swollen so badly I couldn't see the ridges in the skin of my knuckle. Aren't you glad you're not eating, right now? If you are eating right now, do you still love me?

Anyway, the event triggered some sort of calm, Zen-like emotion in me that has lingered. I suppose that a few other situations have contributed to the feeling, but really I just blame the finger.

The other situations? 1) Tomorrow is the last day of work I have before I start an eight day vacation. I'm not going anywhere, but I won't be working for eight days, so that's enough to make me smile. 2) I may get a new job, soon. I'll know within the next week, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up, or anyone else's. It's just a chance, but a half-way decent chance at that. 3) In order to get this job, I had to create a resume, and this is the first one I ever made that I didn't just crank out without a thought. Essentially, I had to write a professional-looking document that says how great I am, and this time I took the task seriously. It's kind of . . . liberating. 3) After squeezing every penny for several months, I owe virtually nothing and may be able to start saving a bit for future use, too.

{{{{hugs}}}} for all of my friends who have been having difficult times recently, and extra {{{{hugs}}}} for everyone simply because I like giving out {{{{hugs}}}}.

Peace, kats and kittens. May your life know no bounds.