The Lady Of The House

It was a shitty year! Full of real bad!

I don't particularly want to move onto the next year, but I'm definitely not wanting to repeat this one and there's no other option that doesn't cost a lot of money and wildly inconvenience my loved ones.

1.

2.

Anyway.

Tech geniuses do dumbass shit all the time, just like everybody else, and there is NO reason to not push back when something being rolled out is very obviously bad and/or dangerous.

Also, a dad and daughter just spent about an hour and a half playing through our video game exhibit together, and it might be the sweetest thing I've ever seen.

"Stuff Happened and the Day Got Away From Me" is the subheading of my memoir.

It got really ugly. And yes, there was a campaign against the prop headed by a group of MAGA dads. They literally went around stealing our signs.

The museum is part of why property values in that area are high and it's considered one of the best places to live in the region.

We asked for $34 a year. In return each household would get a family membership ($100 a year normally, free admission to the museum & all events, discounts on trips), the school district would no longer have to pay for field trips, and we'd be able to extend our hours and do repairs.

"I don't use the museum."

"They're rich."

"I can't even go to the movies now." (Incidentally, membership includes free passes to all our film screenings, *and* local film festival passes.)

And literally... "Fuck museums."

I need you to understand what a good girl she was at the vet yesterday. You'd think she was the world's most chill bunny instead of the total scaredy cat she is.

We are watching a potential mouth issue, so we go back in a month for a quick status check. But she's showing no signs of any discomfort and is otherwise her normal "I'll claw your face off if you don't give me treats" self.

Maybe she was more chill because I used her security blanket on the table instead of going with the towel the vet puts down.

Also. Our vet is retiring next year and the closest rabbit savvy vet is 45 minutes away at the emergency animal hospital. Sigh.

I'm still in touch with (and friends with) some people from a nerd camp I went to in my early teens. It was a great experience for me because it put me in a place where being smart and enjoying learning didn't mean you were immediately ostracized. It gave me some real independence. It also let me know pretty much where I fall in the range from "bright" to "actual genius & polymath" (I'm much closer to simply bright).

Over the years, I've seen something. We've all been managing mental health issues. The brighter the light, the closer to genius, the more intense the mental illness. It gets exacerbated by trauma, sometimes the normal horrible bullying that goes hand in hand with being a smart kid, sometimes serious family issues. Sometimes substances. It gets worsened by people not understanding what's going on. People *do* cut mentally ill people from their lives. It can be absolutely necessary, without question. Also true: the impact on the mentally ill person is big, lasting, and tends to make the issue worse. It's a no win.

Anyway. I spent much of yesterday out in the sun, catching up with a friend who I think is in a pretty active period of illness, but is trying their damndest and dealing with some very intense stuff.

This can be a lot for me because of how I grew up. I also recognize that trying for normalcy and hanging out is good for everyone. And, y'know, I do treasure them.

I'm tired. A bit sad. But also glad to have seen them.