I'm not all sunshine and roses, you know!

[jackshoegazer]

Figaro has plateaued in his recovery. He's still not back to normal, but he's definitely better than he was. I know the process will be slow, but it would be really nice to see more signs of him putting on some weight and getting some strength in his rear legs back. Using our very inaccurate scale, it appears he may have put on as much as a pound, so that's good at least. He's purring a lot and wants to cuddle more than usual. Anyone know if steroids cause lovey kitties?

On the bad side, Figaro's vet bill killed us this month and we are ridiculously broke. If Jacquelyn's financial aid doesn't come in before the semester ends... well it doesn't look good. My financial aid check doesn't come in until early-to-mid January, so that isn't going to help us much for December. It seems like I always have this end-of-the-year pinch. I want to blame it on the trifecta of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Work was sending drivers home early today, so I couldn't pick up a shift. Perhaps I'll work Sunday. I'm definitely going to have to pick up some extra shifts, especially since I'm taking time off to go to Vermont for Christmas.

In the meantime, I guess I'll... clean? I do have some reading for Environmental Issues to do. I am having a hard time concentrating on school. I've only got like 3 classes left before the end of the semester, which means four major exams, but with everything going on my head is not in it.

This has been kind of a shit last-half of the year. Since my surgery in the summer, it has been one thing after another. My heart, Jacquelyn's hip, school stress, extra school stress, money stress, Jacquelyn's step-father turning into an alcoholic lying cheater, Ethan's maternal grandfather dying, Ethan's mom having a nervous breakdown, Ethan's mom not having a job for months and months, Ethan's mom finally getting a job and immediately starts talking about moving to Alaska. Jacquelyn is ridiculously stressed out, Ethan is stressed out, I'm stressed. It feels like if we can get through this year, things will be fine.

I hope. I need to manifest some Ketherian infinite potential. I need some Jupiterian fortune up in this hizouse. Hell, yeah.

P.S. I just looked up "trifecta" and it doesn't mean what I thought it meant. Inconceivable!

P.P.S.  The girl cats never get this close without fighting, ever.  Napping together, that's insane.  Look outside and tell me if brimstone is falling.

Comments

[mys-ebrel.livejournal.com]

despite all the year has dealt you, it appears you and Jacquelyn and Ethan seem to be a close family and thats always nice to see

as for the cat picture. I love how the colors of the cats match the colors of the comforter.

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

Thank you. We are close. Obviously, with nerves the way they are, tiny things escalate into big arguments much easier, but it's nothing we shouldn't be able to get through. It's just a very stressful time which has left all of us feeling quite like garbage often.

That's my favorite thing about that comforter - it even has black trim for the black cat, Figaro, not pictured :)

[hello-momma.livejournal.com]

You know what is a great recession proof career? Crime. Whatever you do though, do not wear a costume or come up with a name with an animal in it or you will call attention to the Batman.

PS. If you do have problems with the Batman I know for a fact that he is Bruce Wayne, but don't try to blackmail him with this, because he always finds some way to make someone else in the costume show up while he's Wayne, or he hits you really hard and you get amnesia.

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

Crime and funereal services and IRS agents. Safe employment!

I'll be very careful. The last thing I need right now is a big following me around.

[abmann.livejournal.com]

Cold weather makes cats do strange things....

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

Cold weather makes strange bedfellows?

[abmann.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Look at the entirety of the Russian population!

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

They're cats?

[balamuthia.livejournal.com]

When it rains, it pours- but you have one another and that's a big help.

Oddly my life tends to happen in the same circles, and I can't hear "Long December" by the Counting Crows this time of year without bawling like a sap.

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

That's true, thank you.

"You can't get out of a circle you never knew you were in."

[balamuthia.livejournal.com]

That's a nice quote, where's it from?

Oddly sometimes you see the circle and still can't seem to break it- I compare it to a beetle trapped in the surface tension of a water droplet. Surely if he stays inside it he'll drown, but he lacks the strength or understanding of how to break it.

Wow. That was uplifting. Sorry, I'm a little bummed myself- let's hope things look up soon!

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

It's a Conor Oberst song, Moab. It's pretty damned good.

I think sometimes people subconsciously manufacture events in their lives to catapult them out of situations they can't seem to consciously push through. Maybe the beetle, prior to being trapped in the droplet, pissed off a bunch of ants who will pop the bubble in pursuit. Yeah, it sucks to have a bunch of pissed off ants after you, but hey, you get out of your trap.

Thanks!

[balamuthia.livejournal.com]

"I think sometimes people subconsciously manufacture events in their lives to catapult them out of situations they can't seem to consciously push through"

I am most certainly guilty of that- though thankfully not nearly as much now as in my teens and early twenties.

[balamuthia.livejournal.com]

P.S. Moab is very nice, it's very Dylan-esque.

Thank you.

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

Coincidence Alert: I started the album that's on when you asked what song it is - this comment came while Moab was playing. HAHA.

Oberst is very Dylan-esque in general. He's probably my second-favorite analog musician of all time.

[balamuthia.livejournal.com]

Hah! I love coincidences like that!

So...who's your first?

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

The first band I really loved - NIRVANA. They will always be my favorite, even if I don't listen to them much anymore. (Except for the first week of April, I do a commemorative three-day tribute.)

[were-duck.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Terrible. If there's anything I can do to help you get back on your feet, let me know! I'm in a similar oh=God-I'm-so-broke-and-inadequately-employed situation, so unfortunately I can't help foot your bills :(

Have you tried Santa Clausing at the mall?

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

If you can do me this favor: I'm going to change my name to "Haliburton" and you can call up the Defense Department and have them forward the government's next payment to my address. Can you handle it?

Ooooh, nooooo. I heard on the radio that mall Santas are getting laid-off left and right. :(

[pretzelcoatl.livejournal.com]

Best of luck with everything.

Inconceivable!

Note to self: Get Princess Bride on DVD.

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I got a new copy through Swapadvd.com :)

This year has just sucked

[mustangsally78.livejournal.com]

All we can do is cling togther like tiny monkeys and dream about overthrowing the government.

The girl cats are messing with your head.

Deep breaths.

[explodingalice.livejournal.com]

Sucks. We're feeling it, too. I hope we all have a better year next year. That's what I'm going to aim for. :)

ps. Your ps made me giggle. :D