Well, it's over. She went into Hospice on Thursday, and I got the call already that she's gone. I am unbelievably thankful I got to say goodbye on Wednesday, and to hold her hand, and to tell her I love her.

I knew it would be quick, and I would almost certainly never see her alive again, but I wasn't quite prepared for it to be /this/ fast.

Thank you to everyone for the kindness and the thoughts/energy you spared. I am sure it helped ease her on her way.

So, back when I worked in retail, I was often the only one in my store (Posters, pictures, canvas reproductions, framing, etc etc). And I would often be alone there for HOURS. No way to take an actual break, etc.

But I did get to know the mall walkers. There was one little duo (sometimes trio). Charlie and Dave (and sometimes Dave's wife, when she was up to it.) They would wave hello and say good morning every day. I would sometimes be at the front of the store to make sure everything looked right, and they'd stop and chit chat a couple minutes. Just absolute SWEETHEART people.

Charlie, one day, was solo (Dave and his wife whose name I could swear was Flora, but...it's been a long time - were on vacation), was taking his time, because he told me he was going to do extra laps so he could have a 'fat man's lunch'. A guy kept walking back and forth in front of my store, and I was working at the counter, doing I don't remember what. Guy finally comes in, and is just.. browsing. Fine, happens all the time. We had a LOT of posters and pictures, etc.

He leaves when someone else comes in, and later comes back. At this point, we're reaching creep meter making the back of my neck itch. Charlie, gods love him, swings on in, casual as could be. "Hey, sweetheart, your aunt called about dinner tonight. Your mom and I didn't know if you'd be there, or if you were bringing Matt." Bliiiiiiink. Flash a bright smile. "Oh, sure, Dad. I'll pick up Matt after work, and we'll head over. Should I bring anything?"

He lingers another couple minutes, and looks at the dude dead-on. Dude made TRACKS. We proceed to cover our mouths to try and smother the laughter. THEN? He brought me take out from the place he went for 'Fat Man's Lunch' (Place gives very generous portions), so I can eat without worrying about closing the gate and all that crap, and my boss doesn't have a stroke.

Charlie also, a couple months later, found out it was my birthday, and waited for me to get out at 2, to ask me if he could take me for lunch. Yes. We went to the place he went for Fat Man's Lunch. It was delicious.

So many good mornings at that job involved Charlie and Dave.

So my lawyer called - the employer that fired me for sugar crashes got the filed suit. They want to settle. Here's hoping.

It finally happened. My background check came through. I CAN QUIT HELL.

WOOOHOO!

My aunt is being put under hospice care. I've been told to come say my goodbyes. She's the matriarch, the one who remembers all the birthdays of /everyone/ (and with my cousins' broods, that's a LOT), the one who always has the sage advice but will also tell you to put on your big kid pants and deal with it.

When my mother died, her house was home, while my father tried to handle everything. She was safety and logic and the stories of my dad when he was young, and what my mother was really like. She taught my sisters and I all kinds of weird things, and always made us dance the jitterbug at parties.

I guess I needed to blurt it all out. If y'all could spare a little kind energy - she's a great lady, a tough as hell woman, and one of my heroes. This hurts.

Miracles happen. I just got a conference call that tells me I'm going back to my actual job, effective immediately. The big boss said "We need you to be happy, because we like the work you've been doing, and we want you there when the office reopens."

The immense change in how I was feeling is mind blowing.

I just can't catch a break. My aunt in August, an old friend in September, and my grandmother passed away suddenly this evening.

She's my stepmonster's mother, but I've called her grandma since I was 7. She distanced herself the last couple years, especially since my father died, but I still care.

This will sound weird, but a couple hours after she passed, all of a sudden I could taste caramel corn. Like the taste was so thick in my mouth, I could have been eating it. But that was her thing. If I went to the mall where the caramel corn stand is, I had to bring her some. I'm choosing to decide that means she was saying goodbye.

When a player you loved RPing with pops back up into your MU life.

Well, I just got off an interview.

I should receive an offer letter before the end of the day.

Please gods, let this happen.

I SO WANT TO TELL MY BOSS OFF.

So, on a day when my current job is sucking eggs...

I have started receiving equipment from the job due to start next week. I didn't get a confirmation email, but I think sending me an expensive monitor might supersede that.

When your friend's new project takes off and you can't help but be so happy to see everyone else admiring the work they put in.

There's a word for it, finding joy in others' happiness, but it is Sunday and I am too lazy to look it up.

On the rare occasions I dare it..

I want to give each character a chance to do something cool/different. Everyone deserves a moment in the spotlight, so to speak.

I want to give the characters something that when it's over, they feel like like accomplished something.

I want the characters to learn something - about the world, about a subject, about themselves, from the experience. Give the player a chance to grow their character in the way they envision.

I mean for me, I don't understand using AI to write, but it makes more sense for me with art/visuals?

Like say I like Angelina Jolie, but she's not quiiiiiite right for a character I have in mind, I can use AI to tweak it? I've been playing with it, anyhow. Not that I have use for it, but it can be fun to do when I am waiting for ADHD meds to kick in.

@Derp I wish it just wasn't a contract. I'd stay here forever.

So my rep was heading out at about 11 to go get his usual breakfast sandwich. The man comes back, and puts two containers down in front of me.. the cheeseburgers the little mom and pop down the road make are really good and he knows I like them.. so he bought me 2 of them for no reason.. just because he knows I like them.

I am not sure I have ever been treated so well.. I am not his equal in the company structure. I am admin support. But he appreciates the things I do, and shows me. Add in the fact the man and I talk comics, pop culture, fan fiction, current things going on.. yeah. This dude rocks.

When the Rep. you've been giving all the admin support to, finally gets a client moved to another lawyer after having proof she was being abusive towards him, then has a disciplinary type meeting that's a shakedown (difficult client is dating a big wig in the org), comes out on top.

Calls you first.. and then tells you he's going to grab lunch, and will get you your current favorite if they've got any left.

This man is so wholesome, he really does make me have a little more faith in humanity.

@Hella Uhh well, Macha actually comes from mythology, and I am a mythology nerd. It's also part of my gamer tag, etc. There are people in the "Real World" that only know me as Macha.

As for repeating names.. I played very different characters and one had a shorter version of the first one's name? (Sabrielle -> Brielle) but I was actually intending Brielle to have been her mother's weird take on Gabrielle.

But I don't tend to repeat names, I guess, unless it's the same character being ported from like a closed game to another game of a similar kind. (Comic, etc)

@faraday That was a super interesting link, thanks.

Is it weird I can sort of picture things in my head, sometimes, but reading descs.. the puzzle pieces don't click together?

@Juniper THIS. This would drive me NUTS and drive me away from trying it.

Like I said, I see the point from either way. If I was any GOOD at AI, I might be inclined to use it, to take an image close to what I see in my head and make it even MORE closely aligned to how I picture a character.