Reading

Entry tags:

a list, mostly

Happy Canucksgiving. In light of a recent proclamation from the US Executive Office, do remember that Christopher Columbus is the second-most hated explorer of all time, behind only Internet Explorer.

I'm thankful that citizenship (and before that permanent residency) went through, and I can be unemployed and jobhunting and not have to worry quite so much about health care. I'm thankful for the roof over my head and for my mostly-full fridge and pantry, and for being surrounded by my books and games.

I'm thankful that I've made pies (different pies) for two separate Canucksgivings, yesterday and today. I'm thankful for my acquaintances and friends. I'm thankful that Erin is still talking to me, and for that relationship having had a solid positive impact on me being who I want to be.

I'm thankful for Stephanie, for having found / re-found someone whose flaws and insecurities can complement my own, rather than magnifying them and vice versa.

I'm thankful that after almost three years Mr Tuppert and I are getting along, and Establishing Routines. The last couple of months it's been "breakfast is a time for internet and scritches," which has been a good way to greet the morning.

Autumn grey and coolth have arrived. Time to drag the cold robot back into the storage room for another six months. Time to start baking again.

I'm still here. Next year maybe I can be thankful for that.

Entry tags:

been a minute

So, I'm not journaling. I am doing quite poorly, I think. Mostly this is a response to Lack Of Job but partly it's that I have spent an inordinate amount of time playing Silksong, a video game that came out somewhat unexpectedly at the beginning of September. Which is also something of a response to Lack Of Job.

Continuing to apply for both GIS and tech-writer jobs; so far I've seen a grand total of three responses, since May. Not great.

Anyway, I'm currently in Duluth MN at a GIS conference, in the hope that there will be Networking Opportunities. Not that I know how to Network; I am notoriously bad at being social with strangers even at SF/gaming/etc conventions.

In other fun news, the connector port on my phone died last Monday (while I was spending the day accompanying Mya for minor outpatient surgery), and the connector port on my tablet died on the way to Minnesota. The phone I can at least charge magnetically; the tablet is as good as dead until I can get it fixed. Bah. Never rains but etc. I would consider replacing my phone but a) money, and b) it is the Correct Size of phone (iPhone Mini) and they don't make them like that anymore.

Finally getting around to reading Neon Yang (fka JY Yang)'s Tensorate novellas. I forget who recommended these, or if it was anyone specific vs a general "hey these exist and are pretty good". They are in fact pretty good: Chinese-inflected fantasy, magic that feels magical, excellent prose and broad but quite believable characters.

Onward. Sleep and then more sociable.

Current Mood: annoyed

Entry tags:

work

The Government Shutdown and Me

There will almost certainly be a shutdown of the US government tonight. In about 90 minutes.

I work for them.

At the start of the day, I did not know if I would be declared critical/exempt (work and get paid), excepted (work, get paid when the shutdown ends), or furloughed (don’t work, get paid when the shutdown ends.) I had a guess as to which.

And I was right... with a caveat.

I am excepted, but weird excepted because of the specific nature of my work.

I support group X, but I am employed by group Y. Group X has a special situation for funding and they are not immediately impacted by a potential shutdown. If the shutdown lasts longer than X's funding, my status gets reevaluated.

Yay.