This is not going to be any kind of a great post. I just wanted to check in.  I have been stressed out, and a bit overwhelmed by life of late.

Among other things, the economic issues are getting far closer to home than is comfortable. My roomie is now unemployed and they have shut down more than half of my works locations in the area, and laid off 4 of my co-workers at my shop. They have announced 4000 lay-offs company wide by the end of the 1st quarter of the year. They have asked us (told us to?) take one day of unpaid leave per month in an attempt to save the company (I am on my furlow day today as a matter of fact). So not only have I been cut back from 50+ hours a week to 40, I can only get 32 one week a month on top of that. At a certain point we all must make sacrifices and while I am sure I am just being a whiney baby, it scares me. I am sure others reading this are being effected as much and in some cases more than I am. My place to live is secure, cars paid off, life is fairly secure BUT I am not someone who deals well with uneasy footing. My sleep is effected, and when I get worried or nervous I disappear, family doesn't hear from me, chicks start thinking something is up, and my friend (many of you are in that group) don't see me either. Ask Chris that poor guy has dealt with it for years now. So I am sorry for my hiatus, I am not promising anything but that I will try to check in more often, and contribute more than I have been (which of course has been nil).

Okay, these are likely reeeeeeally old but they are new to me so save the "Welcome to the Clinton presidencey" comments to yourselves or go teepee creeping....