Dept. of Being Tired

[kaffy_r]

Keeping it Brief

I've had a surprisingly productive day in terms of work, and I'm allowing myself to feel accomplished. I have much to do tomorrow, but I feel as if I got a decent start on it today; wrapping up a series of interviews for a small package of stories I want to do on my local municipality's history of term limits for elected officials, setting up times for preliminary interviews on another story package that I'll be working with a long-time colleague on (and finally getting started on writing up a suggested framework for the package), actually completing another story, alerting the union to a possible problem with our new overlords - ironically, thanks to a non-union member - then discovering that it might not be a problem ... all of those things are good. If I can keep up the momentum tomorrow, that will be great.

My uberboss, who just saw the email I sent to him today, sent back a thoughtful response and would like to chat with me tomorrow about it. I appreciated the way he responded, and will be glad to talk to him.

Yesterday, I got some medical chores done; getting an appointment set up with my lovely rheumatologist for next month, arranging with her to get some hard-copy prescription renewals for my pain medication (now that the medication has been made even more difficult to get thanks to The War on Some Drugs, but I digress), and getting information to my regular doctor on how to contact my mum's doctor to find out just what type of cancer she died of. That's information we need for my records, and no one ever seemed to know at the time she died. These were all simple things that I'd developed a huge desire to avoid doing, a lack of coping habit that comes around to bite me all too regularly. So, yay me, I think.

I have been incredibly unhappy and angry at the Ferguson grand jury result. Not surprised, which simply reflects the horrid reality of how much institutionalized racism is so front and center that you can't pretend it doesn't exist. There are so many things that make the decision, the reporting about it, and the response from too many corners all travesties. Tonight, I'll simply pass on this link, which lists some ways that the writer suggests of responding usefully; of channeling the despair into something better.
In another arena, my thoughts have been with a number of friends who are having tough times with family, emotional stability, work problems, or some mixture of all three. They're scattered across the map, and they're all in my heart.
Finally, two things that make me smile: 

fandom_stocking  !!!!! It's back! It's the one fandom gifting effort I ever get involved in, and it makes me irrationally happy to be involved in any way. One reason is selfish; it kicks my writerly butt into gear. One I hope is not selfish; I get to write stuff for people I like, or people I'd like to meet. Kewl! I have not yet hung my stocking, but I will be doing so shortly.
And finally ... anyone who knows me from around here, knows that I am a heart-stricken, adoring, fan of all the works of Japanese animator, author, director, producer, amazing person Hayao Miyazaki. Trying to decide which of his many movies, shorts, television efforts are may favorites is one of those impossible exercises that's always fun to try, simply because the answer is going to be different depending on the day of the week. Well, someone has put together a gorgeous video tribute to Miyazaki. It's scored with the music of Miyazaki's long time collaborator, composer-conductor Joe Hisaishi, which makes it even better. Even if you don't know Miyazaki's work, take a gander at this. I hope you'll like it.

Hayao Miyazaki - A Tribute from Alexandre Gasulla on Vimeo.

Comments

[kerravonsen]

One reason is selfish; it kicks my writerly butt into gear.
Please do not be calling things selfish that are not so.

I have hung my stocking after dithering over it for a few days. 8-)

[kaffy_r]

It's a bad habit of mine. Maybe I should have said one reason is very personal?

I've yet to hang my stocking because I'm enveloped in Thanksgiving Day stuff. But I shall!

[clocketpatch]

Hurrah for productivity! *hugs* for annoying medical chores.

Fandom_stocking!!!

I've been taking part in more fandom exchanges than usual the past year or so, but f_s remains my favourite and one of the best things about the whole holiday season.

That vid is gorgeous. I only recognized about a third of source material, but gah, it's all so pretty. It makes me want to watch Spirited Away again for the umpteenth time, and to look into his other works, because obviously there's been a lot of them that I'd missed.

[kaffy_r]

Late answering all my posts, but finally getting around to it. Yes, the medical chores were annoying, but they were definitely something I'd had to do for some time. Actually getting the gumption to do them pleased me greatly.

Oh, yes, you really owe yourself the extreme pleasure of discovering more of Miyazaki's work. While Spirited Away is one of my favorites, Laputa and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds battle for first place, and My Neighbor Totoro is what I watch when I want my spirit to be lifted. And Porco Rosso, while not as well known over here, is funny, and sad, and heroic, and absolutely beautiful, especially if you're a fan of bi-plan heroics, and such.

[thisbluespirit]

Aw, glad to hear there have been some relatively positive things with work! :-)

[kaffy_r]

Definitely positive things; I found out why my uberboss chose me for the news assignment, and I got medical chores out of the way (I really hate dealing with getting prescriptions renewed and such.) Today has been a really lovely day, which I plan to post about very, very shortly.

Also, I saw your latest picspam, and it made me grin, which is another positive thing. Heh.

[thisbluespirit]

Good! And, aw, thanks. :-)

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Yay for productive days—and I'm very glad the UB reacted well to your email and is willing to discuss the issue. I hope that goes well!

Good you could deal with the medical chores too, even though it wasn't very easy. *hugs*

The news regarding Ferguson broke my heart, too. Thank you for sharing that link ♥

Yay for happy things though, they make the world go round. Fandom-stocking sounds great, and I'll watch the Miyazaki vid later—I loved his stuff when I was a kid :) It's just beautiful.

[kaffy_r]

I'm very glad the UB reacted well to your email and is willing to discuss the issue. I hope that goes well!

We had a good discussion. I learned things that I won't ever tell my unhappy colleague, and perhaps my UB shouldn't have told me, but he knows I can be trusted not to speak out of school. All in all, it made me understand why I was picked, and what happened to screw up the lines of communication. The fact that my UB acknowledged something went wrong, and that it would be done differently in future, was very helpful.

Fandom-stocking sounds great,

It truly is a lovely thing; this year, I'm going to make sure that I do more than write - send out season's greetings and maybe post gifs, if I can finally get around to having fun with those.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

It does sound like some very constructive communication, I'm glad it helped you understand the whole thing, and left you just as secure about the dynamic of trust between you and the UB. *hugs*

Doing more things sounds lovely, especially gifs! :D

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

[Becomes reminded to check on the DVD release date for The Wind Rises]

[Discovers that it's 18 November. A cheer goes up!]

[kaffy_r]

[Discovers that it's 18 November. A cheer goes up!]

Hurrah! When I first watched it, I wondered if I would have problems with its time and setting; I know a number of people have found that problematic. But I didn't. It was an excellent film, and a love story to airplanes and flying, and I didn't find it problematic at all.

I hope you enjoy it!

[liadt]

Hurrah for positive things!

Yay for Fandom Stocking:) I like reading the weird stuff in extras. Someone wanted pics of doors last year *g* Boo to those who complained about getting things they listed as "likes" - Ungrateful.

[kaffy_r]

Someone wanted pics of doors last year *g*

Oh, I remember that! I love giving people recipes, especially when I can't write for them. And just giving people season's greetings is wonderful, too.

People actually complain about what they get in their stockings? Oh, they don't understand the concept at all, do they?

Happy Thanksgiving, if you celebrate! (Also, I'm so glad that you seem to be a Porco Rosso fan, too!)

[liadt]

I'm going to see if I can stretch my range of characters I can write this year, lucky stockingers(!). Apparently! I hope they aren't like that in real life:S

Thanks for the wishes:) but I am British so it was just another day. Although they have been pushing black Friday very hard this year.

Yes, I am a 'Porco Rosso' fan:) I've just got a friend into Ghibli;)

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Hurrah!! Productiveness!! And I'm glad uber-boss is willing to meet and talk.

FANDOM STOCKING!!

Hope things go well at the doctor's office - and that people on your flist get an easier time of it soon.

I can't comment on Ferguson. I'm just utterly flabbergasted. There are so many, many things wrong here: racism, out of control police force, watered down journalism (which is more rampant than I like to contemplate), broken judicial system and more corruption than one can shake a stick at.

My heart goes out to Michael Brown, his family and the city of Ferguson.

*hugs to you, BB, FB*

[kaffy_r]

Hi, my dear! Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, Fandom Stocking is something I can now begin to get to work on. It makes me rub my hands in glee!

Yes, Ferguson has been a gut-wrenching reminder that this country needs to do some hard work on itself, if it wants to reach its potential. Because I do believe the U.S. can be a tremendous force for good in the world - but only if a majority of people acknowledge that they have to change, (that includes me), that we have to start not killing black, brown, and poor people with violence and neglect. We can do it. But it's been pretty hard to remember in the sorrow of Ferguson.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Happy Thanksgiving, lovie!

Whoo-hoo!!

Gods...this.

*hugs you close*

[eaweek.livejournal.com]

Not a lot to say, but general hugs. I hope the work situation continues to be okay, because I know what a gawd-awful stress that can be when things aren't going well.

[kaffy_r]

Thanks for popping by! I know you're involved in Thanksgiving and family and such, and I hope it all goes well (haven't checked my f'list to see how everyone's doing, but I shall, shortly.)