Flu vaccine no longer mandated for US troops, Hegseth says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. military will no longer mandate the flu vaccine for American troops. He cited “medical autonomy” and religious freedom.

So entirely #BadIdeaJeans. Gee, what could POSSIBLY go wrong?!?

(I comfort myself in that I’m at least an okay partner and mom and my family loves me.)

Part of my life is so shitty right now & I want to lie down in a dark room for a week. Upside: Jeremy took care of the kitty litter tonight and made me a G&T. Kid 2 sat in my lap for 5 minutes cuddling & kissing me & called me the best mom in the world. I'll take it all for now. ❤️

2. What, delicious? 🙂

It’s a bit sad that I’ve just finished my second book of the year. (Three, if I count a book for one of my MBA classes. Should I?) Sadder might be that both books are graphic novels, which meant quick reads. (Just finished: Ginsing Roots by Craig Thompson. Before that: Spent by Alison Bechdel.)

The Teen has kept informing us that they’ll be a legal adult tomorrow. I keep replying yes, but they’ll always be my baby. 🙂

It’s baffling - when did my toddler go and grow up??

(Further mind-blowing: the younger kid turns 13 this fall. 😱)

My older kid’s birthday is tomorrow and when people find this out, they constantly ask my kid if they’re joking. Come ON. Amazing fact: people are born on April 1st every single year!! 🙄

The Teen turns 18 tomorrow. No, it’s not my early April Fool’s joke. The Teen is beyond tired of people asking year-round if their birthday is a joke. Yes, people really are born on April 1st every single year. 🙄

A nation turns it's lonely eyes to Al.

Update: my kid is pretty sure they know where they want to go to college, but I’m not sharing until I’ve actually paid the deposit, so at least 2 weeks or so. 🙂

My elder child is down to 2 choices for college, and either one is great. We’re headed to admitted students days in 2 weeks, so we’ll see how things are after that. Very exciting! 🙂

I ended up submitting the paper at 11:40 PM. But now I’m done with everything! I’m free! Free!

… until mid-May. But let’s not think about that right now. 🙂

Ah Monday: working on my final paper for one of my MBA classes on my lunch break. 7 pages minimum and I’m halfway down page 5. Paper is due tomorrow at 6 PM. I’m trying to finish it by about 7 PM tonight. But yay for a working lunch hour, right? (Don’t answer that.)

Looking forward to a fun-filled weekend of writing a 7-9 page paper on the identification of a specific ethical risk faced by [specified company & product chosen by professor] and developing a management strategy and tactics to manage those risks. Due Tuesday but I have a full-time job so yeah. Ugh.

My in-laws love to bury the lede on serious medical issues. A cold? Two phone calls filled with the details. Surgery? My MIL will say, “…when I got home after [surgical procedure] a few weeks ago…” Excuse me? Back up a minute! What??

First 2 here, and same. 🙂

No way I’m watching the SOTU tonight. My MBA class runs til 9:30 PM or so, followed by an episode or 2 of Shoresy to watch while petting my cats.

Honeydew, because it’s almost never ripe enough for me.

Alas, no Waffle Houses up here in New Jersey to gauge how bad the blizzard is getting.

first time in new york since zohran took office and other than having to recite the shahada on arrival at laguardia nothing much has changed

Protest sign from MN that says, “DEARLY BELOVED. WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY TODISMANTLE THIS THING CALLED ICE.” with a picture of Prince in the left hand lower corner.

10/10 ICE protest sign

Also, insult to injury: none of those four accounts are accounts that I typically watch. If I’d gone through my list to do an audit, they’d probably all get unfollowed.

I know that the TikTok ownership for United States content has changed. I know there’s all sorts of screwed up things happening with that. I was already on the fence about what to do, but if I suddenly can’t see anything from the almost 600 accounts that I follow, then there’s no point.

My TikTok following feed is officially screwed up. I'm seeing 4 total accounts’ updates.

Hamilton
Hamilton
Jessica Kent
Ginger Billy
Ginger Billy
Hamilton
Jessica Kent
Ginger Billy
Washington Post
Hamilton
Jessica Kent
Washington Post

If this doesn't resolve itself, I'm done.

If you want to shout devastating but technically non-threatening things at ICE, you can say, "you look like your mom chose shitty men to be your step dads." Or "you look like your dad always had an excuse for missing your birthday."

comic: when it happens I hope people ring bells and blow horns. if I'm asleep I hope to be woken. I won't mind. if I'm in traffic I hope to see revelers. If it causes a traffic jam I won't mind. I don't want to exist a moment not knowing that it has happened.

Lil' comic about hope and longing 💗

Long time fan of this photo of you. 🙂

Stick figure on the left labeled with US flag yelling: Give me Greenland or I'll make US citizens pay more for your stuff. 5 stick figures on the right labeled with flags from Denmark, UK, Sweden, France and Norway, all huddled together and smiling at each other. Next, US stick figure on left watching, as the stick figures on the right look at him. UK stick figure has angry face and holds his thumb up. Finally US stick figure watches as the other stick figures go back to talking with each other and smiling.

Found on Mastodon. This cartoon pretty much sizes up the #GreenlandTariffs situation. (Wish I could give credit to the artist.)

19th grade = high school was 12th, undergrad was 16th, grad school round one was 18th. 🙂