Oh, no! I’m so glad you’re okay. And so close to freedom! I wish you and The Bartender every happiness.

Jjapaguri! I finally watched Parasite this weekend, and I was really excited to try it, because I love steak and I love instant noodles. It is very, very good. 

Oh, that poor family. Mom deserves an aromatherapy bath, a massage, and a bottle of champagne all to herself for getting through that. The kids get Pepto, Saltines, clean pjs, and screen time until they fall asleep.

Jesus Christ. Your poor mom! Chloe is a real piece of work, that’s for sure. 

Holy shit...yeah, that’s me. It’s the whole Leo/youngest child/recovering theatre kid thing. 

Good luck! We’re all rooting for you. 

I don’t think I’m particularly crafty; I just happen to live in an area with a lot of affordable tailoring, so I can get things made. And I do hope to wear them as saris for a little while first, at least until I’m about to move. 

Thanks! I am...surprisingly calm, considering that this level of uncertainty is ridiculous and not a situation where I traditionally thrive. We’ll see, I guess. 

I identify with this personality description to an uncomfortable degree. Definitely wishing I could persuade my fiance that we should get a dog! 

Seconding the recommendation to call and ask about any cancellations so you can be seen sooner. In the meantime, call a dear friend or several to tell them what is going on, and ask them to check on you/to go out for a pleasant distraction. 

I really, truly hope it all works out for you. In the meantime, I’m sure you deserve a large brownie. 

I’ve bought a couple of saris! I’m here for a while, and can wear them to things, and then I’ll probably make them over into nightgowns or something. 

I’m so sorry about that. Your mom is, to put it mildly, a piece of work. 33 days until freedom! And you never have to speak to, or visit, any of those people again. 

I’m making risotto tonight! I am very excited about it. There will be fancy dried mushrooms, white wine, and lots of freshly-grated Parmesan. 

Good news: my fiancé and I have set a date! Bad news: he works in China, and he’s part of the skeleton staff who are keeping the office ticking over. There’s a chance he might not be approved to take leave in May, or that he might be evacuated before then (which means we might have to scrap the current plans for…

Most recent trip to see my fiancé. We had four days together, and even though all my coworkers were politely asking about what we were going to do, or giving suggestions for things to see, the only real plan was him and me and a bed and a bottle of champagne. Four days of room service and incredibly good sex. I got a…

Modcloth! And I got it on sale, 25% off! 

I got my wedding dress! My fiancé and I agreed on Hawaii in May, but he works in China and with the whole virus situation, may be evacuated, which could mean we get hitched as early as mid-March. So I ordered the dress to be prepared. He might also be asked to stay on throughout the outbreak, and then he might not be…

Is there some sort of a treat you can arrange for yourself to enjoy after it’s over? It might be nice to have something immediate to look forward to, beyond the knowledge that you are slipping the shackles and escaping future dinners like these. 

It is so weird to realize that those two got engaged for the first time the summer after I graduated from college, which feels...a lot further in the past, suddenly. It’s all unfortunately tied up with discussing this bit of gossip with the nurse at my first Pap smear. I hate that I remember when that was, and I hate…