About a week ago we were told that the IT department at the company convinced the head of the company that it wasn’t secure enough, and so it was going to come down and he was going to redo my design and work into frankly a bad system. We fought it, as best we could considering I could never get the head boss on the phone. We listed places that use the software, including the highest of government offices.

But alas, the jackass who cried wolf has somehow won. The company is out thousands of dollars and I’m bereft over the many hours of work lost and my project being tossed in the trash. It represented hours upon hours of work, and although we’ll be paid, that doesn’t make me feel any better. I’m insulted that this asshole would think we would build something that is un-secure. I’m insulted that they won’t let me get on the phone with the head boss and explain how secure it is. I’m annoyed and irritated and saddened that almost 100 hours of my time was completely, utterly wasted.

The IT guy knew the program we were using from the beginning, but said nothing for months. And I knew he didn’t like us coming in and fixing something that he had made – something that was hideous and broken and unusable – but it never occurred to me that he would have the power to scare his boss into wasting all that time and money.

Today sucks.

I didn’t get to see The Bodyguard until it came out on TV, and even then, my sister and I had to sneak in a viewing when my parents were working. But ever since, I’ve had a love for Whitney Houston and her voice (also Kevin Costner, hello). As it was the very early days of the Internet, I didn’t know everything about her personal life (as I do now about literally any celebrity. Seriously, if you ever meet me in person, my expanse of knowledge about the lives of celebrities would blow. your. mind.), so it never occurred to me who she was married too or that she did drugs.

I hope they find out that she died from natural causes – or a freak accident – because it’d be terribly sad to know that the world lost such a great voice because of drugs.

2011 seemed a rough year for bloggers I love, bloggers who are well known and beloved (and hated) by thousands and thousands of people. A divorce. A sale. A stalker. Another divorce. And now a trial separation, which is oddly the worst of the bunch.

On one hand, it makes no sense that this would affect me as much as it does. I don’t know any of these people in person. We will, I’m sure, never meet. But I know their families, I read about their lives. I share their ups and their downs. I know the names and ages and birth weights and favorite foods of their children. I mourn when they lose family members and rejoice when a new child enters the house. I feel a kinship for them and theirs.

It’s the price you pay, I think, for reading the thoughts of others. You become invested, so much so that when the family unit separates, it’s as if your family unit has separated.

And so Heather and Jon, know that we share in your sadness and wish you the very best, together or separate.

From Neatorama: Shelter dog Edie was schedule to be euthanized. She was fearful, aggressive, and hard to control. Then Bronwyne Mirkovich gave her another chance as he and Eldad Hagar recorded the process on video

The week we got back from vacation, we heard another of our favorite spots had closed. It appears now they might be reopening in a few weeks, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Last night we headed to another fav and yep, closed. They claim they’ll be open in two weeks.

This morning we drove to get coffee and cars were at a small restaurant that had opened last summer (seasonal, so it’s been closed now for almost 6 months). We stopped to ask when they were opening, and yup, they’re closed permanently. Didn’t make enough money last year, and just can’t take the risk in this economy.

Oh and did I mention my company (who had told us in December there would be a) no bonuses in 2009 and b) no 401K match, among other things), called everyone into their office (and some of us on the phone) and said that in order for them to survive, everyone was getting a 15% pay cut? Across the board, no fighting it, it starts on Monday.

GODDAMN MOTHERFUCKING RECESSION.

The funeral was this morning. Taps was played at the grave (he served in the Air Force) and she broke down hard when the Honor Guard handed her the flag. He’d been sick for a while—we exchanged stories of home health care issue (my Nana required that level of care the last few years of her life)—but she thought he had a few more years in him.

Sometimes it’s hard to blog.

How time flies.

We miss you still.

I don’t have many photos of her with my grandfather, as he died in 1966, but in the ones I do have, I can tell she adored him.

So I know that if she’s with him, she’s happy. Even if the rest of us are left without her.