Hey. This past week has been really rough, so activity here and elsewhere will be sparse for a while.

Last weekend, I tabled at Portland Retro Gaming Expo, and had a blast. Unfortunately, my dad and I got into a minor car accident on the way to the event Sunday morning, and I was so shaken up that I had to withdraw (my parents cleared out the table for me, bless them). For the record, the accident was very minor - a freak incident. No negligence and nobody was hurt.

All throughout those days, my elderly cat Litta was diagnosed with cancer and had to be put down today. There were some emotions ramping up to the euthanasia, but she passed very peacefully, and I felt much better after leaving the vet.

But now, there is such a huge void in our home that has caused me a night of emotional pain that I may need a few weeks to a month to recover. I'm not feeling well, my family and I are deep in the grieving process now. I heavily mourned our runaway cat Sagwa back in 2017, but in this case, this whole week in addition to a dead pet nearly caused me to break down.

I had to briefly go upstairs and lay next to Mom because I felt...Lonely. This combined feeling of sadness and restlessness. I'm an introvert, but being without a family member is tugging at my heartstrings real hard. Thankfully, I got a moment of clarity and headed back downstairs, then talked to myself and did some deep breathing.

Just another for the record - I'm okay. Things are just really rough and I'm struggling to get back up after running face-first into a wall. I don't know when lighthearted days will return, but I'm doing my best to recover. Self-care is key.

I love all of my friends and family. They've shaped who I am and I don't know where I'd be without them.