Today my brother will be released from the hospital. He has had a lot of surgery on his ankle, which was apparently quite painful. Even morphine didn't quite abate it. I do wish he wouldn't work so hard to make life more difficult for himself, but I'm still glad he is alive. Hopefully this will be a wake-up call of sorts for him. I won't say that to his face, because obviously he has suffered enough.

In the meantime, this has been a rather difficult year for us, hasn't it? Most of furaffinity has died, gone crazy, or moved on to other platforms. I have indeed lost much, and yet for more reasons I can't describe, have gained more. I feel more Catholic than ever, not less. I have an important job as a magazine writer. And soon, I rather think I'll be starting a new job later this year as a school librarian.

In the meantime, I walk down the quiet country road with the overcast gray sky, while the crows caw in the distance, satisfied, not sad, and quietly joyful.