kittenbritches' Reefing Journey

Tumey · May 30, 2022

Miami Reef said:
Does anyone have her number? How can we check up on her?

I personally have her address (we swapped gifts)

I’m thinking of sending her a letter. What do you guys think?

I’ve texted her several times since her disappearance and have yet to get a response. Last attempt was on May 14th. I’m sure she would enjoy a hand written letter.

Miami Reef · May 30, 2022

Tumey said:
I’ve texted her several times since her disappearance and have yet to get a response. Last attempt was on May 14th. I’m sure she would enjoy a hand written letter.

Have you tried calling? Please try calling to see if her number got disconnected. I don’t want to think negative, but I’m definitely worried now. Something is off because she was very responsive.

JXNATC · May 30, 2022

She's OK. She's just got a lot on her plate right now.

kittenbritches · Jul 20, 2022

You guys are probably the best people in the universe. I'm so humbled that y'all cared enough to keep checking up on me. Life has been kicking me in the teeth since last December, and everything with my tanks went to crap.

Reader's Digest Condensed Version:

My depression got so severe I mainly stayed in my bed, paralyzed, unable to do anything.
- As such, both of my tanks died. Everything. Dead.
- This very very sadly means that I beat the mantis shrimp.
- I'm out thousands of dollars.
- I'm also a murderer.
My aunt died.
Work became insane, so I made a switch in March.
I turned 40, you guys.
I've been trying to dial in meds with my psychiatrist for 12 months.
I lost the salaried job that I had left my other company for (due to owners' incompetence, thankfully, and not my being crazy).
Three days later my uncle died.
- My cousin moved in with me the same day.
I've been unemployed since May and too paralyzed to even file for unemployment, so I'm currently in pauper mode.
- I haven't paid rent yet this month.
I'm pretty sure my sister decided she hates me.
I have been extremely ill since last October. Yesterday my doctor told me the next step is a bone marrow biopsy.
- Either it's something super forking scary, or I'm a medical mystery.
My 14-year-old daughter decided that everything wrong in her life is because of me and is living full time with her father and the actual worst person on earth, his wife. My daughter would rather be like her, so I've got to deal with that. She actually said she doesn't want to see me anymore.
- This means she also abandoned her brother and her baby sister.
I haven't torn down my tanks—I just haven't had the bandwidth.
- The mantis tank's water completely evaporated, and the salt crystals are pretty cool.
- There is a dead damsel stuck between a frag rack and the glass.
I'm pretty sure I got a hairline fracture on my tibia this afternoon.
I think about starting one of my tanks over again.
I think about selling equipment off.
I am planning to move to Georgia within the next six to nine months, so if I decide to give it another shot, I should wait until after then.
In good news, I started submitting my poetry for publication, and have had a 100% acceptance rate so far. I'm also starting a small monthly literary review. I'm obviously not in a position to pay authors (most of the other lit mags can't/don't pay, so it's not the worst thing on earth).
- If any of y'all write flash fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, prose, or create art, let me know. I would love to publish your work.

Thank you for not forgetting about me! ♥

Also, I'm pretty active on Twitter and a bit on Instagram. I don't know if it's weird to be a tank lurker who can't participate and killed the reef.

Twitter: @kittenbritches
Instagram: @sarahsaintanne

Goaway · Jul 20, 2022

kittenbritches said:
Thank you for not forgetting about me!

Not one of us forgot you. I'm sorry life is in the gutter. It's not over.
I'm at a lack of words with all that chaos.

fishface NJ · Jul 20, 2022

Oh my gosh! Thank goodness you’re OK. Missed you so much. Sorry to hear about all the bad stuff that’s been going on with you.

kittenbritches · Jul 20, 2022

Mibu said:
Not one of us forgot you. I'm sorry life is in the gutter. It's not over.
I'm at a lack of words with all that chaos.

Thank you! ♥ I hope that something will calm down soon or I'll find buried treasure. Fingers crossed!

kittenbritches · Jul 20, 2022

fishface NJ said:
Oh my gosh! Thank goodness you’re OK. Missed you so much. Sorry to hear about all the bad stuff that’s been going on with you.

I missed all of you, too!

BroccoliFarmer · Jul 20, 2022

kittenbritches said:
You guys are probably the best people in the universe. I'm so humbled that y'all cared enough to keep checking up on me. Life has been kicking me in the teeth since last December, and everything with my tanks went to crap.

Reader's Digest Condensed Version:

My depression got so severe I mainly stayed in my bed, paralyzed, unable to do anything.

As such, both of my tanks died. Everything. Dead.

This very very sadly means that I beat the mantis shrimp.

I'm out thousands of dollars.

I'm also a murderer.

My aunt died.

Work became insane, so I made a switch in March.

I turned 40, you guys.

I've been trying to dial in meds with my psychiatrist for 12 months.

I lost the salaried job that I had left my other company for (due to owners' incompetence, thankfully, and not my being crazy).

Three days later my uncle died.

My cousin moved in with me the same day.

I've been unemployed since May and too paralyzed to even file for unemployment, so I'm currently in pauper mode.

I haven't paid rent yet this month.

I'm pretty sure my sister decided she hates me.

I have been extremely ill since last October. Yesterday my doctor told me the next step is a bone marrow biopsy.

Either it's something super forking scary, or I'm a medical mystery.

My 14-year-old daughter decided that everything wrong in her life is because of me and is living full time with her father and the actual worst person on earth, his wife. My daughter would rather be like her, so I've got to deal with that. She actually said she doesn't want to see me anymore.

This means she also abandoned her brother and her baby sister.

I haven't torn down my tanks—I just haven't had the bandwidth.

The mantis tank's water completely evaporated, and the salt crystals are pretty cool.

There is a dead damsel stuck between a frag rack and the glass.

I'm pretty sure I got a hairline fracture on my tibia this afternoon.

I think about starting one of my tanks over again.

I think about selling equipment off.

I am planning to move to Georgia within the next six to nine months, so if I decide to give it another shot, I should wait until after then.

In good news, I started submitting my poetry for publication, and have had a 100% acceptance rate so far. I'm also starting a small monthly literary review. I'm obviously not in a position to pay authors (most of the other lit mags can't/don't pay, so it's not the worst thing on earth).

If any of y'all write flash fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, prose, or create art, let me know. I would love to publish your work.

Thank you for not forgetting about me! ♥

Also, I'm pretty active on Twitter and a bit on Instagram. I don't know if it's weird to be a tank lurker who can't participate and killed the reef.

Twitter: @kittenbritches
Instagram: @sarahsaintanne

I am glad to hear you are still around. Sorry life is kicking you a little. You are such a beautiful person, i am sure you have the 'kick back' in you when you are ready!!

Goaway · Jul 20, 2022

kittenbritches said:
I missed all of you, too!

Thank you for updating us. All of us who know you here missed you.
When this dark road is over, I pray you shine as bright as the sun.

kittenbritches · Jul 20, 2022

BroccoliFarmer said:
I am glad to hear you are still around. Sorry life is kicking you a little. You are such a beautiful person, i am sure you have the 'kick back' in you when you are ready!!

Thank you so much! Here's to hoping!

Goaway · Jul 20, 2022

BroccoliFarmer said:
I am glad to hear you are still around. Sorry life is kicking you a little. You are such a beautiful person, i am sure you have the 'kick back' in you when you are ready!!

I am sure she will, and hopefully we will get to see it.

OrchidMiss · Jul 20, 2022

Yaaay!!!! Im so glad to see you!!!
So glad you're ok!!!

kittenbritches · Jul 20, 2022

OrchidMiss said:
Yaaay!!!! Im so glad to see you!!!
So glad you're ok!!!

Miami Reef · Jul 20, 2022

Oh, Sarah! You should have seen how fast I click when I saw you updated this thread.

I have no words. I am so stunned that you have all this on your plate - no wonder you couldn’t pop on!

Mhamilton0911 · Jul 20, 2022

YAYAYAY! so happy you've returned, and Im so sorry for all the things that you've been going through. my thoughts and hugs are with you! feel free to message me if you need to, im a mom as well and although not going through the things you are, i can be one to listen, lots of love to you!!

kittenbritches · Jul 20, 2022

Miami Reef said:
Oh, Sarah! You should have seen how fast I click when I saw you updated this thread.

I have no words. I am so stunned that you have all this on your plate - no wonder you couldn’t pop on!

Thanks for your understanding! ♥ I hope everything is going well for you out on the beach.

Daniel@R2R · Jul 20, 2022

kittenbritches said:
You guys are probably the best people in the universe. I'm so humbled that y'all cared enough to keep checking up on me. Life has been kicking me in the teeth since last December, and everything with my tanks went to crap.

Reader's Digest Condensed Version:

My depression got so severe I mainly stayed in my bed, paralyzed, unable to do anything.

As such, both of my tanks died. Everything. Dead.

This very very sadly means that I beat the mantis shrimp.

I'm out thousands of dollars.

I'm also a murderer.

My aunt died.

Work became insane, so I made a switch in March.

I turned 40, you guys.

I've been trying to dial in meds with my psychiatrist for 12 months.

I lost the salaried job that I had left my other company for (due to owners' incompetence, thankfully, and not my being crazy).

Three days later my uncle died.

My cousin moved in with me the same day.

I've been unemployed since May and too paralyzed to even file for unemployment, so I'm currently in pauper mode.

I haven't paid rent yet this month.

I'm pretty sure my sister decided she hates me.

I have been extremely ill since last October. Yesterday my doctor told me the next step is a bone marrow biopsy.

Either it's something super forking scary, or I'm a medical mystery.

My 14-year-old daughter decided that everything wrong in her life is because of me and is living full time with her father and the actual worst person on earth, his wife. My daughter would rather be like her, so I've got to deal with that. She actually said she doesn't want to see me anymore.

This means she also abandoned her brother and her baby sister.

I haven't torn down my tanks—I just haven't had the bandwidth.

The mantis tank's water completely evaporated, and the salt crystals are pretty cool.

There is a dead damsel stuck between a frag rack and the glass.

I'm pretty sure I got a hairline fracture on my tibia this afternoon.

I think about starting one of my tanks over again.

I think about selling equipment off.

I am planning to move to Georgia within the next six to nine months, so if I decide to give it another shot, I should wait until after then.

In good news, I started submitting my poetry for publication, and have had a 100% acceptance rate so far. I'm also starting a small monthly literary review. I'm obviously not in a position to pay authors (most of the other lit mags can't/don't pay, so it's not the worst thing on earth).

If any of y'all write flash fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, prose, or create art, let me know. I would love to publish your work.

Thank you for not forgetting about me! ♥

Also, I'm pretty active on Twitter and a bit on Instagram. I don't know if it's weird to be a tank lurker who can't participate and killed the reef.

Twitter: @kittenbritches
Instagram: @sarahsaintanne

WOW! You have been through so so so much! I'm so very sorry for all that you are dealing with. Please know that we are here for you. We're happy to be part of your community, and we are praying for you and rooting for you.

bnord · Jul 20, 2022

kittenbritches said:
You guys are probably the best people in the universe. I'm so humbled that y'all cared enough to keep checking up on me. Life has been kicking me in the teeth since last December, and everything with my tanks went to crap.

Reader's Digest Condensed Version:

My depression got so severe I mainly stayed in my bed, paralyzed, unable to do anything.

As such, both of my tanks died. Everything. Dead.

This very very sadly means that I beat the mantis shrimp.

I'm out thousands of dollars.

I'm also a murderer.

My aunt died.

Work became insane, so I made a switch in March.

I turned 40, you guys.

I've been trying to dial in meds with my psychiatrist for 12 months.

I lost the salaried job that I had left my other company for (due to owners' incompetence, thankfully, and not my being crazy).

Three days later my uncle died.

My cousin moved in with me the same day.

I've been unemployed since May and too paralyzed to even file for unemployment, so I'm currently in pauper mode.

I haven't paid rent yet this month.

I'm pretty sure my sister decided she hates me.

I have been extremely ill since last October. Yesterday my doctor told me the next step is a bone marrow biopsy.

Either it's something super forking scary, or I'm a medical mystery.

My 14-year-old daughter decided that everything wrong in her life is because of me and is living full time with her father and the actual worst person on earth, his wife. My daughter would rather be like her, so I've got to deal with that. She actually said she doesn't want to see me anymore.

This means she also abandoned her brother and her baby sister.

I haven't torn down my tanks—I just haven't had the bandwidth.

The mantis tank's water completely evaporated, and the salt crystals are pretty cool.

There is a dead damsel stuck between a frag rack and the glass.

I'm pretty sure I got a hairline fracture on my tibia this afternoon.

I think about starting one of my tanks over again.

I think about selling equipment off.

I am planning to move to Georgia within the next six to nine months, so if I decide to give it another shot, I should wait until after then.

In good news, I started submitting my poetry for publication, and have had a 100% acceptance rate so far. I'm also starting a small monthly literary review. I'm obviously not in a position to pay authors (most of the other lit mags can't/don't pay, so it's not the worst thing on earth).

If any of y'all write flash fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, prose, or create art, let me know. I would love to publish your work.

Thank you for not forgetting about me! ♥

Also, I'm pretty active on Twitter and a bit on Instagram. I don't know if it's weird to be a tank lurker who can't participate and killed the reef.

Twitter: @kittenbritches
Instagram: @sarahsaintanne

Your openness is both inspiring and empowering. It also belies an incredible strength that will get you through. And if you decide to restart a tank when you get to Georgia, there’s a great community here that will help you out anyway they can. All our wishes and karma sent your way