What a shitty week it's been.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

Boston, first and foremost. This deadly explosion in Texas of a fertilizer plant that was inexplicably too close to a residential area. Ricin being sent to the President and to US Senators. The tyranny of the well-funded minority killing even the most modest gun control legislation in the US Senate. The media showing itself to be a mockery and a utter shell of what used to be a respectable industry.

Then you look at all the crazy things that have happened in mid-Aprils past: Oklahoma City, Columbine, Virginia Tech, Branch Davidians, etc. Something about this time of year.

[RiffRandell]

1. No kidding.

I don't shield my kids from the news, and today my 7 year old daughter was watching the footage from Texas while she was getting ready for school and asked "What is going on in this country?"

[Armstead]

2. Bad things always seem to happen in bunches

I've noticed over the years that often when a bad event occurs -- natural disaster, human violence or other disasters, deaths of prominent people -- they often seem to happen in groups. And thus they create shitty weeks, or months.

It's usually coincidence, though sometimes not. It's just strange how they always seem yo be grouped.

[tridim]

3. It's always darkest before the dawn...

Or something like that.

[Skidmore]

4. Indeed. Add in the spring deluge here in the Midwest

where we are flooding. I was caught in some flash flooding yesterday while running errands. Fortunately, I was able to get out of the problem spot but the drive home was the most frightening drive of my life. I would have preferred to be dealing with snow. I came home to a virtual lake in the back yard and the sump pump trying to keep up in the basement.

On a personal level, yesterday my daughter was hospitalized with blood clots in her abdomen, my niece received a diagnosis of cancer, and one of my nephews was admitted to a detox center in pretty bad shape. Then my sister calls and asks me if I am willing to care for her if her health bottoms out because she would like to be up in this area for health care.

I'm hanging on by my toenails today.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. I'm so sorry.

Hope all goes well for you and your family.