Over the course of the last few months, circumstances have if not forced, strongly suggested that I finally develop a shell to deflect some of those negative comments, opinions, and situational effects that have been throwing themselves at me.

And in a lot of ways, it's been good. If it hadn't been for that new-found ability, it would have been a much rougher trail these last weeks.

But it's also been a very bad thing. I don't like not-feeling things. Sure, I've always felt things more deeply than I should, but feeling things so thinly now seems even worse.

And in ways that I can't explain succinctly it's made me a terrible friend.

I'm not sure how to reverse this, but I'm going to be trying.

{ps - All you list makers have put me to the test. I'm always looking for my mention when I know I shouldn't. And the one time I expected it, I was wrong. There are lessons to be learned in this.}