I want to apologize for my recent absence and offer up an explanation (not an excuse). Due to recent economic problems, of which I'm sure all of you with relevant interests are aware, I lost my job around the end of July. This has been coupled with all of the scrambling and problem-solving that comes with such a transition. While I am still unemployed, I do have some applications out and the situation should be rectified before the month is over. The result of all of this is that I've been at my computer considerably less as I worked out what exactly to do, and thus my protracted absence.

The upshot is that this actually gives me the chance to return to school in the spring, something I've been wanting to do for a long time now. Variables have fallen into place that virtually ensure that this long-time wish will become a reality.

tl;dr: I'm not dead. Yet.