As a response to your cut question:
Yes, God damn them all.
Fuck, I would collaborate on that.

Is it true that the time between Christmas and New Year's can be referred to as "the dead days," or did I just import that from the Mayan calendar?

I have it to. I was just telling shadesong I consider these days as Calibration, and if I can, I destroy everything that might hold me back in the coming year. Like all the hay boxes in the office. And all the hay and dust and stuff on the floor.

I hope that person you love is soon relinquished by my nightmare state.