Dear Co-Conspirator It’s 8:30 in the morning, and it’s already been a good one. I woke up rested, had a cuddle puddle full of cool people last night, and even gave a couple massages. Now I’m sitting here with a smoothie in me, my cat Jemma happily supervising, and the stationary bike crossed off my list. Its likely not a surprise to hear that I have bit of that neurodiversity, but truthfully, I think we all do. Mine shows up as excitement...fast to arrive, motivating, energizing, occasionally overwhelming. By 8:30 I’ve already been buzzing for hours, bouncing between “I want to do it all” and “oh no, this is too much.” But honestly, if the price of that excitement and forward motion is the occasional overwhelm, I’ll gladly pay it. And knowing I’ll be working with you makes it feel like less of a price and more of a partnership. You can help me best by simply being open. I find calm people calming, and even anxious people calming in their honesty. Just saying where you’re at is always grounding for me. So here I am, winding my way through words before a series of meetings, all of them about helping animals. My thoughts might feel scattered now, but the moment I’m on a call with you, things will crystallize. We’ll make progress, we’ll push the work forward, and we’ll feel good about it. Around 5 or 6 this evening, I’ll hit my inevitable lull. I’ll struggle a bit with it, then remind myself that no one deserves 24 hours of pure excitement, that the slower bits of the day are part of the rhythm, and that even lulls have their lovely moments. By nightfall, maybe I’ll dance, maybe I’ll just give a few hugs, but either way I’ll end the day grateful. It’s a beautiful day to save some animals, and I’m thrilled I get to do it alongside you. With warmth and excitement, Em