R.I.P. Hector, 2004-2005

Poor little Hector the Betta fish passed away sometime last night. I'm telling myself that he just got old: it had been nearly a year since I got him, and he'd been increasingly sluggish and disinterested in eating, even when I bought him some freeze-dried bloodworms. But I feel bad that I hadn't cleaned his tank out in more than a week. At least he could have passed on in clean water. Sigh.

I'm very good at feeling guilty. I'm also feeling bad that I'll have to leave Mouse alone for the majority of the afternoon today and very self-reproachful about the thick pile of student papers that must be graded by 8am tomorrow.