Hah! I'm not too squeamish and the whole thing was so surreal, I was in docu and protector mode. I had my jobs, my personal stuff was out of the game.

ita, I think the term clue-sticking may face been invented for that woman.

I don't know nothing about birthing no babies.

Story from a friend:

K asks, "Dad what's your favorite element?" Dad says, "Oxygen." K says, "Mine is Carbon." Sister says, "Mine is Helium." K says, "Mom, what is your favorite element?" I say, "Surprise."

CJ's search and rescue team had their holiday party tonight. He got his medical patch to add to his uniform. Tomorrow he takes his probationary test to become a full member.

During the party, after all the speeches and presentations, they had a video with pictures of the team during training and missions. Lots of great shots of the kids hiking, carrying litters, rappelling, and generally hanging out being filthy dirty. CJ had a couple of individual shots. One of him being goofy and one of him with a bloody nose. The second shot also showed his use of a tampon to stop the flow. My son is man enough to make a tampon up the nose look tough. I had to ask the gal who put the video together to send me that shot.

The second shot also showed his use of a tampon to stop the flow. My son is man enough to make a tampon up the nose look tough.

Dude, you raised one marriageable young man there. He will do well. And it is because you rock.

Ack. I'm normally okay with being a non-believer at Christmas, but at the work Christmas party today, the CEO said something to the effect of "This time of year is an especially spiritual time for everyone, no matter what you believe in." and it totally got my hackles up.

Because, no, it doesn't. There are plenty of belief systems that don't venerate late December, and I don't know if atheism counts as a belief system or a disbelief system, but obviously not getting extra spiritual right now.

The co-worker next to me, who's a heavily participating member of his church leant over to me and said "Except atheists..." and I couldn't have nodded much harder.

Just...get it right, or don't say anything, you know?

Man, the Christmas party was hella cheesy. But at least it was during office hours--even though I'd rather have been working, at least I didn't have to stay late.

But I could have used the time to take the anti-money laundering certification I need to complete before the 19th or get in mega trouble.

I think that's a great idea with the dentist. I have insurance, and I currently canceled my dentist appointments pretty much indefinitely because of cost. I finally went to my optometrist during this break, and kinda got lectured (well, as lectury as my extremely mild-mannered, compassionate optometrist gets) for making it 2 1/2 years instead of 1 because of my family glaucoma history. But that stuff is expensive!

Anyway. I have new glasses. I kinda feel like they're five years ago hip, but since my previous pair were ten years old, I guess that's good? I opted for them because they're the crazy titanium that's bendable and whatnot. Okay, and also I like them. So I hope they look good on me.

But it's a little bizarre how strongly the previous pair of glasses I had imprinted on my own self-image. Before them my vision was rapidly deteriorating so I had a new pair every year. And then it stopped. I was unprepared for that, and so didn't buy a pair intended for longevity, but they stood up great, if a little dated. Hopefully that will continue even though I finally did have to buy a new pair. It's just...I look weird to myself. Good, probably, just weird.

"This time of year is an especially spiritual time for everyone, no matter what you believe in." and it totally got my hackles up.

Honestly, it makes me want to punch people in the face. Which is not, shockingly, a Thing for me.

But it's a little bizarre how strongly the previous pair of glasses I had imprinted on my own self-image.

I have two pairs and they are really, really different. So I imprint on one or the other depending on which I tend to wear. Then it's all Big Change.

I need new glasses too. I am fearing this. Because what I really need is someone to tell me what frames physically work on my face and then figuring out what flatters. It's terrifying.

"This time of year is an especially spiritual time for everyone, no matter what you believe in." and it totally got my hackles up.

Uh, yeah, no. And even us Christians stole it off the pagans, so it's not like it's coincidentally a "spiritual time" or anything.

It's terrifying.

It is! It's like my whole self-image, somehow. AND he gave me free sample contacts, which changes how I look again!