17 Days Until the Man Burns

Success at Goodwill inspired a many-hours long fashion show last night, with Joe the only audience... Except some wide-eyed young floor mates who caught glimpses when I headed to the bathroom mirror. They think of me, probably, as the grumpy, unwelcome mom figure wearing an eyemask on my forehead who tells them to move their loud 3:00 am conversations somewhere besides the common kitchen outside our door. They probably had no idea that underneath the eyemask and earplugs and bedhead, beyond the floor meeting manager who reminds them to pay their utilities and clean up their shit in the hallway, there is a purring Playa kitten about to get her freak on.

Will their knowing my other side increase my authority?

Getting your freak just right takes time. I'm almost there: one sewing session with Arianne and I'll be Playa ready.

At least in that department. I feel REI and Target runs coming on. Decisions: Which things require quality and workmanship and which things don't? I will suppress my guilt about shopping at Target and feeding the monster. I've seriously cut back, shopping there only a couple of times per year. I draw the line at Wal-mart - though I guess they are equally dispicable in terms of places to work.  See Target vs. Wal-Mart smackdown article.

Other concerns: Are those 20-somethings really flirting with me? Is that wrong?

Marriage: I've been to a few weddings lately, and officiated at one. Such happy occasions. Advice to anyone about to take the plunge: pay attention to exactly what you are promising. No need to overstate anything. Just say it exactly as it really is. That alone is big, with all those people listening.

What you want changes. Keep that in mind. Say the right words, the ones you can live with for a long time. If they don't quite fit, find other words, or leave that part off.

Zoe and T on the Playa last year. This is what inspires me.