Better than the being slammed all the time though.

Yeah. And I totally can amuse myself covertly if I need to.

Also, limited number of things I have been trained how to do on this my fourth day of employment.

As a longtime fan of the series, I kind of thought The Story So Far sucked big time. I'm glad it seems to be working on new viewers though! I actually had trouble following it, because the way they chose to recap the various plotlines didn't match the way they were told during the show.

Agree. Interesting what they think their through lines are, from hindsight.

Small house, small kitchen, living with children and then teenagers has entrenched my OCD about dishes. I was the sole dishwasher since I was nine, and we've never had an automatic dishwasher since newlywed days. Then I used it to stash dirty dishes because it was so loud and obnoxious I hated to run it, and was equally resistant to doing the dishes by hand. Keeping track of sippy cups, lids, bowls, spoons, cups, glasses left, no matter the reiteration of house rules--"in the sink, when you're done!" have left me scanning my open shelves to see that all the plates are in the stacks , all the bowls, all the glasses and mugs are rowed complete and correct.

If they're not, I go searching till I track down the missing item. If it's in use, fine. If it's manufacturing independent sentient life under a bed somewhere, it gets collected and washed.

I used to hate doing dishes. Now I hate having unwashed dishes about. And if the drainer's empty and the clean things put away, it's much easier to wash the next few things. We wash as we go and don't wait for a sinkful. The dish wand is most helpful for this, rather than hauling out a dishpan.

The biggest lesson I had to learn? Empty the friggin drainer tray. Those damned things never slant the right way, and the drainer feet always make puddles. The water stands and evaporates and gets ucky, so tip the tray and wipe it down. Yes, forty times a day if need be. Look--no mold spores! And also? Wash the damned silverware cup. Would you eat with a spoon that had been jammed down in that?

Speaking of diabetic comas, my office just had the traditional afternoon birthday cake break for me. And since the office manager knows I'm not a fan of our usual ice cream cakes, she had one of the owners of the local Italian bistro special-bake her signature dessert from years past: Sin, a chocolate truffle cheesecake topped with maraschino cherries and heavy whipped cream.

It weighs in at roughly 1,000 calories a slice, so it's just as well I skipped breakfast today. And maybe dinner as well...

Ooh. Birthday happies for Matt!

Happy Birthday Matt!

Oh Matt, they like you! They *really* like you! Yum.

Felicitations on the Anniversary of your natal day! And many happy returns.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!!

Happy Birthday, Matt - that's an amazing birthday cake!

Thanks gang. The actual day's tomorrow, but I'm not coming in to work, so my co-workers jumped the gun by a day.

Though now that all the sugar is hitting my bloodstream, I may just vibrate my way into the future like the Flash.

That sounds like quite a cake, Matt. Enjoy your birthday/day off tomorrow!