When we walked in, he said, "Olivia, I'm so glad you're here!" and ran right up to give her a hug.

Oh, my, that should be in the dictionary next tot he definition of "adorable".

they're not fighting, hitting or screaming about taking each other's toys, they are hugging, kissing and saying, "I love you."

Do they manage to actually play together with the same toys, or is that still just something to hope for?

They do play together on a few rare instances. They typically like to dress their dolls and stuffed animals in Owen's clothes. They will grudgingly share a toy if I remind them. But it's hard for them.

It's age-appropriate, of course. Real sharing doesn't take place for a while yet.

t Waves at Shir You're going to the concert tonight, right?

It's age-appropriate, of course. Real sharing doesn't take place for a while yet.

Oh, of course. That's why I asked (I'm far from knowing which behavior fits which age).

They typically like to dress their dolls and stuffed animals in Owen's clothes.

And still with the adorableness. Any reason they prefer his clothes to hers?

You're going to the concert tonight, right?

YES! Free concert, I feel so lucky.

Ah-ha! Some of the scheme behind the "giving Shir a free ticket to an expansive concert" just revealed.

The friend who gave me the ticket (she got 2 for free as a prise, but it's still very nice of her) just called me to say "btw, you don't mind if we'll hang out with x and y there, right?". Y is the person that she tried to fix me up with about a year ago, and I run away screaming (not from y, which I'm sure is a nice, decent guy. It's the mere idea of dating and fixing me up with anyone that sends me running and screaming at the opposite direction).

I'm amused.

Shir, could you just see this Y person tonight without any past baggage?

Setting-you-up or not, that's just a definition from the outside, you know? If this is a nice person and you want to meet again, just like you may want to meet again any other nice people, then why not, right?

Oh, no past baggages here, or fear, nor worries.

I'm just amused, because this friend doesn't stop to try to set me up with people, that's all. Certainly not anything that would prevent me from seeing a free live concert.

But about the "definition from the outside" - well, the minute that definition effects my life, it also applies on me, no?

Edit: English.

That's kind of funny, Shir. At least it's a concert and not, say, dinner, so you don't actually have to talk to Y if you're not feeling it...

Oooh! I have a teensy weensy bacon chocolate bar. Very excited.

I finally tried that the other day! It was good times, if a little odd.

Allyson, I'm glad there seems to be some solution for you at work, but for crying out loud, it is TOTALLY your boss's fault. Even if not on purpose, his demands were/are clearly unreasonable.

But about the "definition from the outside" - well, the minute that definition effects my life, it also applies on me, no?

Well, the way I see it, you - not just you in person, pretty much everybody - can pretty much choose how to look at those things.

I mean, thinking "oh, I'm being set up, that's so awkward, why would this guy even wanna go out with me, if I say this he'll definitely not wanna go out with me, maybe I should say this on purpose then? How awkward, I can't even listen to the music" may end up in one sort of an evening, and thinking "she wants to set me up? Fine. I'm here for the music and the good company and the fun of it all, and hey, why not meet a new person along the way?" may cause a completely different evening, with those exact same surrounding facts, you know?

In other news, I already crashed matlab today twice, and my slowly-poisoned computer just stopped talking to the printer (no, first the printer shouted its errors everywhere, and when that was fixed, it was for everybody else, but me). And I didn't even try to print my dissertation, seeing as the computer still refuses to recognize old figures and I have to wander in the attic of old files and re-create them from scratch. Sigh. I should be careful and not press on buttons in elevators and stuff, who knows how I may affect them. And not enter cars. Or hold cell phones.

it is TOTALLY your boss's fault.

Um, as the printer incident above just clearly proves once again, everything is my fault.

It's Allyson's boss responsibility that the situation deteriorated, of course. And regardless, it's definitely not her fault, I totally agree.

In other news, I already crashed matlab today twice, and my slowly-poisoned computer just stopped talking to the printer (no, first the printer shouted its errors everywhere, and when that was fixed, it was for everybody else, but me).

Nilly, you use Matlab? We just got a licence at work, we're supposed to be using it to develop our return assumptions model. And if ever there's a break in our client load, maybe we'll even get a chance to do that.