Bonny, I'm sorry you're having to deal with that.

Barb, totally not trying to be funny, but if you have some hydrogen peroxide lying around, drop a capful in each ear. Wait until the crackling stops and then pour it out.

I soak q-tips in hydrogen peroxide instead of pouring some in my ears, but otherwise this is exactly what I do if I'm starting to feel cold symptoms coming on. It's worked every time so far, thank goodness.

My ultra-orthodox religious representative of my American landlords will be here this week.

The artzy porn will have to go off the walls.

Damn.

The artzy porn will have to go off the walls.

I hate it when that happens.

That doesn't explain the unpaid part.

nope. I can't explain that anyway. There was an agreement in place to cover any extra hours above part-time with comp-time. That was fine until I asked for the comp-time. So now I'm dealing with residual habits and packing up to leave at the same time.

Ah, thanks for the peroxide tip. I am all about prevention. If I feel the slightest twinge of anything I drown myself in fluids and VitC.

I'm sorry about the potential buyer, Suzi. Things have to loosen up in real estate soon. Craziness.

{{bonny}} I hope she recognizes her folly and then remembers that you are a compassionate and forgiving person.

Bonny, I'm sorry about your client.

Suzi, I hope you find a buyer very soon.

Ooh, bonny, I'd totally forgotten about the peroxide trick. Probably tried to block it out since my mother used to do it to me when I was a kid and I HATED it. It's probably completely different as an adult when you're choosing to do it.

Although I'll at least start with Jilli's suggestion of Q-tips. *g*

I'm also sorry to hear about your clients-- poor woman to be that completely insecure. I can relate since as a young woman I had a horrible, horrible tendency towards jealousy (probably part inherent, part learned behavior from my mom) coupled with a horrible temper and I know how incredibly hard that is to overcome. And the feelings of shame and embarrassment after you get to a saner place. The worst part of that kind of behavior is that so often it can lead straight into self-fulfilling prophecies, thereby only perpetuating the emotions.

It's a tough, tough cycle to break.

I have friend who breed dogs and they've got this noisemaker (from Radio Shack) that makes sounds like police car sirens or fire alarms - and they use that as part of puppy socializing. (One of their dogs LOVED the noisemaker so much that they had to hide it when it wasn't in use. Dogs are funny.)

I have my cats' crates out where they can (supposedly) use them and my theory was that that my most nervous cat would get used to them and be less freaked out about being crated. HA!

He NEVER gets in the crate. Meanwhile, my other kitty sleeps in the crates regularly. She knows that Ivan will not attack her while she is safe in a crate.

It's very quiet here this morning. I'm trying to decide if I want to be social tonight and go to a poetry reading or stay bundled up at home. It is so freaking cold.

I think the exterminator wants to ask me out. He's cute but I don't think we have much in common.