Arnold Palmer Management Agency, Good Afternoon, this is Consuela Speaking. Can I help you please?

Every. Frelling. Time. the phone rang. It was crazy.

Oh man that would drive me nuts. I answer my phone "Mercer". Or "Brenda Mercer" if I'm feeling formal.

ION, performance reviews today (that I was giving) not as fun. There were tears.

Oh, Brenda, sorry you had to give out "you need to get on the right track" reviews. Those are not easy.

I answer the work phone with "eye-triple-ee, this is Elizabeth." (IEEE.) My callers generally already know who I am, I just need to let them know they've reached me and not someone else. My boss, though? Makes me nuts. She answers the phone with "eye-triple-firstname-lastname!" I left out the "ee" there, because she does. What's an "eye-triple"? Makes me nuts.

I let bread sit for weeks, took pictures every day.

I did that! But I was testing preservatives.

I did that! But I was testing preservatives.

Heh. I am pretty sure the concept of preservatives was beyond me. There's a reason I was an English major.

ETA: (not really, but it's fun to say)

Yeah, it was really tough. On the plus side, I think the shock led to an emotional breakdown which lead to me finding out some stuff I wasn't aware of (or wasn't aware of the magnitude of) and I have a much better sense of how to help her. I don't that's much comfort to her right now.

I think the preservatives kept the bread soft, but not actually mold-free.

My favorite science fair project was the one where I bought baby clothes and burned them up with a blowtorch! Good times.

I have a much better sense of how to help her. I don't that's much comfort to her right now.

Probably not right now, but it should be long-term, if she has any sense. Good luck.

My favorite science fair project was the one where I bought baby clothes and burned them up with a blowtorch! Good times.

To test what? Flammability?? Awesome!

I grew crystals one year and made a dinosaur diorama another year, complete with caveman.