I do feel it's a minority freedom, based on the anecdata of the recruiters I've dealt with here.

Oh, it totally is. And the thing that I try and point out to my babygoth readers is that I can get away with this because 1) I'm good at my job, and 2) I work at being approachable. I'm relatively friendly and outgoing by nature, anyway, but in the workplace? I make sure everyone views me as someone they can talk to (even if I'm wearing fangs because I want to menace some developers).

Well, you know, Jilli only does it because she's a reporter. (You never told us!)

I never told ME. I wonder what other interesting jobs I have that I'm unaware of.

So, anyone want to place a bet on whether I'll break 3k friends on FB by the end of the week? (At this point, all I can do is giggle, because otherwise I'll freak out a bit.)

Competence forgives eccentricity, sometimes.

Huh. This means I have to come up with a really good summergoth outfit for tomorrow at work, because I bet my number of viewers on Tumblr jumped.

Kristen bought me these ballet slipper shoes that look like they have polka dots but really they are just wee skulls.

I wore 'em yesterday and thought of you.

Awww, skully shoes!

Oooh, I should wear my skully shoes tomorrow. Or maybe Fluevogs.

I haven't played around with our dress code much, but I suspect my superhero belt buckles are in violation of the spirit. I am still convinced my corset was specifically written out.

My manager violates it as many days as she doesn't--her shoes are flip flops with a heel and a flower between the toes--what are those called? Anyway, they're not allowed. Sneakers are only allowed on Fridays, but people argue that's not true. They're wrong. That's broken all the time.

But, Burrell, when I worked for a university, my dress code was about the same. In fact, I wore jeans less often. My boss wore a tie every day. Tattoos peeked, but were not displayed. My co-project manager was suits and heels every day, even when she was also in a hard hat and safety goggles.

So I hear tales of these mythical workplaces, but I don't really feel I can take any gambles in the work arena. Nothing permanent, anyway. The hair thing, not a gamble. That's a requirement. And they don't usually notice the earrings until I'm in.

Those Magnum Ice Cream bars are pretty tasty.

Wow. Paypal's front page has come into the 21st century. I hadn't realised they needed to catch up until they did. It's all pretty now. Whoohoo. I have to spend lots of money now.

That reminds me I need to Paypal my derby league dues.

Jilli, that's amazing!

I have sealed the box spring and mattress and am washing all sheets, pillows, comforters, etc in hot water. The thing is, I looked EVERYWHERE and have not seen a single bug, nor evidence of bugs -- nothing in closets or under the bed or in the seams or along the baseboards. So I'm hopeful that if there are some, they were just itsy and in the mattress, which is now sealed, and we will never ever deal with them again. Or it's fleas, which I also have seen zero evidence of. But I have learned that our exterminator has a bed-bug sniffing dog, which is the coolest thing ever: [link]

Seriously, I may schedule an appointment just to be sure we don't have them. And because those dogs are awesomesauce.

And because doing all of the above is helping me to not have a full-blown panic attack and feel dirty and gross and UNCLEAN.