Suzi, it's probably way too late to plan anything, but if you happen to be anywhere in my work neighborhood at any point today, I would love to meet up for a quick coffee break.

Saw Maria's good news, so thought I'd do a quick driveby before going back to the old grindstone.

So, YAY Maria! Congrats!

Jobma to TCG and Steph and Consuela, oh and Amy while I'm at it (yes, you're employed, but would love to see you somewhere that doesn't make you so uncomfortable).

Andi, the outfit you described sounds ideal for the function in question. And like smonster suggested, maybe you could find some pretty sandals that wouldn't break the budget. Oh, or ballerina flats maybe? A nice treat in celebration of your now-acknowledged awesomeness?

Pix, sorry your day was so rough. Thank you for your pains on behalf of the pooch. Hope you have a lovely, non-exhausting time at your reunion.

Shir, congrats on your newly naked teeth! And that's all I can remember, so hugs all 'round, *mwah*

disappears back into the grey...

Congratulations, Maria! So glad you're free of that toxic environment in the old place.

I am half asleep and have no more coherent thoughts. I have got to start getting to bed earlier.

Andi, the outfit you described sounds ideal for the function in question. And like smonster suggested, maybe you could find some pretty sandals that wouldn't break the budget. Oh, or ballerina flats maybe? A nice treat in celebration of your now-acknowledged awesomeness?

That is a sensible suggestion for most people but the trouble and pain I have over fit and the need for arch support in order to take more than five steps means that chances are better than average that I can't manage attractive AND workable for less than three digits if at all. Crocs actually has a number of styles of shoes that are NOT the infamous Crocs shoes, but the pretty ones HURT me.

Yay, Maria!

Assault rifles and things of that ilk...I DO have a problem with. Unless freakin' BEARS invade your home regularly and you have a constant Sharknado insurgency in your hood.

The problem I see with guns is that too many stupid people own them, don't store them properly and see them as the solution to most problems. And most people are shit shots.

Wrod wrod Wordy McWrodson

Totally. And everybody thinks they'd be Raylan Givens in a crisis. I wish, but in real life, his life would be hearings and getting virtually bitch-slapped by David Simon anyway, and Raylan is a trained firearms instructor.(If you haven't, check out Simon's blog,"The Audacity of Despair"...this month it has covered such disparate topics as Stand Your Ground, Cronuts, and "Stalin's dead cock")

I wish everyone wanted to be Raylan Givens when he helped Loretta...that really would be a better world.

Andi, I hope you can find something you're comfortable with, but if you don't, remember they are celebrating you, not your shoes.

Tep, I hope you get something soon, including a new job.

Shir, congrats on no more braces!

Pix, you're doing a good thing with the rescue dogs. Hold on to that. I hope you're safely ensconced on the East Coast now.

Congratulations, Maria!

I live around the corner from a gun store. It still startles me every time I notice it. Where I grew up, most people just didn't have guns. Guns were for cops and criminals, or really scared people. Having a gun store just sitting there between an antique store and a Subway just seems weird to me, even after living here for three years. (I've asked my parents, and neither of them has ever handled a gun. I doubt that my grandparents ever did, either, except while in the army.)