Timelies all!

Used the treadmill three days this week. (I do a reasonably brisk walk for 35 minutes.) I don't expect I'll be able to do this every week, but it is an improvement.

From when the desert was sea bed, Connie?

ita, that's marvelous--that you gleaned all that from your first meeting. He must trust you.

From when the desert was sea bed, Connie?

Possible, that section is the old shoreline of primordial Lake Bonneville, way up on the side of the mountain. They may have found cool fossils up there.

edit: But just using the word Gulch sounds so Old West. I can't help picture an Old One in spurs and a ten-gallon hat.

That should be a Doctor Who episode.

Totems are shared by groups--

Like, say, fans of Supernatural? Although I did not swallow the model Impala, I still feel all totemic about it.

Totem is one of those line-walking terms. It's an Ojibwe word, and has specific meaning among Native and First Nations peoples. Like many other things, it's been borrowed for wider use.

I'd say fandom objects would definitely be more totemic than purely personal items because of the former's shared nature.

Fascinating guy--also came out to me as gay, so that was one long conversation, as well as needing ADA from HR (he's scared too). All in our first real convo.

That's a lot! I'm sure he was grateful to have a sympathetic audience.

The doctor said it's very unlikely I've had a stroke, but he ordered an MRI just to be safe.

...fingerstones...The fingers find texture soothing, and hopefully the mind follows.

For me it's more about the shape than the texture, but I think the idea is the same. I always carry what I call a "fidget piece," which for the last 30 years has been a spoon-shaped piece of wood about 1" x 2" originally intended to be a keychain fob. It helps me deal with anxiety and nervous energy.

The doctor said it's very unlikely I've had a stroke, but he ordered an MRI just to be safe.

So far I like this doctor. Marriage material? (For me, not you).

I'm sure he was grateful to have a sympathetic audience.

He's an older guy, so he had a lot to talk about too--big collector, loves Nancy Drew, knows everything about everything about every book. Fascinating. Needless to say, I suggested if he wanted a good binge show (I can learn about hyperfocus!) I suggested Supernatural, so we'll see how that goes.

He was just really nice. Very good about "I can do this better/faster/more easily" and "You are quick at that, so do that" without making it sound like there's any value judgement.

When one puts on red lipstick and combat boots to take control of the work day, I'd imagine one is summoning the power given by us to red lipstick and combat boots by virtue of how they're used and who uses them. Does that make them communal enough?

Ugh, new people moving in. Projecting voices so far.