That's weird. My phone just called itself. My landline phone and the caller ID showed my name and the number of the phone itself. I answered and no one was there. Is this an omen?

It's a phone scam where the caller spoofs your number on the caller ID. It's weird as hell to see it pop up, but that's all it is: [link]

t edit It happened to us the other day, and I read about it a couple of weeks ago. My aunt (who lived with my grandfather until he passed away, and still lives in the house, and never transferred the phone number out of my grandfather's name) got a call like this where the caller ID showed my grandpa's name, and she is CONVINCED that it was God (or my grandpa) sending her a message. She was so happy about it that I didn't want to tell her it was a phone scam. Is that wrong?

It's a phone scam where the caller spoofs your number on the caller ID.

Bastards.

Somewhat relatedly, in the entire history of the universe, has anyone ever received an automated call that starts out saying, "This is not a sales call" and the call was actually not a sales call?

Reading about the Hobby Lobby decision (Boooooo!) just now reminded me of a kind of great thing from the jury duty materials -- you can get out of serving if you're the sole care giver for a disabled person, which you have to prove with a note from a doctor -- or a Christian Science practitioner. Is that just a Massachusetts thing, or do other states specify that??

Wouldn't surprise me if MA has the largest population of CS in the US (or anywhere, for that matter.)

I think I remember seeing that kind "doctor or CS practitioner" wording on something official her in CA. Could've been a jury duty thing. I know there's always the "swear or affirm" verbage, although I forget who that's for.

Sophia, if it makes you feel better, I am also sleeveless today. Because it's freaking hot. I tried putting on lightweight pants this morning and that was just too uncomfortable, so I'm in a light skirt and sleeveless silk top and could not face even carrying a jacket even though I knew it would be chilly inside with the A/C. Shorts (and too short shorts seems to imply that shorts are okay office apparel if they are long enough, in which case - what are you wearing that's inappropriate? Out of curiosity about the dress code.)

I think technically that tank tops/sleeveless is against dress code here. I'm wearing them, regardless, but when I leave my cubicle I put a pashmina around my shoulders. No quibbles yet. It's a nice, wide-strapped plain colored tank top, so the only objection would be to seeing my flabby upper arms.

I'm losing my mind. There's been a thumping noise inside my left ear for 24 hours now. It happened before and lasted for three days. I thought it had gone away, but I was wrong; it's back. I've looked it up on Dr. Google* and it's a "middle ear myoclonus" or muscle spasm in the middle ear. It seems as if there's no cure. It's driving me mad. It's random, sometimes it's a slow rhythmic thump, sometimes it's like a machine gun (not as loud, but that rapid). It goes away and then it comes back. Nothing I've tried has worked, including hot compresses, massage, decongestants, antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, Vitamin B, magnesium, caffeine, no caffeine, food, salt, screaming, and pounding on my head. It may be triggered by moving my left arm and shoulder, which, yeah, lemme stop doing that. Temporary relief seems to come from enough Advil and Valium to make me dopey and sit real still, but that peace is shattered as soon as a cat starts hollering at me, like they do. I couldn't sleep much last night, and today I'm useless. I feel lucky this didn't happen this weekend when I was getting stuff done. I've called out sick to work but I can't do that every time this happens. I don't know what do. I'm so on edge I yelled at my poor cat for scratching the sofa (though he knows he shouldn't do that and never does except for attention, but I don't yell. All the cats are now quietly in the tree, so I guess they're not traumatized by my little breakdown).

*(jeezis, it's scary there, I was half convinced I'd had a stroke or a brain tumor)

I do try to at least have a sweater available to put on, that's why I feel weird! I think I left it on my porch.

These are like crotch length shorts, but it is really hot and she has to walk a long way.

I also could really care less because she is not customer facing except on specific days she knows about, but there are busy bodies from other departments and HR who have reported my student before to my boss.

I think I will wait until she leaves and say I know it is hot, but shorts should be mid thigh? Is that a good length? She is very tall and has very long legs so it is hard to judge. I would really like them to not be crotch length.

The rule at schools here is "shorts must be longer than the fingertips when standing." That usually equals mid-thigh.

If you speak to her, I would mention that you know it's hot, but there have been complaints about student attire in the past, so you have to have a policy.

I have no idea how long shorts should be in an office, because I've never worked in one that allowed them? I think longer than fingertips is a pretty common length for school stuff?

I went for a run at dawn and it was already kinda too hot and muggy. Then when I got home and looked at the time it was actually time to drive to work. So, came in late, and now it seems without my phone. Monday.

I hate that, I end up feeling so out of it all day without my phone...and then I feel annoyed because my phone should not be so important! There were years and years where I did not have a cellphone, let alone a smartphone, and was Just Fine.

Zen, glad you are not losing your mind, but that does sound obnoxious. Like when your eye it twitching, only it's coming from INSIDE YOUR HEAD.

Somewhat relatedly, in the entire history of the universe, has anyone ever received an automated call that starts out saying, "This is not a sales call" and the call was actually not a sales call?

Actually, yes! Once after college I answered the phone at home and ended up taking a survey about songs on the radio, and then agreed to go to a thing where they had like, 100 people, and played snippets of songs and we had to rate how much we liked them, or if we had heard them too much, and got paid some amount of money for it ($60 maybe? Something that was way more than the nothing I was making until I found a job!)