Strix, that's a great house (and deck)! And congrats on the raise.

Susan, good news on the face!

Andi, I know your pain. My dad was put on a restricted calorie diet for his BP and diabetes, and was prepared to follow it without complaint. My mom, who did all the cooking, found the suggested recipes just too unappetizing, and so continued to cook the recommended green beans, but with potatoes and fatback. She was a dessert fiend, and would bake relentlessly, and serve him devil's food cake and strawberry pie--"A little bit won't hurt him."

There was never a doctor nor a dietician born that she didn't know better than. And there was only so much I could do. She'd willingly engage in the argument, eagerly listen to my reasoning for following the recommended diet--she looked on it as an entertaining performance. And then she'd do what she wanted, anyway. Short of feeding Dad myself, and have her give him dessert anyway, there wasn't anything I could do.

I hope you can get the rest of the staff on board with you on this. And prevent the "But it tastes like crap without salt and fat and more sugar!" person from handling meal prep or shopping. Good luck.

Lee and -t--so exciting!

I've never had a doctor try to assign me a diet--well, OK, once, 15 years ago, I laughed at him. I get the straight look, the "you know this will get better if you lose weight, right?" statement, then we move on. I'm an educated adult, I'll take the fault.

Bev - the deck and raise are mine. Though I wish both to Strix, mightily.

The rebranding meeting was underwhelming. When they revealed our new logo, there were crickets. It doesn't go live externally for another month. Eh, it is the work that matters, but the amount of money and hoopla behind a logo.

the amount of money and hoopla behind a logo.

It is mind boggling.

My aunt wants to bring my tweenage (I am a bad person and don't remember their exact ages?) cousins for a visit to my office. I think she's hoping to interest her kids in tech careers. Or any careers. But these cousins have never expressed any interest to me that they want to do this. Because they don't talk to me at all during family gatherings as they're sullen tweenagers and I'm 36.

I don't really want to blow them off, so I guess I could take them on a tour of the office and a free lunch, and then send them on their way to sight see?

I legitimately can say that I'm embroiled in Confidential Stuff since lately I'm all I Am Not A Lawyer But I Have My Communications Signed Off By Them.

Oy, I just got copies of the new slide decks and scripts for two classes I teach monthly, and I am not impressed. The images look pretty, but they've shortened and simplified the content and I feel like now it is so basic and entry level. Which some of my class attendees need, but not all. And there was a really good example that one of the presentations used throughout, and they took it away. Big change, not happy.

Shift, if they're sullen, they are probably beyond tweens (my neicephews have tended to not go sullen until 13-14.) But yes, a tour and lunch is perfectly adequate. You DO work someplace kinda cool, even if it is not Playboy.

Now I have a someone who has created a Walmart baby registry with my email address.

My emailganger just signed up for OKCupid. I could've had so much fun, but I just changed her password and then disabled the account.

I mean, if she wants dates, she really should use an email address where she actually gets the messages.

Suzi, sorry! I knew it was you--the fingers weren't paying attention! And I'm sorry for the underwhelm.

Of course, the same sort of luck is wished to Strix. Except for the underwhelming, natch.

I hated Dad's doctor for many reasons. Many. I couldn't get them to change, though. "He hadn't killed them yet." Right. It was only a matter of time.

shrift, I can't imagine anybody being unimpressed with you--you should be the favorite female adult role model among young, impressionable rellies. But if not, yes, I'd think a quick tour, answer questions, lunch, and on to sightseeing would be an admirable contribution.

flea, I'm sorry. The trend is endemic, I think. Everywhere, in every facet of life. Simplify, dumb down, strip and suppress ideas and facts that might spark independent thought.

Oy. So depressing, don't get me started.

Time for lunch, strip the (oops. forgot) winter decor off the front door broom and replace with spring stuff, boil a new biteplate night guard thing, and otherwise procrastinate to avoid working.

strip the (oops. forgot) winter decor off the front door broom and replace with spring stuff

I just tossed my mother's wreath yesterday! Oops.