So, it�s like this. Because my desk faces the main/only office entry door, and because the door and the �walls� that surround it are made of glass, and because it is sunny this morning (which is a nice change from the rain) it is virtually impossible to recognize anyone who comes in. The blinding sunlight is behind them and they, in turn, are simply a silhouette of a person. The completely blackened version of themselves. It�s only when they speak or get within a few feet of me that they become human again.

Just thought I�d share that.

Shopping last night was good and bad. Good: Despite getting a bit lost on the way to the first vintage store, I made it to not only two stores, but THREE, before they all closed at six. Bad: I found nothing. Well, let me rephrase that� I found nothing I could afford. One store in particular had absolutely gorgeous clothes, but everything I liked was priced well into the three digits. Not what I wanted to spend. So, I compromised. I thought of two outfits in my closet that I *could* wear if I got one or two other things. First up -- a new pair of shoes. (Actually, I bought two pair of shoes because I was at Payless and it�s �buy one, get the next pair half off.� So, I got two pair for only $23.25. $23.25! You just can�t beat that.) I got some neat, black heal-y shoes for the party tonight, and some really cute Steve Madden rip offs that are red with a strap and little cut outs near the toes. I�m wearing them today, and I�m happy to say I�m very pleased with my purchase. Also, since one of the potential outfits is a dress that fit me about ten pounds ago, I gots me a pair of those sucky-in underwear. I tried them on when I got home and they definitely suck. The good way, that is.

THIS JUST IN: I just overheard one of the men here ask the boss if he is, �going to wear a tux again this year� to the Christmas party. Wow. It�s going to be swankier than I thought. That settles it � I�ll be wearing the second potential already-owned outfit. It�s the dressier of the two.

I didn�t end up getting Non�s present last night; I ran out of time. It�ll have to wait until the weekend, but that�s okay because it�s not one of those get-it-before-it�s-gone sort of items. I am, however, excited to get it and wrap it and, especially, to give it to Non. I hope he likes it! I think he will.

Speaking of the sucky-in underwear, Non and I got to talking last night about New Years Resolutions which turned into a general discussion about things we want to do in the year 2003. We were just sort of talking nonchalantly about it, then� he said the �p� word.

PROPOSE.

I was kinda taken off guard and gave him the deer-in-the-headlights look. Non started to laugh.

Non: (chuckling) You look surprised.

Me: Uh� I am surprised.

Non: Why? We�ve talked about this before.

Me: I know� I just�um�I didn�t know� when� um�.ya know�.

Non: That wasn�t a sentence.

Me: I mean, I know we�ve talked about wanting to have a wedding in the winter, but I didn�t know WHICH winter we were talking about�.ya know� technically.

Non: Ah.

Me: Yeah.

So, um� Wow. Like I said to Non, it�s not like I didn�t expect it eventually, but to just put it out there like that � with specifics � is much different than talking about it in the general sense. (If you're wondering how that tied in to the sucky-in underwear, so am I.)

Now, to change the subject completely� Do you remember a bubble gum called HUBBA BUBBA? They had those commercials that were set in the old west, but instead of seeing who was the quickest draw, they would see who could blow the biggest bubbles. They promised �No Stick Bubbles,� and they delivered. Blueberry Hubba Bubba was my favorite. I�ve missed it, I tell you. But now, my pretties, I found out how to get it! Apparently, though it�s no longer sold in the US, it�s still manufactured and sold in Europe and Canada. This website sells it for only 39 cents a pack. I thought that was pretty good seeing as how, when I was a kid, it cost 25 cents. That�s only a 14 cent mark up in 20 years.

Ohmyword. I�m suddenly nauseous at the realization that the heart of my childhood was a full two decades ago. I�m not exactly sure how to feel about that. I think I�ll go buy some Hubba Bubba to make it seem like it was yesterday.