So it's Tuesday night. I arrive home to hug my Mommy and hand her my gift. We sit around the kitchen table, the table long-ago etched with our hard-handed pencils learning our ABC's. Mom opens each gift and hugs each giver. My sister is barfy-sick, so it's just the three of us that head out for a Greek dinner.

We arrive at the typical Greek place. It's painted blue and white (surprise, surprise) and it smells like calamari, lemon, and garlic. We are seated by a rather cheesy-looking Greek dude who smells remarkably like typical Slimey Bar Dude - whatever that suave cologne is. We pass a row of server boys who each in turn look at my ass. This is going to be interesting.

We order some Greek red wine and hummous. I look around at the other patrons, and they are all real Greeks. The women have flamboyant scarves in their hair, and the men are stout and dark. I bet the food here is really good.

Cheesy comes to take our order. We are sharing a platter, which includes lamb. Dad takes this prime opportunity to tell Cheesy that his daughter has 150 sheep and they just had lambs� and she's still willing to eat lamb!! Oh joy. I felt like I was 12 again. I stared at my lap wishing them to just shut up and go away. "Oh yeah?" Cheesy comments. Only, he really seems interested and is looking to make eye contact with me. Dad explains the farm-in-the-city thing as if I wasn't sitting right there.

Really, Dad, you can let me tell my own stories. As if I really want this guy to know exactly where I live.

OK, moving right along. So I wore my glasses to work and was endlessly complimented on them. It's strange - I always thought that they were not something you complimented someone on. But apparently green glasses are funky. My boss liked them so much he snatched them off my face and tried them on.. going down the hall to find a mirror to look at himself in. "My wife wouldn't let me get glasses that weren't wire framed! I wanted nerd glasses, and green is my favourite colour!"

I rearranged my schedule so that I will have Tues and Thurs free next semester, and I offered my skills at work. I think it's pretty much a given that they will take me up on that. Go cash flow.

Finally, I have noticed that lately I've been getting more than my fair share of compliments. I always tell people that they've got cool pants or shoes or whatever, but I've been getting more than double in return. Perhaps I just have good taste? Ida know. One day it's all about how I did my hair, the next it's my glasses, the next it's weight loss, the next it's a sweater.. then necklace... then jeans... I don't get it. Today: calves. "You've got wicked calves... from biking no doubt"... this was in the middle of a conversation about wearing heels and the upcoming Christmas Party.

Hmm...