All my life I've been told I look glum when I really don't feel that way. When it's composed and relaxed, my face must take on some unhappy-looking aspect that I fail to discern when I investigate myself in the mirror. It's bothered me since I was a kid that people ask me "what's the matter" when I'm actually quite fine inside. It's ruined more than one good mood actually.
Recently, though, people have taken to telling me I have a great smile, or a nice face. (Don't ask - I'm not doing anything different that I'm aware of.) And now I'm having a hard time figuring out which is worse - being told I look miserable when I'm not, or being told I look happy when I'm not.
At this point, The Socialist would probably tell me that I should just start going out with a bag over my head.
The shelter I work for is trying to take advantage of the holidays to earn some Christmastime donations for the organization. We have a pet photos with Santa every year that works really well. We're also doing gift-wrapping at Barnes and Noble this year. We were late in applying, so others representing equally worthy causes have grabbed most of the good dates already. I noted with some interest that Christmas Eve was not taken though. I'm of the hopeful opinion that last minutes shoppers will be:
1. More desperate to have their gifts wrapped than the average shopper
2. More generous with a donation towards gift-wrapping than the average shopper
3. More likely to put up with my just-barely-adequate wrapping technique
I volunteered for the 7-10 shift Christmas Eve, and said I'd work the 5-8 shift as well, if I could show up a little late. I have to work Christmas Eve, so I probably wouldn't be able to get there much before 6:00 unless we have a light day. Even then, I'd like to go home and shower and change first, although if things are tight I can forgo the shower and bring a change of clothes to the office.
It's confirmed. I'll be in Raleigh-Durham December 8th through 10th, attending the National Multi-Hazard Symposium again. I love that area of the country. I just wish I had more time to spend down there. I'll have to check and see if my friend in the EPA is going again this year. If so, she and I will have to plan on a night on the town while we're there. The hotel shuttle goes to several interesting places, so we might as well take advantage of it if we can.