Chocolate, Elucidation, and Cool Swag

Today's chocolate: Periwinkles, adorable little bites of smooooth milk chocolate.

Based on what I wrote yesterday about getting ready for the holidays, my mother wanted to be sure that I wasn't worrying about cleaning up for her, which got me thinking about what I am doing. And no, I really am sure, I am not doing some sort of stereotypical "cleaning because my mother is coming to visit". There are all sorts of assumptions to that, which would attach a large "but" in the air over my protestations that I'm looking forward to the visit, honestly! It has a flavor of protesting too much which I deny. In fact, I am cleaning because someone other than me is going to be in my home.

That's kind of rare for me, actually; when is the last time someone (other than the vet or a petsitter) was in my home? Ummm ... I can't even say for sure. Months? (JDJ, it was probably you: any idea when?) I tend to go out more than I have people in, and when it's been this long, it exposes the space between my cleaning standards In Theory and In Practice.

In Theory, I like things to be clean, organized, in place, all that good stuff. If effort wasn't involved in making it so, my kitchen counters would always be clean and clear, and there would be no to-file-pile or tumbleweeds of cat hair and dust in corners.

In Practice, if it's a question of picking up a book or a sponge, the book will almost always win. I have awesome powers of mess-ignoring when there's something I'd rather be doing, and let's face it, there's almost always something I'd rather be doing.

What this means is that conditions around here slide farther and farther from Standards in Theory, until either it gets gross enough for me to actually notice and be motivated to do something about it, or until someone (anyone) is going to be coming in. Thus, it's not that I worry about my place not living up to someone else's standards (my mother's, in this example), but about realizing that I'm not living up to my own. Does that make sense? Does everyone think this way? Does anyone?

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Coolness from the Sheldon store:


I've mentioned Sheldon before, and my delight when he incorporated knitting into the fun world he draws. I approve this message.

Speaking of cool stuff? I read recently about the Bureau Chiefs Store, and found a trove there. I was going to show you my favorite, but that turned out to be my favorite four:


Fellow word nerds. Happy sigh.