BY THE BY

• My boss called me an "amazing sales person" this week. I have elected to believe her and therefore feel like a million bucks that is under pressure to pull off some miracles.

• I was going through my notebook, the spiral bound thing that holds my life together and is rarely more than 10 feet from my fingertips, and on one to-do list it said "Wednesday--Do not eat." Nearly certain I blew that play.

• My car is really common. It's a fleet car, after all. So yesterday out in the parking lot after making a call in a doctor's office, I walked up to the wrong car and opened the door to throw my drug bag in the back seat. Cigarette smoke smell and giant pieces of sandpaper on the back floorboards clued me in to my mistake. But larger than that--there are people who don't lock their cars?

• Certain things should never be photographed. Beef stroganoff is one.

• Being cute but not beautiful makes you approachable.

• Wearing very high high heels every day means that every day people will stare at your feet and "whisper" to their companion that they have no idea how you can walk "in those things."

• My dinner tonight included a potato poblano hash and a wrap with hummus and quinoa and then a brownie with a pretzel crust. One meal to make me like a room with out a roof. (Happened.)

• When conversation reveals that you are newly married people start glancing at your left hand every few seconds for a surreptitious look at your ring.

• On that, how's married life, Megan? Really effing splendid, y'all. We have fun every day. Our conversations consistently broaden my scope of understanding. I'm gaga for him. He loves the hell out of me. My in-laws are spectacular. I still think his astonishingly loud snoring is cute. (Blessing, that.) He admires my talents and honors my independence. We respect each other. All the people everywhere agree that he is adorable.

• Here are a few of Amazon's current recommendations for me:

Malden smoked sea salt
Black lava sea salt
Calvin Klein thong
HydroFlask ice cube trays
Double-sided origami paper
Chiyogami paper
Low-odor chisel tip dry erase markers
"Made in 1964" t-shirt
The book Little Quilts: 15 Step-by-step Projects for Adorably Small Quilts
MiaBella balsamic vinegar

• The way people cooperate in a 4-way-stop style when traffic lights go out leads me to think about the concept of maybe having a little bit of faith in humanity.

• The chipper CVS clerk: Do you have a CVS card?
The me: No (lying)
The chipper CVS clerk: Well let's get you signed up for one--
The me: If I have to sign up for one more card I will poke out eyes. Maybe mine. 
The now wary CVS clerk: I'll just scan the store card for you, ma'am . . .

• I take pride in being able to walk in high heels without looking like an idiot.

• Money makes me happy. I'm not ashamed of it, and I really couldn't care less that joy in such sounds shallow.

• My name badge is my security blanket. I sort of don't know how to do my job without it.

• "Entitled" is the filthiest word.

• Jim and I just spent an entire dinner out talking about construction companies' estimating processes and billing practices.