I am so excited that my darling delicious friend Whitney will be arriving (gasp!) on Thursday! One day and fifteen minutes! This is going to be one extra fun time. I need a break, too. I need to sort out my head and gain some enlightenment.

Lately I've been saying things, kindly or innocently meant, and they've been taken the wrong way and blown entirely out of proportion, causing some argument or awkwardness or anger. Something I hardly notice saying will get someone riled, and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I think I need to read some Buddhist literature, take a few days off, and learn the value of silence. A more humorous example of this thing that's been happening to mee is this, which happened today. I was calling a man named Ken about a DVD he ordered from the store, and when I called the number he gave us, a voice answered, "King Neptune."

I was a bit ruffled. I mean, usually people say "hello" or "this is Ken", et cetera. I've never heard someone say "King Neptune" as a greeting, and it threw me for a Froot Loop.

"Pardon?" I said, because I didn't think to say, "Greetings, your Majesty."

"King Neptune Carpet Cleaning," the guy said, and it was immediately clear. "This is Ken."

"Ken!" I said. "Okay, hi. See, I thought you were introducing yourself as King Neptune, which would have been a little weird." I giggled.

"Uh, I do introduce myself that way," he said angrily. "I'm a carpet cleaner."

Oh of course. Makes perfect sense that all carpet cleaners should call themselves King Neptune. Why didn't I see it before? Naturally you would get salty with me and treat me like a dunce for not realizing that you are both Ken and King Neptune. A thousand pardons.



Anyway, I'm off to paint henna on my hands for the first time. Wish me luck, sweehearts.

Happy Wednesday! Do please enjoy your cartoon.