Surreality

...purloined from thewronghands: "If you'd like, [show] a picture of something you love that lives on this Earth. It can be a picture you took, or one you found online."

Emperor penguin couples are simply adorable.

...courtesy of Powell's Sweet Shoppe in Boulder, various stationery-carrying type places in Boulder, and Tattered Cover of Denver. Acquired both before & after a lovely dinner at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse and due in large part to thewronghands's & J's wenchly, temptatious influence:

( Yarrrrrr.....booty, me hearties )

And just, ah....the magic of it. Of wandering through Willy Wonka-esque candy stores and dancing in delight, of happening upon books of foreign words with their own rhythm and rhyme. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Oh yes I do. Because while trying to figure out other causes of random weird medical foo that has been happening to me recently, I came across the following description:

"Ear disorder...characterized by inflammation...which causes dizziness." (major symptom lately)
"Occurs following an upper respiratory infection." (I had a nasty one for a month prior to recent dizziness and breathing fun.)
"Symptoms....abnormal sensation of movement, loss of balance....may be severe...severe episodes may be followed by transient episodes." (Check, check, and check.)

The diagnosis? Labyrinthitis.

I kid you not.

(Those of you who know me or have seen my web page will understand the giggling.)

The first being me and the second being my mother (self-proclaimed title, that one - I have this woman's genes. I bow to her silliness. Yay, Mommy!)

But as for an explanation of the first, given to me by one RavenBlack:

"Princess as a title does suit you (and you wear it well). The interesting
thing is that if I were asked to describe someone whom Princess suits, I
would not describe anyone like you.

Pondering how this could be, I came up with an analogy - if asked to
describe a fish, I would not describe a manta-ray, yet a manta-ray is
still a fish.

Thus, you are the manta-ray of princessdom."

Hee. [swish swish manta manta] He is the best of RavenBlacks.