Dawning realization...

So, there I was, blathering on during a conversation when I had the most peculiar, slightly horrible feeling of "Oh my gosh, what I am talking about is completely not what I thought I was talking about."

Has this ever happened to you? It was the most bizarre mental progression ever. I don't think it has ever happened to me because it was so unsettling, I'm sure I'd remember.

Wait, what? More details you say? Alright, but for such a weird feeling, it was a rather mundane conversation. Because I was talking to a friend at a dinner party that Kelly and I were hosting and we were talking about the variations on carnitas. I have always made more of a Cuban style dish, while my friend has had the Mexican version in a green sauce. (The green sauce is another mystery. He says it's not tomatillos, so I am perplexed). So, I was talking about how I made the pork with tamarind when I started getting this foreboding sense of impending doom because I realized, "I did not use tamarind, I used tahini." COMPLETELY different. Tart fruit pulp derivative, meet sesame paste. Sesame paste, meet tart fruit pulp. Crazy!!!

I think I was flustered because I realized this significant change about 5 minutes before dinner for 8 was about to be served. Now is this on the level of, oh, say, who to vote for? Almost. Just kidding! Of course not. But it was pretty strange.

Fortunately, all unsettledness ended at the end of the meal when we had Breyer's vanilla ice cream with Goya Dolche de Leche. Hooray for comforting desserts!

But, yes, Kelly and I had a dinner party, which was awesome. No movie night unfortunately since one of the guests had a kid and HELLO CHILDLESS PEOPLE, it's a school night (duh). But everyone had a really nice time and I'm so happy I am meeting awesome people in San Diego. I'm even going knitting in two weeks. Fun!

Today was my command orientation. Yes, two months later, it's time for me to figure out what's going on. But actually, it's a lesson in customer service and patient relations. Now, yay for empathy, patient care, and doing the right thing. I feel I do that reasonably well and fairly often. But what I cannot stand is a Steven Covey "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" lovefest, with lots of buzzwords and Powerpoint mindlessness. But, it was mercifully short, I got to help in clinic, and I got *thismuchcloser* to my Rhode Island/Martha's Vineyard vacation! Yay! I leave Wednesday, hooray!