***SWEAR WORDS***

When my Ex-husband and I got engaged, I was working for a jeweler, which meant I could purchase jewelry at cost.

This meant we got me an absolutely gorgeous ring: approx. 2/3-carat pear-shaped diamond, set on its side over a curve of tapered baguettes in an 18kt yellow gold setting. The diamond was personally selected for me by the diamond buyer of the company.

When we separated, I offered it back to my Ex, but he told me (nicely) to keep it. I put it in my jewelry box, and didn't wear it for several years. Now, I wear it on my right hand once every few months, because it's gorgeous and unusual.

I wore it about a week ago.

I can't find it now.

It's not in my jewelry box. It's not on my dresser. It's not under my dresser. It's not in my purse or the purse I was carrying a while ago. It's not on my nightstand. It's not on the shelf on my home office desk where I sometimes set my jewelry.

I. Can't. Find. It.

Housecleaning suddenly takes on a whole new level of urgency.

Kidnapped

This meme via tx_cronopio (who I am delighted to have as an actual Friend of my own now, and not just see her on other peoples' Comments!)

List 5 People -- Real or Fictional -- You'd Like to be Kidnapped By (For Very Important Reasons That Only You Can Solve) And Go on A Wild Car Ride Through The Desert Causing Mischief With, And Even Though It Might Be Scary For The First 18 Minutes, It All Turns Out OK And A Fun Time Is Had By All

Not that I would ever have thought about this question before. No, never, not me. Nope. Unh-uh.

1. SC & PS (aka THB) -- That's where The Journeys started, in 1977.

2. My friend Hob, either as himself or in one of his gaming and/or daimon guises.

3. Antonio Banderas/El Mariachi -- sexy and dangerous. After we've had our thrilling adventure, he can teach me to tango. (Did I mention sexy? And dangerous?)

4. Morgan Adams (Geena Davis in Cutthroat Island) -- I'd be happy to be whisked out of my everyday life and sign Articles with her.

5. Lee

And. . .

. . . from the positive, real-world sector of my universe:

I stopped at my neighborhood hangout on the way home from work today and drafted a letter to my department while I had a drink and some bread.

What got me over the hump -- besides all the lovely affirmations left here by my Friends -- was reading a bit of my own fiction that I'd written several weeks ago. The topic had nothing to do with my current issue, but I had written this:

. . . I understood that [the avatar of] Inanna was ruled only by her own desire and reaped the consequences of pleasure or pain with a bold heart.

Something about that made me realize that I should not be casting myself as a screw-up petitioner. I needed to write my note with dignity, explaining what had happened, but not abasing myself. And I'm pretty happy with what I came up with.

I'm going to sleep on it, and aim to send it tomorrow (Tuesday).