Rich Corinthian Leather

I am seething inside, livid because what was supposed to be my academic day for catching up and making progress on a hundred things at work has turned into a day of a thousand obligations imposed upon me. But through the anger, I hear a little voice with a soft Mexican lilt, Ricardo Montalban in miniature sporting a fresh white suit perched on my shoulder saying over and over again, "Smiles, everyone, Smiles!" Not quite the angel on my shoulder I would have expected from attending Sunday service yesterday for the first time in months, which by the way was very rejuvenating, and a topic of another post to come. Alas, Mr. Roarke, with his eternal optimism, has suppressed the demon within me helping me to see past the flash of anger to the blessings that I do have -- two sets of helpful grandparents nearby, a flexible schedule at work, healthy, happy kids, and never the need to have breast-reduction surgery, which my dear nanny is having done this moment. Ah, I feel transported to a far away island of fantasy already...