Girl Talk

Early in December, I met the Dilettantes out for our monthly activity and annual Christmas gift exchange.

I was very excited to give the Dilettantes the gifts that I had carefully selected -- gifts that I knew were perfect from the moment I saw them.

You see, the month before I had met them out right after one of my laser hair removal appointments. I am now four treatments into this process, and while easily one of the more humiliating and painful experiences I have ever had, I am certainly pleased with the results. Because I had some discomfort that day, I mentioned it to the Dilettantes, who then proceeded to pepper me with questions. Not about how I was feeling, of course...but about which design I had selected.

Amy thought I may have gone for the "Frida Kahlo" (which, honestly, has not really had its day -- so many people go for a more vertical aesthetic.)

Amanda figured that I was going more for a pattern -- plaid or houndstooth, she surmised.

So, you can imagine how thrilled I was when I began my Christmas shopping not long after and found the Woody-Willy-esque "Designer Beaver (registered trademark)."

During the Christmas gift exchange, I presented the gifts to the Dilettantes, with the smug confidence one has when they know that they selected exactly the right present.

A few days later, I got an e-mail from Amy. The body of the e-mail was blank, but it included the following attachment:

It's like looking in a mirror, really.

A few days after that, I also received an e-mail from Amanda. Worth a thousand words, so they say:

It's neither the houndstooth nor the Kahlo,

Brutalism