June 16, 2003 - 7:51 p.m.

simon is growing a beard. kissing him now feels like kissing a bowl of sugar, or one of those scary convenience-store donuts with the sprinkles [hundreds and thousands] on top. i think it looks pretty hot, though, so i'm putting up with the textural inconvenience.

the modeling agency phoned today and said a studio in richmond needed my portfolio urgently. i let them know that A) i was working, so i could not deliver it urgently; and B) i have long hair. they wanted me to send a digital photo, but i decided the best way to tackle the subject was to go to the agency in person, right after bank training.

it turns out that they love my new hair, perhaps better than the old hair i've had for nearly a decade (and the only hair they've known me with). however, my portfolio is devoid of longer-haired pictures, so i essentially have two choices: 1) cut my hair, or 2) get new pictures, which, most likely, will be expensive. i told them that - should the modeling ever become regular - i would be happy to pay for said pictures. at the present time, however, one job every three months is not enough of a return on such an investment. and i am too lazy to go and get a haircut unless someone is going to pay me to do it. so we are going to come up with a plan together.

there's a young english vet at our local clinic, and he's in love with miko. she had a followup appointment tonight (due to a fever at the last appointment that needed to be monitored), and he kept saying, "oh, miko, you're so pretty..." when he says it in his accent, it sounds like "prit-aye". tee hee. i know she loves it, too, because she jumped on his shoulder and let him pet her repeatedly.

i think she's starting to feel better. we picked up the scratching post from natalie last night. we brought it inside, and before i could even say to simon, "do you want to show her how to use it?" she had flung herself upon it and was nearly upside down. something tells me she had one at her last place of residence.

my amazon.com shipment arrived on saturday, and was i ever excited. how it all vegan has been my favorite cookbook for quite a while, but there have been a few things i wish i knew how to make that the book doesn't cover. thanks to the sequel, i now know how to make vegan calzones (i made them saturday night, and they were scrumptious), crepes (now brunch will be complete) and - get this - ice cream sandwiches! it's about time, too, because we were getting sick of our local supermarket not carrying tofutti cuties anymore. harumph.