Flattery, unlike coriander, is the spice of life. I just went downstairs to deliver some invoices to accounting. →[More:] The lady who was to receive them looked maybe five years older than me—so, young—and was quite pretty. I did the knock-on-the-open-door thing to announce myself, she turned away from her computer to look at me—and I got the most spontaneous look of pleasant surprise I've ever seen in my life.

I'm terrible at noticing interest of any degree and have the self-esteem of an earthworm, but she might as well have held up a Wile-E.-Coyote-style sign saying "Wow! Hello!" That she seemed slightly flustered while I properly introduced myself and handed over the paperwork only supported my hypothesis; ditto the shy smile and awkward silence before I excused myself.

My ego is feeling quite properly boosted.