With so many folks in my life who have been around me for years, it's easy to get spoiled with the kind of relationship we have, where some things go unsaid, where I'm comfortable with who I am around them and not constantly worried that I'm being judged. That said, we hung out with a new friend of Andrea's this week and I found myself very on edge, listening carefully for judgemental comments (which did come, intentional or not, why does *everyone* feel the need to tell me that 4 dogs is "a lot"? You think I don't know that when I buy their food or struggle to make room on the couch for myself or pay vet bills or look at them and know that even though there are indeed 4 of them, they are all part of my heart and I wouldn't have it any other way so fuck off, would ya?). I guess I'm just spoiled by, and more comfortable around my long time friends (lifers, sorry y'all are stuck!) who see through the outside view of my life and into my heart.