2 by 2.5

It's incredible that after all the shopping, gifts, exchanges and accumulation of things whose origins you have forgotten; your whole life can fit into a suitcase.

I am a hoarder. The postcard my Grandad wrote to me on a flight from Bombay to London. The T-shirt my sister gave me that may or may not have several holes in it but feels like a warm hug. The little pin of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh that has survived four wallets and my penchant for losing small things.

I have all these and I've refused to let go.

But other possessions that I felt emotionally invested in have not been so fortunate. As I've once again upped and moved, I had to be ruthless with the packing. Just the bare essentials, weighed with the practicality of what a girl 5 feet and 3.5 inches tall can lug around.

Not much made the cut into the big black bag.

Which leads me to think, new resolutions are in order. Less hoarding, more recycling and just a little bit more common sense (did I honestly think that the laundry basket was going to move with me?!).

In the meanwhile, there's are still a few summer sales on.

You know, presents for other people of course!

You're a completely worthless waste of space, but, you know... don't take it personally!

I will never understand this line, 'Don't take it personally.'

The Manager at the store where I have a part-time job (that I am thankfully quitting soon) had a little talk with the Assistant Manager. She told her that all the other staff had complained about her 'driving them too hard', being rude and unapproachable, that a client had called to talk about her attitude and 'tone' and that she needed to 'chill out and relax.' She then proceeded to leave the store early because she wasn't feeling too well and gave the Assistant Manager a list of about 12 things to do for the next day. You know, so that she could... relax and take it easy.

So when I was asked by this lovely Italian lady if I had said anything to the Manager, I was surprised, because I quite like working with her. Moreover, if I have a problem with someone, they're likely to find out about it in a more direct manner, i.e. through me.

Then the Manager asks me if the Assistant Manager had spoken to me (yes, I hope you're following the intricacies of retail politics), and I expressed my displeasure about being used as a little pawn in whatever weird strategy games they were trying to play,especially when I had never said anything to anyone about any of this!

To which she says, 'Oh, I had no idea she'd take it so personally.'

Which leads me to ask, what exactly does that mean? What other way is there to take it when your personal and professional qualities are being called into question? Are you supposed to file it under some other alter-ego and carry on as if nothing was said?

No one seems to know, but no one wants you to ever take anything they've said 'too personally'. Heaven forbid they may actually hurt your feelings with their unthinking words, callousness and (in the case of this particular Manager) downright lies.