even the best needles are not sharp at both ends

I'm changing the format here a little, to make things more interesting. Click the word to get the definition, or work it out from my example afterward.

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January 6: omnium-gatherum

When Cat & Beast visited a couple of weeks ago, they discovered my freakishly organized omnium-gatherum of tiny boxes and contents. I think it was a revelatory moment in our friendship.

February 6: anneal

I've been annealed this year and the last; after some time to be angry and grieve, I'm getting tougher in response.

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1. Are you through with all of the stress associated with the Holidays and the New Year?
   I think so? And [bleep]ing V-Day is next week. Hoo-ray.
2. What is the stupidest thing about New Year's resolutions?
   how bent out of shape people get about them. Look, to me it's just the natural reaction to the newness of the year, the winter, the end of the hustle & bustle of the holidays. Clearing the decks of the old stuff that's not working, and resetting the routine with something new that just might work. I don't think that they're "necessary" or even a great idea for most people, most of the time. But are they a "bad" thing? Probably not. Getting out of a rut cannot be a bad thing.
3. We hear that Michael Vick has been given the use of a car in return for promoting a car dealership. Would you ever buy a car from that dealership?
   YES. I WOULD.
   I believe in innocent until proven guilty. And I believe in allowing those who've served their time to be DONE when they're DONE. If you're 'cleared' to be back on the streets, part of the general population, then you're back to sea level: back to innocent. Until PROVEN. Guilty. So ENOUGH already. The guy did what he did; he was caught. He was charged. He was convicted. He served his sentence. And he's done. That's ENOUGH!
   If we have to point fingers, let's get a mirror. Let's blame the culture of parents who shove their kids into "traveling leagues" in elementary school so they'll be up for scholarships and have a better chance to make the pros. Um, you know this when they're eight? Get over yourself, Stefano Capriati. Let's also blame the fans--those of us who promote the mentality that whatever they do is OK, that we'll buy their jerseys and watch their games and read their feeds anyway, regardless of what they say or do. Let's blame the press, who take a little bit of interest, blow it wildly out of proportion, and ferret their way into athletes' personal lives so far that they have no real safe space to be themselves; the entirety of their universe is (seemingly) for public viewing.
   What would Vince Lombardi say about the Leap?
4. Do you think that eating too many carrots turns the skin orange?
   er, yes? I do believe in science' carotenosis is real.
5. Have you ever witnessed someone stealing from a store?
   nope - not that I know of?
6. What is the worst thing you can say to a bus driver?
   I would guess that just screaming would be the worst thing, while they're driving. This is an odd question.
7. What grosses you out about feet?
   absolutely nothing. As everyone knows, my feet are practically perfect in every way. Well, that's my feet. In other people: showing them off, when they're not cared for. I don't mean that a $50 pedicure is necessary before one dares to step outside in sandals. I do mean that trimming one's toenails and filing off the grody dead skin is necessary before drawing attention to one's feet by wearing flashy flip-flops with iridescent beads.
8. The highlight of your perfect day would be what?
   The right communication from the right party, tendering the right offer. It would cause no end of problems for other people (some of whom I care about a lot) but it's still as close to perfect as I can imagine.

[from The Cat, who got it here; the title quotation is a Chinese proverb]