I did a good bit of shopping yesterday.

I'll be the first to admit I'm seriously lacking in the adult meal preparation department. I've always been (and probably always will be) a total restaurant fanatic. If I have a choice of eating out or staying home and cooking, I will almost always choose going out. And when I don't choose going out, I still give serious thought to delivery.

So the whole buying bulk packages of meat and chicken (chicken's meat, I know, but ... ) and separating them into individual freezer bags for individual dinners ... well ... it's alien to me.

I bought two huge packages of chicken thighs yesterday from two different stores. When I got home, I noticed this really odd, nasty smell.

Open one package of chicken and holy fuck. I wanted to vomit. Really. It reeked. I separated and bagged them anyway, figuring I'd wait until I opened the 2nd package from the other store and see how it smelled (see? That's how much I don't cook 'real' food at home).

And it stank, too.

My mom thought the whole thing hilarious. There was much laughter on her end of the line once she got over the shock of her daughter actually preparing servings ahead of schedule.

Today, though, I'm feeling less confident about the chicken. Yes, both packages made me want to vomit. Yes, each package was from a different store so the chances of them both being spoiled are really low.

But still ... that rotten egg smell can't be a good sign. I've decided to toss them and buy some from a 3rd store.

And if that stuff stinks? Well, I'll feel like a dumbass for tossing out the other chicken but at least I'll be more confident that I'm not going to give Patrick and I salminella.

In other news ...

My ring is back! And it's beautiful. When the woman said I'd get a practically new ring back, she wasn't kidding. I can see where the changes were made in the prongs and the main diamond was reset to better fit the opening. And they re-rounded the band part - ya know, where it changes shape to match the actual shape of your finger. Apparently my fingers are more oval than round.

I'm super happy to have it back where it belongs. I really did miss the bugger.

*******

Long time readers of my blog will know that my closest friends are gay men. And I've always been curious about those who change their gender. I understand part of it, but there are parts I still don't quite understand.

Having said that (what an opener, eh?), I've been watching this show. I've seen a couple of episodes here and there in the past, but they recently started a 6 part series.

And it really is intriguing. Not just the aspect of the surgeries, but the stories of those who come to the hospital to have it done. The patients are almost painfully honest in their feelings and struggles with their gender. You really see their hearts in this show. And you also see the hearts of those around them.

Obviously, I'm not about to judge their decisions (and if you are, please keep it to yourself - comments about burning in hell and such will be deleted).

As to why people feel the way they do, I couldn't begin to comment. But I would recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more. It's not flashy, it's not gaudy - I wouldn't even rank it as a 'reality' show. It's just very matter of fact and honest.

And that cutting through the BS and showing the heart of people experiencing this is what makes it a must watch for me.