I have to admit that I dismissed Todd's whole "these-animal-rubber-bands-are-so-right-up-your-alley" at first. It was about a month ago, I was choking on spreadsheets, and I didn't really care to digress very much-- no matter how much spoon feeding he was willing to do.

And then when I finally did get worked up about it, I hit a roadblock.

But then when B and I were shopping for gifts in Cleveland Park on Thursday, they crossed our paths again-- and this time their bright colors and kindergarten shapes were irresistible. Not to mention our attraction to their humorous packaging with phonetic mishaps-- "We can wishstand 374ºF"-- and tragic warnings-- "Please do not pull us too hard. We don't wanna die!"

Just now, I pulled them out of their sterile packaging and stretched the elephant all out of shape-- squealing freakishly that I had broken him until B was kind enough to take him from me and twist him gently this way and that, until he returned to his perfect elephant shape.

I am in love. I want to wear them in my hair and pull them out when I need a smile. I long for a stressful conference call during which to twirl them endlessly between my middle finger and thumb. I have no desk drawer, but I will never throw them away. They have come to stay forever.