Yesterday I had to go into Jacksonville for follow-up at Hill Breast Center, but I will go ahead and spoil the ending - everything's fine.

Several years ago I had to go to this place for a biopsy of a particularly dense mass. I was a little anxious about going back, because I remember the first visit taking all day. I don't remember why I was waiting around so long, but yesterday's visit was about 90 minutes. I had a diagnostic mammogram and then an ultrasound, from which they decided no biopsy was needed. I do have some calcifications, but they want me to get some twice-yearly MRIs to check on those, and if after two years they haven't changed, then they're likely to not ever do anything. The main thing they want to make sure of is that a mass doesn't also form in the area. Plus I have unusual amounts of heterogenous density, so I'm even more like trying to find a rock in a bag of jellybeans.

Since I was already so far out, I detoured to go to the new Lotte Market we got in October. It moved into an old Best Buy, so it's enormous. I really want Fox to be able to come along on another visit. They have just about any Asian food you can think of, produce to frozen foods, as well as a big selection of Indian and Hispanic foods. They also have several small food stands inside the store, selling coffee and pastries, Japanese street food, and Korean barbeque. I got a chocolate-filled shokupan roll. They have Ramune-flavored ice cream, live seafood, all manner of fermented foods, fresh mushrooms, fish cake multipacks for donburi, and home goods of all kinds. I was delighted and kept spamming Fox with photos of things.

I had some other stops to make, including REI before I was able to head back home, and it was a long day out for me. I'm somewhat dreading the need to argue with insurance about these MRIs they want, because I know the insurance will say they aren't necessary and won't want to pay for them. And it may get much worse, depending on how policies shake out. But I guess we'll deal with that when the time comes. I'm also not looking forward to needing to get rid of my ear piercings for these scans, but I might be able to find glass or silicone retainers, and just recruit Fox to help me switch everything out.

Anyway, I've always kind of wanted to do this for Christmas - ramen. I can buy bottled broth concentrate (probably miso, which is what Fox and I like best), the noodles, veg, and even a good cut of pork belly for the chashu. I would make my own broth but mine never quite has the richness, and I haven't figured out why.

1. Did you get an allowance as a kid, and if so, how much was it?
I remember at one point getting paid per chore done, at one point five bucks a week.

2. How old were you when you had your first job, and what was it?
16, I was a cataloging library assistant at my college library. One of my tasks was to file new cards in the card catalog and remove the cards for withdrawn books.

3. Which do you do better: save money or spend money?
Spend, honestly. But I am getting much better at saving.

4. Are people more likely to borrow money from you, or are you more likely to borrow from them?
Neither - I don't really have anyone around me who would bum money, and I don't need to.

5. What's the most expensive thing you've ever bought?
Like me, personally, not as part of a couple? That would maybe be the gravel bike I bought. Which I really ought to get out and ride more.