Batty, on my 300th Day

As I sat at lunch today with a group of my 3rd grade girls, the discussion turned to the bats dangling from my ears.

"Today is a big day for me," I remarked. "It's the 300th day of 2011, so I've worn 300 different pairs of earrings."

"Wait! You own 300 earrings?" asked a 5th grader sitting nearby.

"Well, actually," I smiled, I own at least 730 earrings."

"That would be enough for two years!" she stammered.

"730 earrings, 365 pairs. Did you know I'm wearing a different pair each day? I started on January 1st. Now I only have 65 days to go!"

"That's a lot of earrings!"

It really is. I usually have many pairs stored in drawers. But since I'm doing my best to keep track of those I've worn, they're lined up in order on the many racks atop my dresser.

Today's bats are favorites of mine: three bats on each, bobbing constantly as my head moves. The girls passed them around at lunch today, marveling at how light they are.  I always wear them as Halloween approaches. I hung them on an orange rubber glove in front of a lamp for this photograph.

Even there, they're in flight!