Oh, it's a good analogy, and I can work with it, but I usually just think and speak in terms of energy. Rather than say I've spent too many spoons, I tend to say I've spent too much energy, or am exhausted in this or that manner. It's the same thing, just different words.

I can relate to the lighting/shades thing, due to migraines, but I do apologize briefly, when I remember I'm "shaded", as I feel it is rude. I will say something like, "I apologize for keeping my shades on while we speak; I am light sensitive." People usually accept that and move on.

People can get sound sensitivity too, when it's about the jackhammer from road construction outside, but I can't very well put in earplugs while someone is talking to me, and tell them I'm down too many sound spoons, can I? Or on a nice quiet day, because the birds are chirping, or because someone is shuffling papers next to me? This is not migraine related and the doctors have had nothing to say about it. When I am in trouble with this, all I can do is "spend more spoons" until I'm completely fried, at which point I "graduate" to my usual excuse...

My standard excuse at work for almost anything was, "I'm just a bit tired." I was chronically tired from sleeping only 2-3 hours during the week, anyway. It is something people accept, so I started using it for any random state of ill-being. I believe others do this too, just, they probably don't have to as often as we do.

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And yes, absolutely! Covering costs spoons! Big silver serving spoons, in fact!

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