Gross. I'd want to throw the paperweight at T's face.

But I might feel differently if my T were different, or our relationship was. I know what it's like to accept an endearment from some people and not from others, though--weird, isn't it?

I used to get an absurd amount of pleasure being called 'Kid' and by a mentor-type person when I was in my teens. Maybe because he was one of only a very few people I felt comfortable being a 'kid' around?

Maybe your T is one of the few people you can trust to think you're a 'dear' and still not patronize you?