shoppingshoppingshoppingshopping

I have a very unhealthy relationship with shopping. It's kind of like a serial dieter's relationship with food. In order to save money, I will ban myself from all shopping establishments, other than what is absolutely necessary. I'll be doing really well for a long time, and then suddenly, BAM! I realize that since I haven't updated my wardrobe (or decor, or music/movie collection, or kitchen gadgets, etc.) in for-freaking-ever, I am in serious (imaginary) need of new things, and I'll go out and buy everything that I see. So you see, it's kind of like how a dieter deprives them self of some kind of bad-for-you food, and then one day SNAPS and does an all-day binge on that very item. And of course, in the end, I really haven't saved myself any money, and now I have a bunch of guilt on top of it.

Well, my latest shopping moratorium came to a screeching halt on Tuesday when in a fit of the wants, I went over to the mall after work. I still haven't totalled up the damages (fear!!), but let's just say that I ended up with 3 sundresses ... and I wear a dress maybe once a year. The rest of the purchases were maybe a bit more sensible (some tank tops, a pair of shoes for work, a new bathing suit), except I went to Victoria's Secret and bought two things that I only sort of needed, neither of which were in the color that I actually needed. Fail.

Yesterday after work, I decided to try everything on again that I had bought, and see if there was anything I didn't like so much the second day and I could whittle it down and return some things. Only instead I ended up falling more in love with each and every purchase. Another fail.

The highlight of the shopping trip, however, really had nothing to do with any purchases. I'd been wearing my hair up in a ponytail that day, and the combination of the ponytail and the unforgiving lights in bathrooms/dressing rooms made my gray hairs so painfully obvious that I felt about 10 years older. I resolved that very day to make an appointment asap to get my hair colored (I'm thinking a dark auburn, what do you think?). Anyway, after feeling old before my time all day long (Hmmm, I wonder if maybe that had anything to do with the sudden need for shopping?), I went up to the register at a department store for my final purchase of the day. The young girl behind the counter took my U of I Alumni Association credit card and said to me, "I like your card! Do you go to school there?" She will never ever know how happy it made me that she said "do" and not "did."

shoppin'

I have to get a couple things for the new apartment, and since I am trying to avoid doing any work at work today, I've been surfing the net looking for cool stuff. And now you get to hear all about what I found. Lucky you!

So, one of the things I need to get is a floor lamp. And possibly another table lamp, too, but I'm just gonna start with a floor lamp. I actually do not currently have any lamps at all, which I admit is rather odd, but my new living room doesn't have any overhead lighting, so I must either prepare myself now or live in darkness. I have a rather odd sense of style, so the things I like to put in my home are usually either somewhat old-fashioned, or retro, or just unique. Interestingly enough, I found some lamps I liked on the Target website! Go Target! But sadly, most of them are kinda expensive, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. Here's what I found. Opinions??

I am really liking these stained glass type lamps (there are a couple other styles), though I wonder about how much light they will actually throw. Same with this one, except the fact that the rose design seems to be upside-down intrigues me. Will I love it for that or will it drive me nuts? This one is not typically my taste, and it's outside my price range, but something about it strikes me as really pretty. This one I think is really pretty too, but I'm not sure if the color of the shade will match my stuff. I think this last one is beautiful and it's closest to what I wanted to spend, but again, I worry whether it will give me enough light. But I guess if it isn't enough, that's when I'd get a matching table lamp to add to it.

The OTHER purchase I need to make for the new place is a telephone. An actual plug-into-the-wall telephone. The new building has one of those security systems that connects to your land line, so for the first time in three years, I have to have a regular phone. Not a big deal, really, but I completely abhor most of the phones on the market these days. They're all cordless blobs in black or silver, with little flashy lights and beepy things and I think they're ugly and I don't want one. So I think I'm going to get this. Or possibly this. Both of them come in a few different colors. I thought about one of these too, but I think that might be going a bit TOO far. :)

no appropriate title comes to mind

Feeling better about stuff today. I've been pretty busy the last couple days, so maybe that has something to do with it. I think I get in trouble when I have nothing to do and am left to my own devices ... though sometimes that's my favorite way to be. Go figure.

Monday I had a doctor's appointment, and we're going to continue lowering my Prednisone dose since I've been doing so well with the Enbrel. Yay me! So hopefully I'll be back to my normal-faced self very soon! I should be completely off it in 6-9 weeks, depending on how I do my taper - I've been given a bit of flexibility since I know my body better than any doctor ever could. Plus, I'm putting myself on a diet, and I MIGHT even start EXERCISING!! OMG, what is the world coming to??!! And in a fit of self-improvement energy, I bought some moisturizer with a touch of self-tanner in it so I don't look like a glass of skim milk this summer (complete with slight bluishness). My goal is to look smokin' hot by my 10 year HS reunion, whenever that decides to be. Don't exactly know why I want to look good for those people, but it never hurts to put your best foot forward. And any motivation is better than none at all, right? RIGHT?

After the appointment I took an unplanned trip to Trader Joe's since I was passing by, and I bought a basket full of yummy treats - mostly healthy, too! For some reason, this shopping made me feel incredibly happy. I'd been hankering for some TJ's goodies.

Yesterday I had to work for 10 hours (long story), so afterwards, instead of fighting the nasty rush-hour traffic, I went to IKEA and browsed for a while (bought some new sheets, and a pot for a plant I want to transplant). Got a couple ideas for some things I might buy for the apartment, but I didn't want to make any major purchases until I did a bit of comparison shopping and visualizing things in the actual space. I recently purchased some items online, one of which has been delivered and is sitting happily in its spot in my living room - a shoji screen! This is serving the dual purpose of dividing the space into a living room and dining area, while also hiding the ugly cords and wires behind the desk that my TV/DVD etc. are on. I also ordered a rug for the living room that is being delivered on Friday. I'm TOTALLY excited to see how that will look in the room, and even more excited to get rid of the abomination (hesitate to even call it a rug) that is in there now. So now my goals are thus: 1) find a trunk/chest for my bedroom - I'm having storage issues and need a place for purses, belts and other accessories, but also want something that will be attractive and not look all "storage-y" (read: nothing plastic). I'm currently looking at one online (here's the link - I like the nutmeg. Opinions?), and I saw one at IKEA that costs considerably less, but has a more rugged look that I'm not sure if I like as much. Oh look, here's a link to that one, too! These were also neat (they had a larger size at the store that doesn't seem to be online), but I 'd definitely need two and I'm not sure they're ideal. 2) I need some lamps for the living room. I saw this and this at IKEA, but I swear everyone and their brother owns these lamps, and do I want to be a follower? I think not. The only benefit is I'd be able to get these shades, which match the old rug I don't have anymore and LOVED. 'Course I could get the shades with any lamp, really, couldn't I? 3) I need a microwave cart. I think I've firmly decided on the one at Target, so I just have to go pick one up ... unless something better comes along between now and whenever I get my butt over there to buy it. I guess that's not so firm, is it? 4) I'd also like to get a baker's rack for the kitchen, but I have a dilemma here too. I really like this one, but it's a bit expensive, and the wood won't really match the microwave cart (not that that's incredibly important, but I don't want it to look ridiculous sitting next to something so obviously mismatched). This one is a better price, it matches better, and the style is slowly growing on me, but it's out of stock and who knows when it will be back in. This one - same deal. My other option is the one from Target that will match for sure, but I don't particularly care for, looks-wise. Which is also something that everybody and their brother owns. Hey, I just noticed ALL THREE of the other racks on the Target site! Hmmmm ...

MAN, can I ramble!!

Anyhoo, yeah, I've completely lost the point of this post. Um, I guess I'm just saying that I've been busy. Or something. Tonight I'm going out with some gal pals (I hate that phrase, I can't believe I just used it!!!) for some much-needed socialization, so I'm happy about that. And tomorrow is Thursday and I have Friday off! Woo hoo!!

OH! About the dude with the problem and the cats (he'd still have a problem even without the "cat problem"), I've come to the realization that in addition to his lack of a conscience, he's a person who I'd do best to avoid if I don't want an argument. My professional opinion (if I was in the psychology profession, that is) is that he has some deep-seated need to prove himself, and is therefore very argumentative, challenges and/or disagrees with damn near everything I say, and lives in a fantasy world where anything that he has not personally experienced cannot possibly be true. Case in point: I was sharing some experiences a while back about when I was sick as a kid and spent a lot of time in the hospital. Obviously, this was a harrowing experience for me, as it would be for anyone, and I was talking about the different emotions I went through during this time. At every turn, his response was, "Why did you fee like that? I'd think you'd feel more this way. I wouldn't have let that get to me. Why did that bother you? I would have been more like this." Well, excuse me, but until you've been a 12-year-old girl who has an unnamed disease giving her pain and swelling in her neck and weighs 76 pounds because she is unable to eat due to the nausea, and has no idea what's causing it or whether or not it's going to kill her, you have no right to tell me how I should and should not feel. But that's just one of my issues with this guy. I'd just rather I never had to see him again.

Okay, that's enough. I think I should do some work now, no?

now I want pizza

I love my CVS pharmacist. Seriously, I do. He is a shining example of what a pharmacist (or any person working behind any counter anywhere, really) should be. He has consistently been very polite and friendly, and he is knowledgeable about just about everything I ask him. The most recent, and best example of his awesomeness, happened just yesterday. I went in to get a prescription refilled, and also picked up a couple other items. However, I could not find the alcohol pads I was in search of, so I asked the girl behind the pharmacy counter where they might be. She gave me some stock answer of "They should be in First Aid," to which I replied, "I looked there, but only found bottles of alcohol." She had absolutely no response to this. BUT, my favorite pharmacist happened to be in the vicinity, and overheard our conversation, so he asked another employee to grab a box of alcohol pads from the locked cabinet (silly me, not to look there), and hand them to me. Not to mention, he specified the less expensive CVS brand. AND he called me by my first name. SO GREAT!! I went in there a couple times before that and he wasn't there and I was so afraid he didn't work there anymore, but then yesterday I was relieved to find him once again toiling away behind the counter. I think even after I move I will still go to this CVS just 'cause of this guy.

Oh, and ALSO? So totally excited about the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie for the dumbest reason ever. The movie itself could suck ass, but I would go see it anyway for sentimental reasons. My little brother and I used to watch the cartoon religiously, and we had the second live-action movie on video, and I think we may have watched it to the point of wearing it out. The best part was Vanilla Ice singing "Go Ninja, Go Ninja, Go!" (I don't know if that's the name of the song, but them's the words.)

Turtle Power!!!!

heart

I love Target!

Just wanted to throw that out there.

I planned on going to Target after work a couple days ago, and all day, I looked forward to that trip. Oh, the things I'd buy!! I needed an over-the-door shoe organizer to free up some much-needed space in my closet. Found it for $12.99! I needed a new shower curtain liner, this time one of the mildew-resistent ones with the metal grommets. Found it for $9.99!! I also bought some more hangers (desperately needed, though they weren't on my list). 13 for $1.99! And I bought a mat for in front of the kitchen sink, which I've been needing forever, but hadn't found one I liked. Found one for $9.99! AND THEN!!! I bought myself a late birthday present. Scene-It!! Yay!! Games!! Anyone wanna come over and play a game?? I'll totally kick your ass! :D

Oh, and a BIG thanks to the girl who rang me up, 1) for opening up a new register so I could get out of the long-ass line I was in, and 2) for making me move to another line, therefore distracting me from the ever-nearing candy counter, from which I undoubtedly would have picked up another few hundred calories as an impulse buy.

Yay!! Target!!

:)

Week in review

I don't usually just write about the everyday things that happen to me, like what I had for breakfast, or which bars I went to last Friday, but I think I may start a weekly thing where I just sorta give highlights of what's been happening lately. Yes, I think I will do that. And this will be the first one.

So, I feel like I have been extremely busy lately and haven't had much time to just chill, but I'm probably not really any busier than any other week. Anyhoo, last weekend was pretty cool. Friday was Cinco de Mayo, so some friends and I went to a little Mexican restaurant on Ashland for some good food and tasty margaritas. Though the wait was excruciating, they sent their waiting patrons to the bar across the street, where they could get drinks if they so chose, or in our case, bowl after bowl of chips and salsa. The food at the restaurant was pretty good, but if I go there again I will be getting what Jillybean had, which was plantain enchiladas with mole sauce. Yummy! Saturday I ran a bunch of errands in the morning, including hoofing it over to the Metro to get my tickets for the Secret Machines show tomorrow (yay!!). Jillybean was having a jewelry show over at her place for a friend of ours who makes really cool jewelry, so I headed over there and hung out for a while. I ended up buying a very cool necklace made of pyrite and a pair of Russian serpentine earrings which I can't wait to wear. So pretty! Afterwards, I met up with Nora for an eating extravaganza!! After a bit of trouble getting over there (D and K beat us even though they left considerably later!), we made it to the restaurant Sweets and Savories on Fullerton. All in all, I had a good impression of this place. It was very small, but classy and comfortable. And even though some might be a little taken aback by the extremely friendly and chatty staff, I liked it a lot. Nora and D went there specifically for this one dish that I won't get into the details of (you can read all about it on Nora's livejournal), but I do believe we were all very satisfied with the food. I know I was. However, given the rather pricy nature of the place, I decided it was in my best interest to call it a night after that, and give my wallet a little rest. :) Some people, including my roommate, were planning on heading over to the Musicbox around midnight for some 3-D porn, but as intriguing as this was, I decided not to partake, and I'm sorta glad I did, because I heard the next day that 3-D porn tends to lose it's excitement factor after about a half hour. *mental note* :)

This week has felt like a whirlwind. Nothing too exciting happened on Monday, aside from watching the finale of "What About Brian" which was filled with drama! Can't wait for next season (if there is one)!! Tuesday, I went to work an hour early because I had a doctor's appointment later in the day and instead of using up sick time I wanted to try and make up as many hours as I could. Surprisingly enough, it is much easier for me to get up earlier for work than it is to stay later - traffic starts to suck coming back into the city if you leave any later than 4, and despite my best efforts, I think I am becoming a morning person!!!! Ack!! (I feel like Cathy when I say Ack.) So, I asked my Mom to come to the doctor with me (though, in retrospect I didn't need her there at all), and the appointment ended up going really well. We were there to discuss prescription options, and I had pretty much made a decision before I went in, and was happy to hear that my doctor had basically come to the same decision. Made things easy. Perhaps I will discuss in more detail in another entry. Anyhoo, the rest of the afternoon/evening was for me and my Mom. We went to lunch at the Grand Luxe Cafe (very good) and then went shopping for a while along Michigan Ave. We looked in Crate and Barrel for what seemed like hours (that place is frickin 'uge!), then went to Borders where I couldn't leave without buying 3 books, and then made a short stop at Watertower where we were very disappointed in the housewares section of Marshall Field's (soon to be Macy's - boo hoo!!). After that, we were pooped so we went to *$'s to set for a spell, then went our separate ways. I think I got home and crashed on the couch, then just went to bed. It was an exhausting day. Wednesday I went in to work early again, and then went out to the 'rent's for my usual Wednesday visit. Dad and I popped over to Pier One to get some pillows for the new wicker furniture the parents just got for the sun room (apparently my Dad didn't trust himself enough to go alone - heaven forbid he buy the WRONG PILLOWS!!!), while Mom made a delicious spaghetti dinner. Then Mom and I watched "Lost" (so exciting!! another hatch!!) and I hit the road back home. I think by this time, the early (and busy) days were finally catching up to me because I was exhausted and decided before I even got home that I was going to go in at the normal time on Thursday. I totally needed that extra hour of sleep. Then on Thursday I was hoping to have a relaxing evening at home, but that didn't really end up happening. I told a coworker that I'd help her out after work by following her and her carpooling friend to a mechanic to drop off her car and then drive the two of them home (they live near me). This was kind of a pain because the weather was nasty and traffic was nasty, and after dropping them off I realized I had to go to the drug store, and I didn't end up getting home until after 6, only to have to go back to the drug store again at 6:30. Blaarrrgh. But then I watched some "Curb Your Enthusiasm" I got from Netflix and I thought, "Well, at least I'm not Larry David."

So now we've reached today. Aren't you happy you made it this far??!! :) Today I came in at the normal time but I'm planning on staying an hour later because I am staying out in the burbs for a while tonight. A coworker is having a bachelorette party nearby work tonight at 8, and it seemed like a pain to go all the way back home after work only to come all the way back out here again at 8. So I decided to stay here until 5, then head over to the mall to get some things I need (still need a Mother's Day gift!!), grab some dinner (possibly with another coworker friend who is also going to the bachelorette party), then head over to the bar where people are meeting. Should work out I think. Tomorrow I have a bunch of errands and chores to do in the morning, then there is Kristi's baby's birthday party (Yay for 2 year old's!!), then the Secret Machines show at midnight - which I still have to coordinate the meeting-up plans for. And then, of course, is Mother's Day on Sunday. I'm going out to the burbs again (man, my car gets a lot of miles put on it!!) to see the Mama, and my grandma and great aunt will be there as well for a little barbecue. That should be nice. But once again, I don't think I'll have ANY time for myself to relax this weekend. Oh well. Maybe next weekend - wait, no that won't work. Maybe the one after - nope, not that one either ...