Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZEKiuo_C2s&feature=related

Another way of thinking

Yesterday I had to run home to grab a department laptop for our press secretary. I was driving at my usual "get out of my way" speed and looking at the clock every few seconds as if to will it to tick slower.

I took the back way behind the hospital to cut straight into my neighborhood, when a car pulled out in front of me. I was just slightly startled and didn't even have to tap the brakes. The car had a bright orange license plate and stickers all over the back, but I couldn't tell you what any of them said, because somehow my eyes went straight to the tiny bumper sticker that I had to squint to read. I read it three times. It hit me harder each time and has had a pretty open minded person really thinking.

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."
-- Mother Teresa

This one is for me and the girls

So, my mother is on this Goodwill binge where she shops their daily and calls to update my sister and I on what “great deals” she finds. I however, couldn’t even find accessories for my grease monkey mechanic Halloween costume.


Regardless…I went to Lafayette this past weekend and found myself near a Goodwill store, so I decided to go in to rummage through the records (my new hobby since I got the antique record player). With eight records in hand from Bette Mitler to UFO, I came across a purple silk Victoria’s Secret top on a manikin with TAGS ON IT…I ripped it off like I expected one of the frumpy looking shoppers to challenge me for an XXS silk cami.

I approached the counter and stumbled into a skinny mini tweener with an arm full of tops that had tags hanging off of them. As to not divert too much attention, I went to the opposite end of the isle as her and worked her way, to avoid going behind her only to find what she had already picked over. Within the 6 feet of isle I covered, I had already collected enough banana republic, Ann Taylor and BCBG to make my adrenaline start pumping. I slyly grabbed a basket and made a plan. I would start in one corner of the store and cover it entirely. I couldn’t help but think of how I have been feeling sorry for myself because “everyone else” gets to shop all of the time and I have “The Mortgage.” Well, not today.

I would leave the store with tons of tops, skirts, blazers and even a pair of J Crew classic chinos. The 300.00 St John twill Jacket with oversized buttons that I snagged, had a dry cleaning tag for 25.00 attached to the sleeve right next to the Goodwill “reduced 7.99” sticker. I am assuming that these people have no idea what they have in inventory for a slim girl with conservative taste, but I’m sure the gasp I let out when I checked out was some indication. “Your total is $129.00.”

As I handed the saleswoman most of the cash I had withdrawn from the ATM for my weekend away, I realized that complaining just slows down the time that is passing until you unexpectedly catch a break.

So, in my new outfits and "staple" tops, I just say "thank you" when they are complimented; and when someone wants in on one of my new looks, I just respond that I picked it up in "just some little shop in Lafayette."

Bungy Love

My tour of Louisiana weekend flew by. I returned home to the three neighbor kids ready to help me pick up the limbs and sticks from the yard as thier excuse to play with Dodge. The house smelt stale, the way it always does when i leave it for days. Belle was perched on top of the clean clothes that have been waiting for weeks for me to hang.

A long bath and a pair of sweats later, Bungy and I sat down for what I thought was a semi normal movie, but turned into a gorey vampire movie that i actually covered Belle's eyes during twice. Bungy wiggled and squirmed, and true to form, forced my hand to receive the most optimum attention possible. This went on for about 5 minutes, until an ear rubbing coma set in. This made me smile.