IKEA Experience

I've been thinking about getting bar stools for my studio apartment's counter for a long time, and now I have the pressing incentive to actually do it: I'm hosting my parents and my boyfriend for Thanksgiving dinner. I've had my parents over at my place for Thanksgiving before, but I feel this is the first time I'm actually "hosting" dinner. I guess I need to get "civilized" and get some damn bar stools. At least after Thanksgiving I can host happy hour, whenever I'm home on a Friday night and want to kick it with some colleagues.

Have you ever noticed that "Happy Hour" is full of sad, depressing saps? Maybe I don't want to be introducing that into my personal space.

So to dip my toe in the water, my boyfriend took me to IKEA this weekend and we wandered around. Wow. I didn't get anything, but it was a fun experience. We almost had a moment similar to the one in (500) Days of Summer, where Joesph Gordon-Leavitt and Zooey Deschanel have a date in IKEA, start making out in one of the display bedrooms, and one of them says to the other, "We have a Chinese family in our bathroom." We walked into a kitchen display and looked into the adjacent living room display, where several people had made themselves at home on the couch.

Have you noticed how *slow* people move through IKEA? Talk about sheeple. There's even the dude or dude-ette who is wide enough for two people and somehow always manages to walk into your path, no matter how you try to get around him/her. The single path is WIDE, and yet shoppers manage to congest the whole flow of traffic.

Tonight I drove down to the IKEA nearest me to obtain the bar stools that will provide dinner seating for four in my little studio. I found some online that would suffice, for half of what other barstools would cost me. The store near me had some in stock, and I thought it would be a neat adventure to navigate IKEA on my own.

Well, I managed to completely irritate several IKEA employees tonight. The bar stools I wanted were not in the self-pick-up area, and I had to figure out how the whole "full pick-up" process worked by consulting an employee each step of the way. I was obviously not one of the IKEA-converted glassy-eyed zombies that roam the aisles. But I successfully obtained the stools, and was so flummoxed that I totally forgot to get a jar of lingonberry jam, frozen potato pancakes, and frozen Swedish meatballs for Scandinavian convenience food experimentation. (That sounds so naughty!)

Ah well. I suppose that will all wait for next time. I spied $5.00 8x10 frames with included mats that will work well for my travel photos that have been begging to be framed for the past 9 months or so. . . . .

New Morning Routine

I added something to my morning routine today that I think will require a little extra coordination and some practice.

I tend to drink a lot of tea as my caffeine source, but sometimes I just have to have a cup of coffee. Especially since my exposure to using sweetened condensed milk as creamer.

To treat myself (Don't I treat myself enough?) I bought a small coffeemaker and a coffee grinder. The grinder has an automatic shut-off feature, but I didn't let the coffee grind to that point and it turned out to be finer than I expected. The recommended amount of coffee turned out to be a little too much (for both the grinder and the coffeemaker), so maybe I just like weaker coffee. It's a work in progress.

If I have coffee everyday for a month I'll have paid for the coffeemaker and the grinder with what I probably would have spent at Starbucks. I like that idea. Their drinks are too sugary for me anyway.

Now the trick is to incorporate making coffee into my morning routine so it becomes automatic and I don't have to focus on what I have to do so I can be out the door that much quicker. I just want to have that coffee in my thermos when I'm ready to leave the apartment.

CostCo Savings

Even though I'm just feeding myself, I maintain a CostCo membership. Mostly because I know for a fact that I can get contact lens solution cheaper at CostCo than I could buying the stuff at a drugstore. Also, if I'm ambitious, I can consume that 3 quart package of strawberries for $5.00 on my own, although I'd prefer a little help.

I let my membership lapse for a few months because CostCo isn't a place that I visit all too often. So tonight I renewed my membership and unloaded some hard-earned cash on non-perishables I needed (and a couple splurges). How much did I save? [price I paid at CostCo]/[price I found somewhere else or would otherwise normally pay]

DVD - The Brave One (we all know I'm a sucker for movies) -> $18.09/$14.99 ($3.10 loss)
Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner, 6-pack -> $8.99/$21.96 (at $3.66 each) ($12.97 savings)
Tide Ultra High Efficiency Laundry Detergent 170 oz -> $19.49/$35.90 ($10.56 for 50 oz) ($16.41 savings)
Skintimate shave gel, 4 x 9.5 oz cans -> $8.44/$14.99 (Actually found the same package product!) ($6.55 savings)
Dial Clean & Soft Body Wash, 3 x 18 oz bottles -> $7.49/$17.97 ($5.99 for 18 oz bottle) ($10.48 savings)
Opti-Free Replenish Contact Lens Solution, 2 x 14 oz bottles -> $16.22 /$23.51 ($16.79 for 2 x 10 oz bottles) ($7.29 savings)
Centrum Performance Vitamins, 150 ct -> $18.87/$24.98 ($19.99 for 120 ct) ($6.11 savings)
Cascade Advanced Dishwasher Powder, 125 oz -> $7.59/$8.65 ($5.19 for 75 oz - regular stuff) ($1.06 savings)
Ziploc Freezer Bags, Quart-Size, 4 x 54 bags -> $8.89/$39.96 ($3.70 for 20 bags) ($31.07 savings)

My total savings: $88.84!

That means this trip alone more than paid for my membership this year! I am a little bummed about paying extra for the movie, but am pretty happy about saving almost $39.00 overall (after you count the price of a yearly membership).

Car Shopping

Just call me the Jeep Slayer.

I'm in the market for buying a new car. I think, living in the city, fuel economy and reliability (especially in a car-centric city like L.A.) are paramount.

I've been thinking about the Toyota Yaris. I took a test drive the other day and it wasn't bad; the worst thing I could tell was that the engine doesn't seem to like accelerating at low speeds. From a full stop it really groans to get to 25 MPH. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but that's what it seemed like to me. Since I'm not a speed demon (usually) I don't think that would be a problem for me.

My favorite feature of the Yaris is all the little hiding spots it has. My inner spy just loves the idea that I could have 'secret' hiding places for things like maps, spare keys, etc. Toyota must have had some usability engineers design the interior. While I didn't really care for the climate controls too much, I like that they're designed so if the driver is wearing gloves he or she doesn't have to take the gloves off to fuss with them.

If you're a Yaris owner, I'd love to hear if you've had any problems with your Yaris, or if you think it's the best car you've ever owned, or anything in between. I'd also consider other car recommendations.

New Running Duds

It's been quite a while since I've bought new running gear. I usually run in the same promotional USMC t-shirt (I feel 'empowered' when I wear it) and black shorts. The black shorts are getting kind of ratty and I'm starting to feel it's time to put away the USMC shirt. Its' purpose in my life is nearing its' end. Two years is long enough to mourn of what-could-have-been, yes? Especially when what-is turned out to be so much sweeter.

New Balance makes skirts to run in (and play tennis in). I've been wanting one of these since I read about them in Runner's World (the article is old, second page, second selection). I splurged on myself and ordered a Bonita Run Skirt last week.

Basically, it's a pair of compression shorts underneath a skirt made of the same material. It's definitely flirty and feminine. The skirt's v-cut at the waist definitely makes it more comfortable than a pair of shorts, but it also shifts while running and I think it needs a more secure waistband. (Or maybe I'm funny shaped - I tend to be between sizes) I like the ventilating aspects of its design, although the compression shorts don't wick moisture away as quickly as I'd like.

I also purchased one of those new 'performance tops'. The one I bought wicks moisture away fairly well, but the material is thin and you can see lines from my sports bra (I'm sure even not even the UnderArmor sports bra I have will remedy that). The fit is comfy, too, although I felt it has a tendancy to swish to the sides during a run.

I did get a new pair of shorts (they were on sale, and green). I haven't tried running in them yet, although I suspect they will be very similar to the shorts I already have. The advertisement "stuff" attached to the price tag expounded the virtues of a "rolldown" waistband (the shorts have a cute pattern on the lining). I've never understood the idea behind rolling a waistband down. They don't become more secure, and they flip up more often than not. If you wanted a low-cut pair of shorts, I'm fairly certain they make them.

The Trader Joe's Ego Boost

While I've had several relationships, and found my partners attractive, I never thought any of my boyfriends were heart-throb gorgeous. Most of them were pretty average-looking. I think how a potential partner looks matter more to men than to women. In high school, all the extremely attractive guys were either dating other gals or they weren't interested in me (or they didn't express interest in me if they were). My point is that I've never had an instance where someone I found uber-handsome also found me attractive and say something about it. I tend to think extremely good-looking guys are out of my league.

On my way home from work last night I decided to stop at a Trader Joe's near my apartment and get some salad and frozen enchiladas (which a gal at work recommended I try). It was super busy, and I picked a line that didn't seem too long. If you know me you know I'm generally friendly to people who work in stores and restaurants. Their jobs are hard enough they don't need to be hassled by customers.

I find many different men attractive, and one particular "look" that makes my heart beat faster I like to call "Californian": tall, caucasian, blond-haired, blue-eyed, with an athletic build and lightly tanned. A relaxed, happy attitude usually goes with it.

So the line I happened to pick was headed by a checker who was a perfect example of the Californian. As he was bagging groceries for the customer in line before me he mentioned it was almost time for him to get off work.

As he started to scan my basket of items I asked him the question I ask all checkers,

"Hello! How are you?"
"I'm good; did you just get off work?"
"Yeah, I'm going to go home and relax."
"That's what I'm going to do, kick back on the sofa and watch a movie."
"That sounds nice."
"Yeah, I'll probably have some wine." (I felt that, being a good salesman, he was trying to get me to buy a bottle of wine. I didn't have any wine in my basket because I have two-and-a-half bottles at home)
"Oh, I have lots of wine at home." (I obviously wasn't seeing where this was going.)
"That's good!"

There was a lull in the conversation while I paid him for my groceries and he started to bag them.

I asked him, "What movie are you going to watch?"
"I don't know. What kind of movies do you like? Comedy, horror. . . "

It was only halfway through my answer that I realized he was flirting with me. I'm really slow on the pickup. Or maybe I just had a long day.

"Uh, I watch a lot of drama, actually. But I also enjoy comedies."
"No horror?"
"No, I don't like horror films." (I really don't)
"That's what I'm there for!"
"Oh, well, in that case I'll rent Saw III! Have a good night!"
"Take it easy gorgeous!"

The fact that, for possibly the first time in my life, a man I found highly attractive not only flirted with me but also complimented my looks when we first met made me feel really good. Exceedingly shallow, but definitely an ego boost.

I suspect that this will cause me to spend more money at Trader Joe's in hopes of getting into the Californian's line. I wonder if he thought about me after work or if he's that flirty with all the ladies.

Best Of All - It's Pink!

When I moved, my mom mentioned she didn't have a vacuum at the house in Idaho. What's that? Sure! I don't need a vacuum! Take mine!

So I was stuck without a vacuum, which I suppose is all right until the floor starts to feel yucky.

I went to Target yesterday to buy a new vacuum. I just wanted to get something that wasn't going to be too expensive that would last me a couple years.

But Target sells Dysons.

Of course, I have seen the commercials with the British guy. "The only vacuum cleaner that doesn't lose suction." I even had a pamphlet that told me all about it.

But they're pricey. You have to really want a vacuum.

I was standing at the back of the store, trying to decide if I should really spring that much money for a vacuum, when I saw it. A pink one. $40 goes to breast cancer research. I thought, "well, why not? $40 going to a good cause, I can justify spending that much for a vacuum cleaner." Talk about great marketing. A girl will buy almost anything if it's pink.

When I got to the checkout stand it was about $80 less than what I thought it was going to be. Yay!

Putting it together was a bit of a challenge, and I haven't used it yet (I know!), but I have high hopes.

Now you know what I'll be doing in my apartment tonight.

Can Anyone Identify This Photo?

I'm a big fan of photography, and have been wanting to start a collection of prints for some time. Not in any particular genre, just stuff that I like.

Anyway, I thought a particular photo of a Marine running along the beach on D-Day would be a nice companion piece to the Flag-Raising at Mt. Suribachi. Except I don't know who took the photograph, or even if it has a title.

Here is a link to a poster from the National WWII Museum. And here it is on the cover of Norman Mailer's "The Naked & The Dead". (which is a good, if not great book, btw)

Since my googling hasn't come up with anything, I thought maybe someone else might know. I tried looking on the back of my copy of the Mailer book, but no luck.

Stuck in Customer Service Hell

The other day I spent 28 minutes and 40 seconds of my life that I will never get back. This was spent waiting for a PeoplePC customer service representative to talk to me.

When I first moved to Twin, I set myself up for some PeoplePC, thinking it would help me connect to the internet more often than I was. Several phone calls later, not only could I not access the internet, but apparently their Tech Support couldn't help me, either. I was supposed to receive a call from a senior technician, but that never happened. Somewhere along the line I also got 4 months of free internet.

I called PeoplePC the other day to cancel my service, because:

1. I'll probably have high speed internet access at my new apartment
2. I definitely didn't want to have to start paying for an ISP that wasn't letting me connect because of "technical difficulties"

Because I kept getting a stupid "all lines are busy" message whenever I tried to select "cancel service" from their automated phone answering system, I decided to talk someone in Tech Support, thinking at least a live person would be better to talk to than a computer.

Tech Support routed me to "Customer Service", where I was bombarded by "Why are you wanting to cancel your service? We can give you more free and/or discounted service!". I chickened out and declined telling the woman what I thought of their Tech Support, and went with the "I'm getting high speed internet" route.

"Well sometimes high speed internet has downtime, would you like to keep our service for blah blah blah backup?"

After being on the phone for 20+ minutes (most of it on hold), I started to lose my composure. "No, I would like you to cancel my service, and if you're unable to do that then I would like to speak with your manager."

After agreeing to cancel my service ("I'm only trying to help you"), the customer service rep asked, "Would you like to retain your PeoplePC Member ID for $3.95 a month?"

Let's say my answer to her question was "no", I'm no longer a member of PeoplePC, and I will most likely never be again.

Observations at the Optometrist's Office

In my experience, most optometrists wear glasses. Why is that?

The obvious reason is that they needed glasses growing up, and were fascinated enough with lenses and the physics of light that they decided to make a career out of it.

I also noticed at my appointment today that all the optometrists who've helped me get fitted for lenses were men. Hmm. I sense a market women need to look into.

The optometrist I had an appointment with today was very cool. Not to mention personal (in a good way). Rarely have I met a doctor who has wanted to get lenses for me that really worked for me.

Maybe I'm not being very clear. All optometrists want to get their patients lenses that will help them see 20/20. But the optometrist I spoke with today wanted to get me contact lenses that were completely comfortable and wouldn't bother me. The current ones I've been using (monthly disposables, even though my old optometrist told me they were good for two months) tend to build up a lot of protein on the lenses (which didn't bother me until about six months ago), so I either have to be uncomfortable or use OptiFree SupraClens to clean the protein off. My optometrist today just gave me warm fuzzies on his ability to help me get lenses that will be better suited for me (I think the ones I'm trying are two-week disposables, which are approved to sleep in, but I don't like sleeping in contacts and the doctor obviously wasn't too keen on that idea either).

By the way, my eyes are completely healthy. And if you're in Twin Falls and need an eye exam, check out Mountain West Optical on North College.

Bimbos In Barnes & Noble? What Has The World Come To?

I was at the Barnes & Noble cafe the other day, and standing behind me in line was, let's say, someone who didn't belong there.
This woman was maybe 20, my height, with a petite body frame. Supermodels drink blood for this level of thinness. Her legs were at least a mile longer than mine (and men have told me on numerous occasions that they love my legs - maybe it's just a line to get in the sack), and completely tan all the way up to her almost-too-short denim shorts. Was this leggy blonde a stick? No. She probably wore a 32C or 32D size bra.
The barista taking her order asked, "Do you have a Member card to save 10%?"
"No"
So she wasn't too smart. Maybe I'm being judgemental, but if you spend any kind of money at all in Barnes & Noble and don't have a Member card, "get into it". It's something like $25 a year, and you save 10% on in-store purchases and 5% on online purchases. So if you spend maybe $250 a year there on anything, it would be worth it. I guess what I'm saying is if you're any kind of bibliophile at all, or just like to buy a lot of books for other people, it's well worth the money.
What was she doing in a Barnes & Noble cafe? I have no idea. But I wish I had clear skin.

Missing Butte and Buying Suits

As I drove into Butte, my predominating feeling was that of comfort. I must admit, I thought I would miss Butte, and I haven't.
But I do feel comfortable in Butte. It was my home for five years, I know all (maybe not all, most of) the shortcuts, the best places to buy groceries, etc.
Learning a new town (Twin Falls, ID) isn't necessarily a bad thing; I enjoy the adventure. But sometimes I would just like to know the best place to buy contact lens fluid, or how to get from Barnes and Noble to my uncle's house in the least amount of time. It would be nice to know which grocery store in town has the best (cost for quality) produce, and what I can expect from the mall. (While it has a Macy's and a Victoria's Secret, I'm not quite as satisfied as I thought I would be)

Maybe I just have high expectations. When I walk into a Macy's, I expect to at least find one high quality suit made of linen or lightweight wool (depending on the season), a decent Ralph Lauren section, and a good shoe selection (meaning an adaquate blend of classic shoes and some funky fun ones). Butte has no Macy's, so I don't have the expectations of Butte that I would of a town that does. Most of the Macy's stores I've been to have several nice women's suits and a good Lauren Ralph Lauren section (where the nice suits are usually located). When I was suit-shopping in Twin, I couldn't find one suit that I cared for. Why is it so hard to find a cream or tan linen suit?!? I had to go to Boise to find a linen suit, and spent at least a half hour looking for a suit that wouldn't date itself in a month. (pale green and pink plaid does not fit my definition of "classic") Even in Boise it was difficult finding something that wouldn't fall apart in a year or so.

Why are women's clothes so poorly constructed, and why is it so difficult to find something as basic as a white button-down shirt, or a suit with plain lines? A lot of women tell me to shop at Maurices, but 90% of the clothes I buy there fall apart in a year or less. I don't think I'm hard on clothes, but when a button falls off the first time I wear a garment, or a seam unravels on a garment that fits, I start to wonder.
I used to shop at the Gap a lot, but I've noticed the quality on their clothes is slipping too. I've never bought a shirt, jacket, etc. from them that didn't need to have buttons resewn.
I've been impressed with Ralph Lauren brand clothes, but I can afford them only when they're on sale. Tommy Hilfiger is all right, somewhere between Ralph Lauren and the Gap.
I'm not trying to endorse any one brand, but these are just some of my observances on clothing labels.
If you can find a label with well constructed, affordable clothes made from good materials (ie, not rayon or polyester), please let me know.

The Wine Again

I realize I'm far from being a wine connoisseur, but I really like having a glass of wine with dinner or just chatting with friends. Beer is OK, the "bitch beers" are OK, and while I prefer mixed drinks to beer, they're not the same as a good glass of wine.

I realize the adjective "good" is relative to what each individual (or group of wine geeks) define as "good".

Tell me I have terrible taste in wine, and it really wouldn't bother me. Especially since I'm more fond of blush wines (particuarly white syrah) than not.

I bought a bottle of Red Bicyclette's syrah (red, not blush) today. I've noticed I've been picking out bottles that have witty, cartoony, or in want of a better term, contemporary labels lately. (So is that label called "Bicyclette Rouge" in France?)

I've picked out bottles of wine that I really shouldn't have (as I thought they were too "heavy" or "dark" for me, or had a lovely smell but were too strong for me to drink), and I've picked out bottles of wine when I should have picked up two or three. I haven't quite gotten it down to where I can pick out a bottle and say, "Yes, this is wine I would like." But then again, is anyone (even the wine geeks) to that point?

The Nerdy Wine

Wine shopping, while fun, can be incredibly time consuming. Unless you're a connoisseur, chances are you'll stare at the bottles until you can figure out if you want a white, a red, or possibly a rose wine. Then you'll stare at the bottles until you figure out what grape of wine you want, and/or possibly a particular brand/vinyard.

Well, my fellow nerds, I've found the perfect wine.

The Little Penguin

Not only is the labelling irresistably cute, but I've also discovered that Linus Torvalds, of Linux fame, was bitten by a Little Penguin (the animal for which the wine is named after), which inspired Torvalds to use a Little Penguin for the mascot of his operating system (Tux, if you don't know). How can you not love a bottle as fun as this?

On their website, there's also a personality test (making wine shopping that much easier) which allows types your personality to their wine. My friends, I'm a merlot.
"With your charm and charisma, it's no wonder you're so popular. It is that easy-going attitude that makes you the preferred penguin wherever you are. Of course, you're not one to squawk, but you can't help it if your plumage turns heads. Rest assured, you are as smooth as a bottle of the Little Penguin Merlot."
Ironically enough, I'm having the Merlot tonight with lasagna.

Men in Victoria's Secret

I have a theory (based on observances and experience) that several people have said I needed to blog, so here it is. It's definitely not organized, but I do think I make some sound general points.

Men (who are heterosexual and have no 'issues' with sex) generally like seeing their girlfriend/wife/etc. in pretty underthings. However, they will rarely venture into what I'd like to call "the estrogen bubble" on their own.

Usually, men are dragged into Victoria's Secret by their significant others, who want to shop and buy pretty underthings. While the ladies are busy trying on/looking at/etc. pretty underthings, the men are busy (uncomfortably) trying to look interested with the merchandise without appearing peverted to the rest of the world. If more than one man is in the store, they won't acknowledge ever seeing the other men. In fact, I would guess that 80% of the time men's eyes are on the hot-pink carpet, because it's the only "safe" thing to look at.

Did I also mention that they probably do this while holding their lady's purse?

After the men are allowed to leave the store, they now get to hold the pink shopping bag the size of a medium dog.

Ladies, if you can get a man to do this, it truly must be love.

If a man happens to venture alone into a Victoria's Secret (presumably to buy something lovely for his woman), he will never, ever touch the merchandise. He will wait until one of the helpful saleswomen approach him, and unless he knows his lady's sizes, will say that the size the saleswoman wears is the size his lady wears. Invariably, he'll point out what he wants and have the saleswoman fetch it off the rack for him.

This poses the extreme irony that Victoria's Secret ad campaigns are definitely targeted toward men, especially with slogans such as "Buy Me Sexy" (which I just realized is a double entendre).

Bubble Tea!!!!

So I was sitting in lab, and I got this intense craving for authentic Chinese (most of the food you see in Chinese restaurants is Americanized) food, and bubble tea.

If you've not had the pleasure of having bubble tea, it's this craze that started in Taiwan several years back that went international. Basically, you have iced milk tea (strong iced black tea with a lot of milk in it), some ice, and "boba" or "pearls", which are large black tapioca pieces. It's absolutely divine. I did find a couple online shops that sell the magical "pearls" (because I'm miles from the nearest Asian market, and Albertsons' doesn't exactly carry it either), so now I get to wait a week or two for it to come in.

I first had bubble tea in 2001 at this little tea house in Irvine, CA. I think the nearest bubble tea house I can reach when I'm visiting my parents in So. Utah is Volcano Tea in Las Vegas' Chinatown, but their milk tea gives me a headache, so I opt for the Passionfruit Jelly Juice. There's a handful of Bubble Tea Houses in the S.L.C. area, a few in Washington, one in Boise, but none in Montana.

And this is yet another reason why I should learn Mandarin. As if communicating with my Taiwanese relations isn't important enough.

For more information on Bubble Tea, I will direct you to Wikipedia's article on the subject.
If you'd like to try this creamy, caffeinated, sweet, chewy (because of the tapioca) sensation, check out BobaFind for the Tea House nearest to you.

The Joy That Is "Fettuccini" With Chicken & Broccoli

Every once in a while Albertsons' will have a special on Marie Callender's frozen dinners. It's great because something that costs $3 or $4 a pop is now 10 for $10. I end up buying a handful in case there's a night where I'm too tired/lazy/busy/whatever to make something to eat.
Anyway, tonight is one of those nights. And the delight at having a hot, mostly nutritious meal without putting too much effort into it is nearly orgasmic.
Every night should (or shouldn't!) be a Monday night. Just don't tell Marie that I used freshly ground pepper and ground nutmeg on my pasta over her pepper packet.

Samsonite Rocks!

A couple of years ago (Thanksgiving 2003, to be precise), I had purchased a Samsonite 550 Series 3000 XLT carry-on (in green, of course!). For my first outing with this piece of totally awesome luggage, I decided to take it with me on my ill-fated trip to Idaho, where I promptly totalled my ice blue Jeep Cherokee on some black ice just North of Idaho Falls.

Inside most suitcases/luggage-things there is a strap or two to secure the stuff you pack. Part of the clasp thingy on this strap in my new carry-on had broken in the wreck, and it's only taken me two years or so to get the motivation to have it fixed. Most of this motivation comes from the fact that Samsonite is discontinuing their 550 Series 3000 XLT and I've been making purchases (at great discount to me!) to round out my luggage collection, for when I move to Spain for a year or something similar. Hey, it pays to be prepared!

Browsing Samsonite's website, I find the address and phone number of the closest authorized Repair Center - in North Salt Lake. While I was leery of sending anything to be repaired to North Salt Lake, I called the place and the people were very nice and cool to talk to.

Monday morning I Fed-Ex my carry-on to the repair center, and I called them today to see if they had received it and how much I would owe them (I was told during my previous phone call that it should be about $12 plus shipping). Turns out the clasp thingy is covered under warranty, and Samsonite will pay to have it repaired and ship it back to me. Woo hoo!

Because of this incident (and my general experience from using my Samsonite carry-on -without the clasp thingy- for 8+ flights and countless road trips), I am now a believer that Samsonite produces a quality luggage piece, and that they have a good product repair warranty. I advocate the purchase of any (discounted! Have you seen the Manufacturer's Recommended Price on luggage lately?) luggage from Samsonite.

Rose Gardening

Woo Hoo! I got my roses in the mail today.

I don't know exactly why I have a fascination with growing roses. Blame my mother and her rose hedge that she had at our house in California. Anyway, I have two matching blue-&-white crackle flowerpots with an Asian motif that were just screaming to be the homes for miniature roses. When they finally bloom (and I actually have the rest of my living room stuff in the living room), I will take a photo of them for all to enjoy.

For those who want to duplicate my gardening experience (with or without setbacks), I bought my roses at Nor'East Miniature Roses, and the variety I purchased is called "Red Mimino".

Shopping For Racquetball

Because it was the only time I could get away from the whole school-to-home-and-back again schedule, I went shopping for my racquetball class this morning.

I ended up dumping more money than I wanted to spend on a racquet. . . hopefully it was worth the money.

If you've ever purchased a container of racquetballs, did you ever wonder why they have that foil "sealed for freshness" cover? Who knows; maybe racquetballs are what the Smurfs eat.

Even inexpensive athletic shoes are not economically priced for the starving college student. (Really, $60 isn't too bad to pay for some basketball/court shoes, but think about how much pizza that could buy) Why couldn't my running shoes be white-soled!?

What else did I do today? Went to class, did research and printed out way too much stuff for my History paper (which is on U.S.-Taiwan relations) and now I'm taking a moment's breath before my night class on Fantastic Literature. After my night class, I'm headed to Albertsons' to buy food for the week. I admit, I'm really buying food so I can make the most impressive baked chicken for F tomorrow night, but don't tell anyone. It's a secret.

And this is only Monday.