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We're doing a lot of chores early in the weekend to be able to hit the beach Sunday and come home and relax.
That, IMO, is the beauty of taking Friday off - which I can do as my boss is out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this month. By Friday I don't have much to do at my job...but I've digressed.
At the end of a busy day yesterday we plopped in front of the television. I watched the last half hour of Madonna's version of Swept Away, which isn't easy to watch with its terrible acting and bazillion Madonna close ups. But that last half hour is terribly sad and I've got the music from it on my iPhone and had forgotten how sad it is.
Anyway, next up was Couple's Retreat, a silly movie, that we got hooked into and actually laughed at from time to time. We were so smitten that K brought our dinners (homemade sausage with orichetti and broccoli rabe -UNBELIEVABLY GOOD) into the living room, so we could continue to watch. We nevernevernevernever eat in front of the tube, but we did last night and had fun.
We rounded it off with Get Him To The Greek which was, alternately: disgusting, hysterical, sad, and funny. It is the kind of movie we never see and it was okay!
My last note from yesterday pertains to Bon Iver (which I will pronounce like the French words, if you don't mind). We grabbed a couple of their cd's from the library and I've been listening to one album while K has the other. K uses current music sometimes for work and likes to stay abreast of things. I've seen their name all over the internet for weeks and thought I should check them out. K might think they are crap - he's still making up his mind, but I think I'm getting hooked.
I'm loving the break toward the end and the sound of fingers on strings - or whatever it is. It's haunting me.
(Actual final note from yesterday)
K took me to Anthropologie as I had a birthday coupon and wanted to get something on sale with it thereby having a present whilst spending very little money. I had a nice time wandering around the store. Sometimes, when I'm visiting Anthro there isn't a thing I'd want - usually that's when I have some money in my pocket and could buy something. Other times, when I'm visiting Anthro, and I have no money for extras or luxuries, I see dozens of things I'd like to have. This was one of those times.
I saw dresses I'd have loved to try on, bags that looked interesting, a beautiful cardigan and a couple of wonderful books. But I limited myself and found a great necklace that ended up costing $18 and was pretty pleased with myself. Still, at some point, I said something to K like oh, this is one of those times when I could spend thousands of dollars here! I got on line to pay and was behind two other customers. The lady on the left was finishing having her purchases packed up into three extra large shopping bags.
After carefully folding each item, while I waited patiently, the clerk told her her sales total. It was thousands of dollars. The lady checking out to the right had two huge bags. I didn't hear her total but, as the clerk gently and slowly began folding garment after garment and answered the phone, I asked, politely, if there was someone else who could ring me up. I'd been waiting a while and saw a longer wait ahead of me. The clerk on the right handed the phone to her customer (a special order) and got on her walkie talkie: can someone come up to checkout? this woman looks like she's in a hurry, she squawked. My eyes felt hot. I'm sorry, she said, I didn't mean to call you this woman.
But it was too late. The damage was done. My emotions got chipped at.
I was swirling in envy (bags and bags of luxuries in front of me) and embarrassment and anger.
If I were spending thousands of dollars at Anthropologie I would be dancing with joy - these customers looked like they were ordering coffee at Starbucks. I felt awful for for feeling that way and then ashamed for being envious. Neither woman looked happy. None of the five women looked happy.
I am happy. Slightly fragile, I suppose. But happy. I paid quickly and grabbed K to go to the car before bursting into tears.
I'm off to finish my chores to ensure that beach time.
And you? You should watch a goofy movie, or do your chores, or look at your sweet companions and remember how lucky you are.
That, IMO, is the beauty of taking Friday off - which I can do as my boss is out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this month. By Friday I don't have much to do at my job...but I've digressed.
At the end of a busy day yesterday we plopped in front of the television. I watched the last half hour of Madonna's version of Swept Away, which isn't easy to watch with its terrible acting and bazillion Madonna close ups. But that last half hour is terribly sad and I've got the music from it on my iPhone and had forgotten how sad it is.
Anyway, next up was Couple's Retreat, a silly movie, that we got hooked into and actually laughed at from time to time. We were so smitten that K brought our dinners (homemade sausage with orichetti and broccoli rabe -UNBELIEVABLY GOOD) into the living room, so we could continue to watch. We nevernevernevernever eat in front of the tube, but we did last night and had fun.
We rounded it off with Get Him To The Greek which was, alternately: disgusting, hysterical, sad, and funny. It is the kind of movie we never see and it was okay!
My last note from yesterday pertains to Bon Iver (which I will pronounce like the French words, if you don't mind). We grabbed a couple of their cd's from the library and I've been listening to one album while K has the other. K uses current music sometimes for work and likes to stay abreast of things. I've seen their name all over the internet for weeks and thought I should check them out. K might think they are crap - he's still making up his mind, but I think I'm getting hooked.
I'm loving the break toward the end and the sound of fingers on strings - or whatever it is. It's haunting me.
The story of the recording is interesting too and I think the name of the band should be Bahn Eever, but that's just me.
(Actual final note from yesterday)
K took me to Anthropologie as I had a birthday coupon and wanted to get something on sale with it thereby having a present whilst spending very little money. I had a nice time wandering around the store. Sometimes, when I'm visiting Anthro there isn't a thing I'd want - usually that's when I have some money in my pocket and could buy something. Other times, when I'm visiting Anthro, and I have no money for extras or luxuries, I see dozens of things I'd like to have. This was one of those times.
I saw dresses I'd have loved to try on, bags that looked interesting, a beautiful cardigan and a couple of wonderful books. But I limited myself and found a great necklace that ended up costing $18 and was pretty pleased with myself. Still, at some point, I said something to K like oh, this is one of those times when I could spend thousands of dollars here! I got on line to pay and was behind two other customers. The lady on the left was finishing having her purchases packed up into three extra large shopping bags.
After carefully folding each item, while I waited patiently, the clerk told her her sales total. It was thousands of dollars. The lady checking out to the right had two huge bags. I didn't hear her total but, as the clerk gently and slowly began folding garment after garment and answered the phone, I asked, politely, if there was someone else who could ring me up. I'd been waiting a while and saw a longer wait ahead of me. The clerk on the right handed the phone to her customer (a special order) and got on her walkie talkie: can someone come up to checkout? this woman looks like she's in a hurry, she squawked. My eyes felt hot. I'm sorry, she said, I didn't mean to call you this woman.
But it was too late. The damage was done. My emotions got chipped at.
I was swirling in envy (bags and bags of luxuries in front of me) and embarrassment and anger.
If I were spending thousands of dollars at Anthropologie I would be dancing with joy - these customers looked like they were ordering coffee at Starbucks. I felt awful for for feeling that way and then ashamed for being envious. Neither woman looked happy. None of the five women looked happy.
I am happy. Slightly fragile, I suppose. But happy. I paid quickly and grabbed K to go to the car before bursting into tears.
I'm off to finish my chores to ensure that beach time.
And you? You should watch a goofy movie, or do your chores, or look at your sweet companions and remember how lucky you are.
Comments
I had a hard time with Get Him To The Greek. I love Russell Brand, but maybe I wasn't in the mood for a noisy, frantic movie.
Yesterday I felt so lucky to have my friend, who was SO happy that I invited her to go out for an afternoon of lunch and exploring a neighborhood of thrift shops and consignment stores.
Have a wonderful beach day tomorrow. We're keeping an eye on a tropical storm here.
I have come back to read your post again. The self realization - recognizing everything that was happening in those moments. You are the most fortunate one.
enjoy your day at the beach.
As for me, we are going to finish our sci-fi marathon with "Cult of the Cobra" (1955), which should be plenty goofy.
And once I could get a sales associate to wait on me (because there were people buying much more than a single bag) I enjoyed every second of the transaction. When the sales assistant asked me whether I wanted one shopping bag or two, I said two. Of course. One for me and one for my s-i-l, because for that amount, we should both be able to enjoy the trademark black bag with the white camellia on it.
I floated out the store to the Métro, where I was squashed like a sardine and wondered whether someone was going to extract Terri's perfume out of her little bag, because honestly, I wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop it. It was that crowded.
Then I gloated over my bag in my hotel room and brought it home and kept it packed away until it was the right weather to carry an off-white bag. And now I carry it almost every day. And take pictures of it with my cell phone, oh yes I do.
That's how it's done, IMO.
No matter what you have, there will always be people with more. The trick, it seems to me, is to fully enjoy what you have. Unlike those Anthropologie sourpusses!
BUT
those witches (I can just picture them with their sad faces altered by multiple liftings and botox lips, that barbie look with NO expression but that thin tight grin that NEVER changes, happy times or not)
they are PATHETIC so they act like mean bitches and try covering all up by spending tons of money of men who most probably hate them
YOU, my sweet lovely friend are surrounded by pure love.
I'm hoping to have some good news to report in the next few weeks, and a return trip to Tuvalu is high on my list of things to do once I have earned some paid vacation, again.
Have fun at the beach! And dip your toes in the Atlantic for me!
I feel that way in Anthro often, only it's the chippy college girls who are buying bags and bags of goodies.
Enjoy your well-deserved beach time, BB!
I have had my emotions chipped like this from time to time and if most often involves financial circumstances or baby-envy. The visceral.
xx
jbhat
being poor is the choice i made...to afford the luxury of time with these fabulous boys of mine. sometimes i have to remember this, as i forget.
you spend your luxury money wisely, my friend. you can see it by the way you chronicle your vacations. i appreciate that as all my vicarious vacations are spent with you.