Cranky Lady/Adventures in Shopping

/ grrr!, living in chicago, pictures, shopping, wtf

Grarrrrr!

Once upon a time, I loved, absolutely loved going to a store, any story (except maybe grocery) and shopping. I loved browsing the aisles, picking out new things, taking that bag after the transaction was completed. YAY shiny new things for me! Or for Aidan! Going to the mall was an OCCASION. All those shiny stores full of shiny new things under one shiny roof! Someone hold me!

It’s not so much fun anymore. My patience has run the eff out.

I went to the mall to do some shopping for fun, and also get some errands taken care of at the attached Target. (Yes, this mall has a Target as an anchor store, which is kind of brilliant if you ask me. The other anchor is Kohl’s.) I don’t know WHY I thought going to the mall on a Sunday evening would be a good idea. It wasn’t. People were walking like turtles (and spread out, of course), and by the time I’d finally get around them, wild children would be all over the place, and I’d be scared of tripping over one or more of them. Entire huge families would bunch up and block entryways and aisles. And for some inexplicable reason, every few yards there were trash receptacles IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AISLES. Not off to the sides, but right in the middle. For people to trip over. REAL SMART. Not. I’d started off excited and looking forward to finding some treasures, but after a few stores, my patience was gone. I had to get OUT of the mall and into the Target, where things were just a little bit better (except in the toy aisle. Aye Dios Mio.).

People, do you think it’s too much to ask that parents keep their children in check in stores? I spend more time dodging random unwatched kids who are running and screaming and laughing than I do waiting to check out! This is not just in the toy aisle, by the way. Seems like no matter where I go, there are rogue children running all over the place.

WHY? I was never allowed to go running all wild and crazy through a store when I was a kid. In fact, the first time my parents let me and my sister go to the toy aisle without them was a BIG FREAKING DEAL and we knew we’d better not screw it up or we’d never be allowed to do it again!

I know this is me, but when I am browsing, I like to be alone. I don’t want to share that space with anyone else. So how come, every single time I find a deserted aisle and start to browse, some random kids come bouncing right over to where I am, followed by a mom who looks like she’s going to run me the hell over if I don’t move RIGHT NOW, and they seem to have an urgent need for the exact thing I was looking at/researching/browsing? GO AWAY I yell in my mind. I was looking at these spaghetti noodles FIRST! Of course I don’t say that, and I move aside to make room and I’m polite and everything. But inside, I am irritated and frustrated and impatient.

I’m honestly thisclose to just… buying everything online from now on. Ordering my groceries from PeaPod or something like that. Adam typically goes to the store for groceries, but he only goes to Aldi, and there are certain things that I only like the name brand of. But going to the store, dealing with other people? It stresses me out anymore. I don’t even care to clothes shop anymore. I walk into a store, see all the choices on the racks, and I get overwhelmed. That happened to me tonight in Forever 21. And Aeropostale. (I’m pretty sure I’ve outgrown Aeropostale anyway.) I pretty much turned around and left. (I DON’T freak out in Old Navy, funnily enough, but that’s because their merchandise is laid out in a way that MAKES SENSE.)

So there you have it. I don’t enjoy shopping anymore. 🙁 Well, that’s not necessarily true. I still enjoy the act of acquiring new things, but I don’t like going to a brick and mortar store (unless it’s a book store or Old Navy) and dealing with other customers and their wild, screaming children. I don’t know if people are just more irritating in general, or if I’m just more crabby about it. At any rate, I’d much rather do it online. Or better yet, indie. Sometimes the shipping costs are worth my sanity. Plus I love to get packages in the mail.

6 Comments

This Girl Will Write Again

/ commercial break, writing

I miss writing. I miss it so much that I’m considering seeking writing help. I mean, I blog and that’s a form of writing, and those who have emailed with me know that I can certainly go on and on in a message. But writing fiction? Making up stories? I miss that and want to do it again.

I started writing when I was in sixth grade. I was eleven years old. I’d gotten this Michael Jackson notebook. He was wearing the yellow vest and white pants. You remember that picture, right? (It’s one of my favorites of him.) If not, here is a refresher:


[via]

Anyway, I declared “I’m going to write a story!” And I did. I sat at the end table and wrote a story about some of my classmates and me getting trapped in a haunted house.

I wish it was that simple for me again.

I have friend who are New York Times best-selling authors who write stuff just for themselves on the side. For fun! These days, it’s hard enough for me to get motivated to work on any projects I have floating around in my brain (and I have a lot, believe me), let alone do something just for fun!

I keep telling myself that I don’t have to try to get published, or that I don’t have to be perfect on the first draft even if I WERE trying to write to get published. I came so close to my dream years ago, when I wrote a novel in six months that I LOVED (and still do love, to be honest!). I worked on it every single second I could. When I wasn’t working on it, I was thinking about it. It consumed me and it FELT SO GOOD. I knew that was the one and that it was finally time to start pursuing publication for real.

That novel got me representation by a very well-respected agent. It didn’t sell, though, so it never got published. My confidence took quite a blow and it hasn’t quite recovered. And that makes me wonder if seeking help would get me back on track. I have no discipline or structure, and I need that. I don’t think I’m going to do it on my own.

It’s definitely something to think about.

[This is a sponsored post. That means I have been compensated for writing it.
But rest assured. This story is true and heartfelt. I am determined to be a writer again.]

4 Comments

Keeping In Touch

/ pictures, site

As you may have noticed, I got rid of my GFC widget a few weeks ago. My blog is a non-Blogger blog, and they weren’t going to be showing me any love anymore. So I decided not to show THEM any love. HA.

TAKE THAT, GFC!

I don’t want to lose any of you precious readers and commenters!!! So here’s the thing. If you guys love me and want to follow me, there are still ways you can do that! 🙂


you follow me now!!!

Here are your options:

RSS

Bloglovin’

There is also Networked Blogs and Linky Followers if you prefer to go that route. In addition, there are loads of other ways you can find me on the webby. Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, and a bunch more. Just check my sidebar. 🙂

I’d love to keep having you read my blog! Follow today! Pick one method or pick them all! You’ll be glad you did!

This message brought to you with the utmost of foolishness say WHAT!

14 Comments

Feeling Content on a Monday

/ life, miscellany monday, pictures, Uncategorized

Content on a Monday

There is a chicken roasting in the Crock-Pot. It smells really really good. I hope Adam’s planning on corn and mashed potatoes as sides. That’s a nice, comforting meal, don’t you think?

I’m wearing my new Juicy Couture warm up suit. Just so you know, I love Juicy and I never pay full price for it. (Well except once, back in 2006, but I didn’t know better then. I did learn that they make the best hoodies out there, though.) I always get my Juicy stuff from this site called Rue La La (one of those sites that emails you all the deals they have going on for the day) or Nordstrom Rack. They don’t have Juicy on sale all the time, but when they do, I like to take advantage. Some people might think it’s stupid that I pay so much for Juicy (even when it’s deeply discounted it’s still a bit more than a warm up suit from say, Old Navy or something), but for me, it’s worth it. I haven’t had warm ups that were as warm and cozy from anyone else.

Adam went to take the rent and he’s brought me back a cupcake from Molly’s Cupcakes. Molly’s is the best cupcake shop in Chicago. I’ve tried a bunch so I know what I’m talking about. 🙂

Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcake
blueberry cheesecake cupcake goodness

I made it through all my library books and I’ve decided to reread Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince again. I definitely have a giant to read pile next to my bed and also on one of the bookcases I sit in front of every day, but sometimes I just want something familiar, you know?

Crookshanks has taken to sleeping under Adam’s desk. He’s all the way across the room and I can hear him snoring like he’s a grown man. Which in a way he is.

It’s sunny out but still cold. I mean, 35F isn’t bad actually but you know me. I am very ready for 80F and higher! I am not sure if the Disney trip made my craving for summer worse or what! But it’s OK. I don’t mind this craving if it means a mid-winter Disney trip is what caused it.

Aidan managed to talk me into paying 99¢ for the full version of Fruit Ninja for my phone. I’m sure he didn’t realize that I probably wouldn’t have done so if I didn’t enjoy the game so much myself. And I also have an iTunes credit balance, so there you go. A few years ago, I won a $50 iTunes gift card which I’ve been milking, and then Aidan got me a $15 iTunes gift card for my birthday. iTunes gift cards = fun apps for Ronni’s iPhone!

Oooh, and I just got word that I won the cutest set of earring from Miss Kait‘s blog. I love earrings and I love winning giveaways. So this is PERFECT. 🙂

Oh and now this is sitting beside me:

Fi

It IS a good Monday. 🙂

That’s enough for now. Til next time!

Miscellany Monday @ lowercase letters

8 Comments

Wednesday Randomness

/ life, pictures, Uncategorized

Random Wednesday Night

I’m freelancing in an office this week and I like it. One of the people I work with has a TARDIS on her desk, and the guy who sits next to me brings me Fritos and sounds like David Bromstad from Colorsplash. I love listening to him talk. I worked a couple of days for this place back in 2010, so it’s nice to be back. The place has nice vibes and the office is gorgeous. And of course, making extra $$ is always a good thing.

Working onsite means I have to be on a normal sleep schedule. Actually, I managed to regulate myself when I went to Disney World. Having only three hours of sleep or so that first day really made me sleepy that night, so I was able to get up at a decent hour the next morning. (We won’t talk about what happened during a few of the nights after I got back. The night owl lives long and hard in me.) I didn’t sleep well Sunday or Monday night, though, and I paid for it Tuesday. I was really tired all day. I crashed EARLY, but I felt OK when I woke up today. So I’m normal… for now at least!

I’ve discovered the Mad Men Volume 1 score and it is FANTASTIC. It’s only 36 minutes, though, so it goes by quickly. But it’s really good music. Listening to Torchwood now.

I am SO READY for summer to be here. I know the days are getting longer every day, but I really am tired of it being pitch black by 6pm. It was worse when it was pitch black by 4:15pm–thank God we won’t have to worry about that again for several months. Isn’t it funny? I’m such a night owl, but I love my long summer days.

Other Things I Love About Summer
1. It’s warm/hot.
2. Wearing dresses, tank tops, and shorts.
3. Walking places isn’t as big a hassle.
4. I can do a “wash and wear” for my hair in the mornings (if I’m actually UP at such a time!) without worrying about it freezing.
5. Cookouts.
6. Berries in season.
7. Aidan’s here!!!
8. No need to wear 45983758953075 layers of clothing and outerwear.
9. No snow, ice, sleet and other assorted horrible weather stuff.

There are some bad things, too. Things like thunderstorms, mosquitos, idiots who break into cars, and loud parties. But that doesn’t stop me from craving summer. Only 120 days.

Target had a sale last week: Buy one Sims game, get one free. This was me when I discovered the sale:

I got Generations and Pets, the two most expensive ones that I didn’t already have. I haven’t played much of them yet. Waiting ’til I get through this week of freelancing to really commit.

I really, really, really want to go back to Disney World. I haven’t even consumed all the snacks I brought home from my most recent trip. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to be there! I mean, we didn’t even get a chance to ride Spaceship Earth. What?

Oh well. We’ll be back there before long.

I’d better go do the responsible thing and get ready for bed. The word on the street is that tomorrow is going to be a long one. I’d better get a lot of rest. I need make sure I’m stocked on Red Thunder[1. Aldi’s brand of Red Bull] in case I get drowsy. And also snacks.

‘Til next time!

8 Comments