I had to move my stuff to Virginia's, who was kind enough to take me in after my previous plans fell through. Because I didn't have a car, I had to carry everything myself. It took me seven trips. It was about a fifteen minute trip to walk there, and then fifteen minutes back. And I had to pack inbetween. So, obviously, it took me a long time.
The good news was that I had a couple of suitcases on wheels, so I mostly wheeled stuff back and forth.
There were sort of the normal annoyances with moving. Getting the maximum space in your suitcases, for example. But then, of course, you have to be careful not to pack too much because then you're moving it, and it'll get too heavy.
Virginia gave me a key to her place, and the second time I showed up (after she had left to go practice), I realized it was the wrong key. I had to call her, and she came right over, apologizing a million times to me. But really, I felt bad for having to call her. She was working, and I don't like to interrupt people, even for something important like this.
And after a while I got tired, and cranky. My feet hurt. I was sweaty and gross.
I found myself getting angry about why my original plans fell through. Mostly, it was a principal of the issue, and I vowed, as I heaved stuff to and fro, that I would have a short chat with this person about everything. I tried to keep my anger from bubbling over, and I was certain if I just spoke to this person reasonable and did stuff like say "I feel..." and then filled in the blanks, they would apologize. And if I could have an apology, I'd be fine.
At the end of the day I was exhausted. I skipped dinner because I was too tired. I took a shower at Virginia's, who had showers I wasn't used to. The ground was weirdly sloop like and I got my shower bag, filled with my shampoo and whatnot, wet, because there was nowhere good to put it. But once I got clean I felt better.
Virginia let me sleep in Jane's bed, who is apparently never home anyway because she's always hanging with her boyfriend. Jane's bed might be the best bed I have ever slept in. It has gigantic covers and the mattress is weirdly soft, and everything is warm fleece. I was so tired that I didn't struggle to sleep at all. And it felt so good to lay down.
Later on, Paul asked me why I didn't just ask for help, and I told him that I felt bad about making everyone else responsible for my stuff. I think the easier way would have been now to say I didn't want to be a bother.
Showing posts with label bags. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bags. Show all posts
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Everything You Love is Bad for You
After the whole aluminum thing, I've been thinking a lot more about what I put into/on/near my body. One of the things I found was a blog called Green Living Q and A, which covers some thoughts on green living, including discussion of the whole aluminum debate. Some of the things I've learned so far:
- Juice is not that much better than sugar water. I kind of suspected this was true. Apparently consuming high levels of fructose increases the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. So, I guess I'm going to have to try drinking less of that. Mostly, there days, I'm drinking pop (I know! It's one of my few vices, and everyone gets a few, right?) and Arnold Palmer's, which my Dad is obsessed with.
- PVC is unhealthy for you. Now that I've read this, I remember it, but I'm wondering how the heck I could have forgotten that. Now I feel bad for admiring so much PVC clothing over the years. And it looks like leather is not necessarily a good option either. Other fabrics I shouldn't apparently want include EcoSpun Fabric.
- Christmas lights have chemicals, but there are kinds out there that have less chemicals. The European Union (God bless them!) certify a type of Christmas lights as "RoHA compliant," which just means that they have less chemicals than other lights. (How much is unclear to me.)
- Wall decals are made of vinyl. Which is dangerous (see the PVC comment above.) Great. There goes my easy, Etsy-encouraged decorating idea. Also, vinyl wallpaper and paint are dangerous, so I'm wondering what I am going to be able to use to decorate my walls. I'm in trouble if I'm not allowed posters or framed art. I was thinking of making a display on my ceiling of those Chinese paper lanterns, but not I'm afraid to even research what might be in them, especially given that China does not have such a great record when it comes to lead.
- Heartworm Preventing Medications aren't that different from pesticides. This I can blame on having a rabbit as a young girl as one of my few pets. (My other pets? Insects. No kidding.) I bet Jennifer, animal expert and fellow aluminum shunner, would have something to say about this, so I'm going to have to remember to ask her next chance I get.
Also, I found some new research on aluminum through the blog, including this one detailing how it is related to Alzheimer's. This pdf also talks about aluminum levels in various everyday stuff. I find this one particularly scary, since it appears to be a lot of stuff. It says that it's in pop cans, which I guess means I'm going to prefer bottled pop from now on. They're also in clay cat litter, so I guess if I ever get that cat I was thinking of getting, I'm going to have to be careful of that. There's also this study that details aluminum in tea. One of the people over at Jane Austen Today once discussed herself as a tea snob, and I guess I am in some ways too, but this study is now putting me off of tea.
One of the many things that comes up on this blog a lot is how people are chemically sensitive. It seems like way more people are chemically sensitive than I would have guessed. It also makes me wonder what causes it, because I can't really think of a time I've been overly sensitive to a chemical.
I find this stuff exhausting. Nothing is apparently safe. I hated Walden, but reading this stuff makes me want to pack my bags and go live out in the wilderness.
- Juice is not that much better than sugar water. I kind of suspected this was true. Apparently consuming high levels of fructose increases the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. So, I guess I'm going to have to try drinking less of that. Mostly, there days, I'm drinking pop (I know! It's one of my few vices, and everyone gets a few, right?) and Arnold Palmer's, which my Dad is obsessed with.
- PVC is unhealthy for you. Now that I've read this, I remember it, but I'm wondering how the heck I could have forgotten that. Now I feel bad for admiring so much PVC clothing over the years. And it looks like leather is not necessarily a good option either. Other fabrics I shouldn't apparently want include EcoSpun Fabric.
- Christmas lights have chemicals, but there are kinds out there that have less chemicals. The European Union (God bless them!) certify a type of Christmas lights as "RoHA compliant," which just means that they have less chemicals than other lights. (How much is unclear to me.)
- Wall decals are made of vinyl. Which is dangerous (see the PVC comment above.) Great. There goes my easy, Etsy-encouraged decorating idea. Also, vinyl wallpaper and paint are dangerous, so I'm wondering what I am going to be able to use to decorate my walls. I'm in trouble if I'm not allowed posters or framed art. I was thinking of making a display on my ceiling of those Chinese paper lanterns, but not I'm afraid to even research what might be in them, especially given that China does not have such a great record when it comes to lead.
- Heartworm Preventing Medications aren't that different from pesticides. This I can blame on having a rabbit as a young girl as one of my few pets. (My other pets? Insects. No kidding.) I bet Jennifer, animal expert and fellow aluminum shunner, would have something to say about this, so I'm going to have to remember to ask her next chance I get.
Also, I found some new research on aluminum through the blog, including this one detailing how it is related to Alzheimer's. This pdf also talks about aluminum levels in various everyday stuff. I find this one particularly scary, since it appears to be a lot of stuff. It says that it's in pop cans, which I guess means I'm going to prefer bottled pop from now on. They're also in clay cat litter, so I guess if I ever get that cat I was thinking of getting, I'm going to have to be careful of that. There's also this study that details aluminum in tea. One of the people over at Jane Austen Today once discussed herself as a tea snob, and I guess I am in some ways too, but this study is now putting me off of tea.
One of the many things that comes up on this blog a lot is how people are chemically sensitive. It seems like way more people are chemically sensitive than I would have guessed. It also makes me wonder what causes it, because I can't really think of a time I've been overly sensitive to a chemical.
I find this stuff exhausting. Nothing is apparently safe. I hated Walden, but reading this stuff makes me want to pack my bags and go live out in the wilderness.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
The Steal
Truth: I don't really like malls. Or shopping. I still have issues with clothes. (Why don't they ever fit right? Why are they all made for the super skinny? Why do I have to dress the same way? Why do stores all sell so much of the same stuff?)
So going to the mall today with some of my friends was sort of a different thing for me. Obviously, I was going so I could chill with them. They're all much bigger shoppers than I am. I don't even remember the last time I was in a mall or out shopping. Last summer probably, but I can't even remember. Oh! Now I know: I went out in May 2009 to help my sister look for a graduation dress. I bought a dress for the Honors College Ball (one I looked amazing in) and bought two other dresses, and my sister didn't get anything, because if there's anything I've learned about shopping, it's the person who's not looking for something who finds exactly what they've been looking for.
First, we went into this store that sells accessories. I started looking through stuff. I found this great top hat decorated with red lace ribbon. Ever since my steampunk convention a few weeks back, I have been on the lookout for cool steampunk wear. I could totally use something like this, even though I already have an (artfully battered) steampunk hat with gray ribbon.
I try not to be an impulse buyer. I try to talk myself out of at least 75 percent of my purchases. I talked myself out of this one.
Meanwhile, Tori and Natasha were inspecting vampire stuff. "What's this?" Tori asked, holding up a journal with a design from the Vampire Diaries.
"The Vampire Diaries," I explained, thinking that was enough.
"True Blood?"
"No, that's a different show."
"Wait, in addition to Twilight and True Blood there's another vampire thing?"
I decided not to mention Buffy or Interview with a Vampire or Anita Blake. Might not go over well.
We walked down to a store that sold body lotions. We walked in. "I have a headache," I said thirty seconds later. Natasha heard me and laughed. It was actually not that bad, but my Mom cannot handle those places at all. She's very headache-sensitive.
We looked through things, and I smelled some of the testers. I kind of hate it when things are described as Midnight Rendezvous or April Showers, because I always think "What does that smell like?" With something like Strawberry Sorbet it's like, sure, it's meant to smell like strawberries. At least if it doesn't smell like whatever, you can still be like "Oh, well, at least they achieved a general fruity thing."
Madison picked up this massive brush and hit me with it and it hurt. I thought about Josie and pervertables. She'd love to hear about this.
We then went into an actual clothing store. While Madison was looking around, I went into the boy's section. I really love guy's clothing, and a year and a half ago, I promised myself I would start wearing stuff I liked, regardless of where it came from (unless it was from a store that sexually abuses its employees. I'm not supporting that.) I'm a big fan of plaid shirts (or plaid anything, really.) This isn't the right weather for it, but I looked through. And then I saw this bag on the ground.
When I went to that convention, I was really sorry I didn't have a better bag (I had just opted to take my handy-dandy goes anywhere black purse). I had wished I had a canvas bag and there one was. Like God had heard me thinking about it and asked my Dad if he had one, and then decided to send me to the mall and a store I about never go into.
I picked it up. It was a decent size, which was what I wanted. It was a messenger bag, like I wanted. It didn't have holes or tears. Good, good...and I looked at the price.
7.99.
It was cheap. A bag like this is a minimum 20, sometimes 30. How the heck...?
Well, obviously, I had to get it. And then, as the clerk was ringing me up, she was like "Oh, it's on sale, plus you get another 20 percent off. 5.49."
5.49? Sold!
I showed it to everyone and they were all impressed. 5.49 for a nice big bag like that?
I'm the kind of person who buys something and then instantly regrets it. I keep expecting it to happen with this bag. I keep opening it expecting a giant spider to come out and chew my arm off. To be fair, it's a little awkwardly designed. If I was making this bag, I'd order different clasps and shoulder strap, but it's really the right look.
Hilariously enough, of all my friends, I was the only person who bought something today. See what I mean? When you're not looking for something, it finds you.
So going to the mall today with some of my friends was sort of a different thing for me. Obviously, I was going so I could chill with them. They're all much bigger shoppers than I am. I don't even remember the last time I was in a mall or out shopping. Last summer probably, but I can't even remember. Oh! Now I know: I went out in May 2009 to help my sister look for a graduation dress. I bought a dress for the Honors College Ball (one I looked amazing in) and bought two other dresses, and my sister didn't get anything, because if there's anything I've learned about shopping, it's the person who's not looking for something who finds exactly what they've been looking for.
First, we went into this store that sells accessories. I started looking through stuff. I found this great top hat decorated with red lace ribbon. Ever since my steampunk convention a few weeks back, I have been on the lookout for cool steampunk wear. I could totally use something like this, even though I already have an (artfully battered) steampunk hat with gray ribbon.
I try not to be an impulse buyer. I try to talk myself out of at least 75 percent of my purchases. I talked myself out of this one.
"The Vampire Diaries," I explained, thinking that was enough.
"True Blood?"
"No, that's a different show."
"Wait, in addition to Twilight and True Blood there's another vampire thing?"
I decided not to mention Buffy or Interview with a Vampire or Anita Blake. Might not go over well.
We walked down to a store that sold body lotions. We walked in. "I have a headache," I said thirty seconds later. Natasha heard me and laughed. It was actually not that bad, but my Mom cannot handle those places at all. She's very headache-sensitive.
We looked through things, and I smelled some of the testers. I kind of hate it when things are described as Midnight Rendezvous or April Showers, because I always think "What does that smell like?" With something like Strawberry Sorbet it's like, sure, it's meant to smell like strawberries. At least if it doesn't smell like whatever, you can still be like "Oh, well, at least they achieved a general fruity thing."
Madison picked up this massive brush and hit me with it and it hurt. I thought about Josie and pervertables. She'd love to hear about this.
We then went into an actual clothing store. While Madison was looking around, I went into the boy's section. I really love guy's clothing, and a year and a half ago, I promised myself I would start wearing stuff I liked, regardless of where it came from (unless it was from a store that sexually abuses its employees. I'm not supporting that.) I'm a big fan of plaid shirts (or plaid anything, really.) This isn't the right weather for it, but I looked through. And then I saw this bag on the ground.
When I went to that convention, I was really sorry I didn't have a better bag (I had just opted to take my handy-dandy goes anywhere black purse). I had wished I had a canvas bag and there one was. Like God had heard me thinking about it and asked my Dad if he had one, and then decided to send me to the mall and a store I about never go into.
I picked it up. It was a decent size, which was what I wanted. It was a messenger bag, like I wanted. It didn't have holes or tears. Good, good...and I looked at the price.
7.99.
It was cheap. A bag like this is a minimum 20, sometimes 30. How the heck...?
Well, obviously, I had to get it. And then, as the clerk was ringing me up, she was like "Oh, it's on sale, plus you get another 20 percent off. 5.49."
5.49? Sold!
I showed it to everyone and they were all impressed. 5.49 for a nice big bag like that?
I'm the kind of person who buys something and then instantly regrets it. I keep expecting it to happen with this bag. I keep opening it expecting a giant spider to come out and chew my arm off. To be fair, it's a little awkwardly designed. If I was making this bag, I'd order different clasps and shoulder strap, but it's really the right look.
Hilariously enough, of all my friends, I was the only person who bought something today. See what I mean? When you're not looking for something, it finds you.
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