i didn't know it had raisins in it ...

there were complimentary bagels at work today.

although i like my new job, i think that they are secretly trying to fatten me up (they've done this bagel thing before ... and i had TWO!)

anyway, i went back, expecting to get the same cinnamon crusted bagel with the honey wheat reduced fat cream cheese spread as before. well, THIS time, i touched one just as i noticed that it had raisins in it. and other people were in the kitchen area. so i was obligated to take it.

so i buttered it (with butter-like spread) and took it back to my office - expecting to be able to just take out the raisins. how many could there be?

well, to put it nicely, there were a whole crapload of raisins. had the owner bought these from the grocery store, perhaps there would have been fewer. but these were CLEARLY bread company bagels. chock full of raisins. not just the brown ones you can buy at the store, but also the "golden" ones that my mother searched forever to find (not at the grocery store or sams -- i think she found them online). and when i say chock-full, i mean CHOCK-FULL. it was like a raisin lovers dream.

now, i'm in my office, trying to pick out the damned things and just ended up having to throw it away. i would pick a piece, and even though it was a small piece, there was still a raisin in it. there was nothing i could do about it. they were EVERYWHERE (that's right, CHOCK-FULL-O-RAISINS).

and, i guess the universe was trying to tell me to "step away from the bagel".

the moral of the story is -- wait for everyone to leave the "kitchen area" before feeling around on the bagels.

you know you got that problem ...

so, i enjoy shopping.

i enjoy shopping, A LOT.

WAY more than i probably should.

and more than anything, i really like getting a DEAL.

about a month ago, a really good friend of mine, i'll call her "emily" (not her real name), was on the telephone with me. emily had never voiced an opinion (to my recollection) about me shopping. and of course, i was going shopping while she was on the phone. anyway, when she heard where i was going, she said, and i QUOTE

"should you be going there? you know you got that problem ..."

and although that was the FUNNIEST thing i had heard in a long time -- it did give me pause.

DO i shop too much?

m a y b e ...

i have asked myself that question time and time again.

my most current "main" haunts are sams and costco, target, and the occasional marshalls/tj maxx - bypassing department stores and malls altogether ...

doesn't that count for something?

i just don't know.

for example, i was recently at target (my new job is right around the corner from target -- i can get there in like 2 minutes flat -- that's what i said), and they had %30 off of their clearance items for kids. how could i NOT buy kids stuff -- i mean, i DO have kids.

an aside ...

there was a time when i didn't have a little girl, and actually considered buying little girl clothing "just in case". but now, i HAVE a little girl -- WHEEEEE! so, i actuality, had i BOUGHT those items, she could have worn. but i didn't.

isn't that what's important?

i almost left out home depot and lowes. i lean more towards the depot, but lowes does have it's moments ... but i'm renovating my house ...

can you BLAME me?

and then there's the internet -- it makes comparision shopping SO MUCH EASIER AND BETTER ... and with e-mail alerts and free shipping, what could be better? WHAT? please tell me, because i don't believe that there IS anything better.

is this really a problem?

so, if most of the stuff that i buy is on sale, or discounted, or something for somebody else, or something like food -- then i can't possibly be a shopaholic (such a dirty, bad word)

look, if loving shopping is wrong,

well, i don't want to be right.

happy belated inauguration day!

and how about that new president of ours?

honestly, i was on pins and needles just waiting for him to be sworn in so it would be a reality. and so, now that he's REALLY TRULY in office, i can breathe a sigh of relief, and go back to living my usual high-stress, worried-about-things-that-i-can't-control, rushed and hurried LIFE.

one of my friends really hates that obama has such a large following. he actually would LOVE to see him fail miserably.

the thing is, that our country is in SUCH a bad state, there's really little obama can do to screw things up even worse.

so, since we're at the bottom, the only place to go is up.

so happily, i'm not too worried about things going wrong in his administration -- i'm sure things WILL go wrong, that's how life is, but, nothing that he can't handle.

and aren't the girls BEAUTIFUL?

and i REALLY like that michelle is built like a real girl. she's a big girl. not a stick, or an almost boy, or "barbie". and she's not fat. i think she's built like the typical american woman, and i think that's a great thing for little girls to see.

yes, i had a happy inauguration day.

and i LOVED the president/first lady first dance.

i like that he seems to keep michelle on his mind. it was a wonderful thing when he said how beautiful that she was.

yep. all is well.

disco fever ...

so i've got a new job, which is pretty cool.

but what's even MORE cool you ask?

well, for the past week, the building has been piping DISCO music through the speakers. that's right, good old-fashioned 70's music.

*sigh*

i LOVE this place!

i'm sure it won't last, but i'm REALLY appreciating hearing songs that i grew up with.

and here's a little secret ... sometimes, when no one is looking, i sing and dance in my office. yep, that's what i said - i sing AND dance. i'm not singing loudly, or dancing wildly - but i AM enjoying myself.

yep - i'm working, singing and dancing.

don't hate.