Wednesday, November 30, 2011

White Christmas, Black Friday

For the first time in my life, I decided to attend a Black Friday sale last week. Usually this is a weekend long event that I spend locked in my house working on homework, projects, and what have you instead of elbowing my way through the sales racks.  This was my first Thanksgiving as a non-student so I thought, "What the heck! I'll give it a shot!" I'll admit, I've been afraid to venture out into the public most Black Friday weekend sales before and I may think thrice about doing that again.

Well, this year I was in the market for a new T.V.  Dad gifted me with a tube television when I graduated high school and it's time for it to retire. It works really well. It's just that, well, the thing is huge and heavy. There's also that slight problem that it only functions with a VHS tape in the VCR otherwise it makes this horrifying grinding noise and shuts off. Funny that I have to keep said tape in there because...it doesn't actually play tapes. Go figure. I guess my VCR just wants to munch on one.

So I picked myself out a nice T.V. at Target. I saved my pennies and watched the sales. I also had a $100 gift card to Target that I've been holding on to for over two years so I could buy something big and long-lasting. In short, I was ready to shop!

Thanksgiving night, Dad and I hopped in the car and headed out to Target for their mid-night opening. I needed a body guard and Dad said he was up for the adventure. Armed with a thermos of coffee and our White Christmas spirit, we patiently waited in the winding line outside while they let small groups in every few minutes. As we walked in, it became very apparent that MANY other people had been waiting for these dales as well.

We dodged cart after cart of crazy shoppers hurrying through the store. The lines were nuts, tons of folks jumping around with the arms loaded down and kids loose in the aisles. Oh kids. Dad and I waited in the electronics line for over an hour with this annoying eleven year old child yammering on and on about who knows what. A mixture of excitement for being out past his bed time and the impatience of a never ending line added up to his enthusiastic chatter. 

On a side note (and I have to remember this or else I feel I'd forgotten the joy of Christmas spirit entirely.), Sir Talksalot's mother was farther ahead in the electronics line than we were. She kept saying to her son they were out of the iPod Touch players that he wanted. He was bummed, however, my elfish self spotted that his mother pulled a clever Santa Mama move. She had the lady in front of her pay for the iPod Touch for her kiddo to make it look like they ran out just before she could pay. Props to you, Lady. I bet you have a tough time keeping surprises from your freakishly talkative kid. He's going to be so excited come Christmas morning. I'm glad I don't have to hear about it. 

Anyway, back to the story. After waiting for over an hour I find out that Target ran out of my sales T.V. For real. No Santa fibbing. Sad day. I told Dad our unfortunate news and he braved the crowds to badger the employees and find out if there any were in in the back. Sure enough there were AND there were even some abandoned in carts along the aisles. What luck! 

We tell our happy cashier the good news and she looks at us like we're cracked, as if to say, "Girl, you boo-boo crazy! Sales T.V.'s left? Hah! Fat chance!" Then she tells me they're definitely out of T.V.'s and I should not have waited in THIS line for over an hour, that there was NO line for the sales T.V.'s. They were in women's intimate apparel the whole time. Women's imtimat...what the heck?! WHY DIDN'T I KNOW?!?! Of course. The T.V.'s should be in women's intimate apparel. Who wouldn't look for T.V. amongst bras and panties? Silly me. 

She informs me that I should have known where to get them because there were maps at the front of the store when we entered. Daddy's face at this point is priceless. 

"What maps?" I ask. "These maps," she says as she waves a green piece of paper in my face. At this time, Dad's coffee buzz has worn off. "A T.V. is an electronic. Why aren't they here in an electronics? If a T.V. is not an electronic, then what the hell is an electronic?" Good deduction there, Daddy-O. I was wondering the same thing. Still, the cashier just shimmes her little map at us. 

Squelching down the desire to bounce her head on the counter like a basketball, I calmly say to her, "Well, I'm here now. What can do you for this paying customer?" Oh but she can't do anything for me because I waited in the wrong line, I didn't have a map! Nothing can be done because I didn't have a map! 

For Pete's sake! This map is apparently akin to the Holy Grail! I can't do anything without a fancy, dancy green map! No longer sad, I am now Hacked with a capital "H." By this time it is 2:30 in the morning, my Christmas happy has left the building. So I did what any true-blue Black Friday shopper would do. Devoid of any Christmas spirit, I marched off to an abandoned cart, asked if the T.V. belonged to anyone (No, it did not.), and hauled it back to the cashier and said "RING ME UP! Please." 

The black cloud that settled over my head in what should have been a fun shopping experience was entirely too much for this Christmas elf to handle. Yes, I got my sales T.V. I succumbed to my inner animalistic shopper and nearly took out  a cashier. But by golly, I got my T.V. And Daddy only cursed twice. Quietly. 

For fear of ever coming in contact with my inner South Pole elf, I believe I will not be venturing out to a Black Friday shopping spree in the future. For real. 



Sunday, November 13, 2011

Procrastination Princess

Oh sure, I've blogged about procrastination before, but I had to share my new obsession: Pinterest.

If you're not familiar with this little treasure, check it out!

...(5 minutes later)...

Oh my gosh, all I have to do is just check the home page and I just get lost in the amazingness that is Pinterest! This is becoming a real problem.

Well, to be honest, I should be finishing up my work that I've put off until today. I'm so close to being done with my grade in-putting and here I am. On Blogger. Taking a mental break. Thought I'd update my little online journal for a few minutes since I seem to be on here less and less these days.

Pictures last Tuesday went swimmingly! I love the photographer we got, Apryl Ann Photography. She's a doll and I love her work. (Also love that it was in our price range.) We had an outdoor shoot and it was so fun to take pictures with Pyro Man! We don't have a ton of pictures together because I always forget to pull out my camera. I'm trying to be better about it.

I was worried we'd get rained out on our shoot day, but Mother Nature decided to cooperate. We did have one funny incident. We laid out a quilt to take pictures on and before we sat down this GIANT spider came crawling across our picnic scene. Being my calm, cool, and collected self, I began to shriek and yell out incoherent things whilst hoping from one patent leather pump to the other in order to attract the attention of my fiance.

"There's ah! Ohmygoodness!!! It's large! Ack! Spider! Sweet jeebus! A SPIDDDEEEER!" 

My communication skills are superb. Really. Taking note of my apparent problem, Pyro Man saved the day by happily tromping over the spider and sufficiently squishing it with his rugged boot. Brave fiance. I'm so glad I'm marrying a man who not only owns a washer and dryer, but is heroic enough to save me from large creepy, crawly things. 

Aside from our close encounter with nature, it was really fun. I'd been looking forward to this part of the engagement for so long and I can't wait to see the pictures when they come in! 

Pyro Man and I headed to Waco this weekend for a wedding he was in (Congratulations Eric and Jackie!). It was a beautiful ceremony and a great reception. Even made Pyro Man twirl me around the floor a couple times where we proceeded to take out several couples along the way. It's hilarious really. 

He tries to lead and then forgets he's leading so we inadvertently bump into another couple (or two). They, of course, look at me like I need to watch where I'm going when I can't because I can't see out the back of my head. Then Pyro Man and I try to get back on count, but he's lost count of what step he's on so we end up stepping on each other, falling all over the place. Me? I'm in a fit of giggles by this point in time because there's no saving it. But you know what, it doesn't bother me in the least bit. In fact, I'd tell you right now I have the best time "dancing" with him and I'd let him swing me around any day! (Guess that's true love right there!) 

Now I'm home, trying to work and he's off in New Mexico for the week hunting. Guess I'd better get my behind in gear and finish up my to-do's so I can enjoy the last of my Sunday night. I did remember to take a picture of Pyro Man and I before we left the wedding. So here's a picture to end the post!

Happy Sunday! 

Monday, November 7, 2011

Hello November! When Did You Get Here?

It's November! Turkey time! I love the month of November, but I guess I could honestly say I love every month with the exception of maybe January, March, or August. I feel those are transitional months. So not the point of this post!

October has flown by and I feel like I'm just now catching up with myself. There were so many things going on, weddings, holidays, dance concerts and master classes. Sadly, I missed one of my good friends wedding at the first of October. Here's a belated congratulations to Cassie & Ben!

A few weeks back I went to see a friend of mine get married in Oklahoma City. It was a a sweet ceremony and she was a beautiful bride!


Congratulations to Abby and Clint! 

Two weeks ago my dear friend Stacie got married in OKC and it was such a wonderful wedding! I tried really hard not to ball when she walked down the aisle, but I did shed some tears. Knowing Stacie prior to meeting her new husband, Wes, and seeing their relationship blossom somehow made the wedding that much more special. It was simply magically.

My best bud, Karley, flew in for Stacie's wedding and we got to spend lots of time together, which was fabulous! It is a rarity of us to see each other since she now lives in Pittsburgh. I loved spending time with Karley, it was truly a perfect visit! The best part about this particular weekend was that I got to spend time with some other OCU loves of mine--I'm ever so grateful for sweet friends!

Esther, Luis, Becca, Pedro, Me, & Karley

Gamma Phi Beta Reunion!  

Vicky, Me, Esther, & Karley 

Karley had some big news that I was happy to celebrate with her--SHE'S ENGAGED!!! 


After six years of dating, she and her honey are finally tying the knot next August! I'm so excited for her--I know I will be blubbering when she walks down the aisle. No joke.

Halloween was a whirlwind, but Karley and I got decked out to pass out candy to the cute trick-or-treaters!

I made Pyro Man promise to carve pumpkins with me with me earlier in the month. 

We carved up several good ones with his brother and sister-in-law, too! 

What else happened this past month? Oh yeah! The department I'm teaching for had a dance concert  last Friday. They did such a wonderful job and I was very proud of the students! I also got to teach a couple of master classes at a couple other colleges and had a ball with that! 

On to November and whatever that may bring! Pyro Man and I are taking engagement pictures tomorrow and I'm so excited about that!! EIGHT months from today we'll be saying our "I do's" and celebrating with friends and family. I cannot wait! 

Happy Monday everyone! 

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