Yuppies

Don and I are yuppies. I wish it weren't so, but all the signs are there. We go to Starbucks before our weekly trip to the grocery store. Then we grumble, because the carts don't have cupholders. What kind of grocery carts don't have a cupholder in this day and age? we mutter.

We drove an hour and half to get to the D.C. area, just to go to IKEA. Not a museum, not the White House, nor any of the historically, culturally or politically important sights of the nation's capital. No, we just went to the IKEA, spent our little hearts out, ate dinner at the Olive Garden (because they don't have one here!) and drove home again, flat pointy boxes full of bookcases jammed into the back of my seat. Because we love that store, and because this small, adorable, boxy little house was simply calling out for nifty furniture and accessories from those people that understand small spaces.

2 bookcases
1 coffeetable
2 little lights that go on top of the bookcases
1 desk lamp

You'd think my car would hold more than that, wouldn't you? I mean if you knew what my car was, which you may or may not. But either way, it does not. Photos of the wondrous IKEA goods to follow, when I feel like it.

Friday was my last day at the bookstore, and damn, did that feel good. This whole week, I just... worked at the bank! That's it! Then I came home and did home-stuff! My new work schedule is perfect. 9:30 till 4:30/5:00. Does it get any better than that? Not too early, not too late. The second job filled its purpose, and I'm glad and grateful that I had it, but I'm so much gladder to be free of it. No more 16-hour Fridays after working till midnight on Thursday. No more spending half the weekend just recovering from that. It really hit me today on the drive home, because of the radio. Every day at the same time (around 4:45 I think), NPR has a little geography quiz, the Geo-Quiz, sandwiched between other news bits. I always caught it on the way to the bookstore, when I was mentally gearing up for another 7-hour shift. Today, I heard it on the way home.

And the most valuable aspect of the bookstore, I get to keep: the folks that we go out with regularly now. Don and I have people to hang out with, to play darts or shoot pool. It's a nice feeling. I don't know if any of them will become close friends, or if they will remain casual acquaintances. Either way is OK.