The aftermath-

I got home last Tuesday.

There is something about a trip like this that always makes me take stock. I remember years ago, Dean and I went to London for the weekend. From California. It was right after we'd gone toe to toe with the wicked witch of the north for the kids. We lost, and it was brutal. Going to London reminded me that Anchorage Alaska was not the center of the world.



It IS very good to see other things, just to get another viewpoint.

Coincidentally, this morning I threw out 30 bottles of nail polish. Don't worry, I still have two dozen left. Our nail polish consumption has gone WAY down since the kids aren't here, and aren't coming back. What a huge fucking waste of time THAT's been, eh? There, I've said it.

I've been taking stock on a lot of things-I need more exercise, I need to take more care with my appearance, I need to work on quite a bit. I worked 70 hours a week for three years at the coffee shop. I need to direct that effort to myself now.



This morning, I assessed my shoe wardrobe, and bought five pairs. I threw out seven, yay me! I bought several pairs of expensive shoes (all marked down, of course), the kind I don't buy myself because I cheap myself out of things. I bought a pair of killer pumps. And these:



I just found my size (at another e-tailer) in silver. And BLUE. These might have to go back. BLUE!!!

Note to all: I can SEE that they are brown. This was the only color offered at the first site I shopped, and explains why these were 20.00-I guess the original retail was 85.00? BLUE ones are 10.00 more, but I plan to hold off on the blue ones until I see how these fit. There is a strong chance that these will go back. They also come in BLACK, and according to this person, also came in pink at one time.


The other central truths I learned while I was out this time?

We are no longer a super-power. Learn Mandarin now. If you argue about THAT, you are acting like the French.

The best post office on the planet is the Mongkok branch in Kowloon, Hong Kong. I know my post offices; they were GREAT with everyone in the parcel line, and the patrons represented several countries.



I don't shop drunk-but my little brother will. I coined a new phrase "Drunkle" Dean, a little play on one of his childhood nicknames that is a conglomeration of drunk and uncle. Drunkle Dean bought a cute backpack for his niece, and a cute train case too. I veto'd the train case, because that is going to his new nephew. (We're out-guessing karma, here. What are the odds that the baby will be a boy?) I have to mail that to Phoenix.



I have taxes to do. ick.