Thrift-Store Hopping

I woke up early this morning determined to make it to Goodwill on time. As you may have guessed, I'm partial to thrift stores and love perusing the aisles for used treasures. You never really know what you may find. So I buy second-hand goods. I'm a believer in recycled products. I'm also frugal (see prior post). Thrift stores are my thing. I must have really been in the mood for thrift-store shopping this morning because I arrived thirty minutes early. I forgot that Goodwill opens at 10 a.m. on Sundays. It was the perfect excuse for me to buy breakfast. After all, I needed to muster some energy to get me through the day. Today's sale featured 50% off furniture, 75% off linen, and 75% off anything metal. My kind of deals. I bought drapes for our dining room and a couple of accent throw pillows. I didn't find any furniture, so I left after an hour. However, BB arrived home earlier than usual, and we went back to the same thrift store. BB spotted a great side table for our bedroom, still perfectly packed in a box direct from Target. It cost us $12.50 with the sale. I also purchased a perfectly new messenger bag for work at a steal ($5.00). Wow. I thought for sure the bag would be gone when we returned, but no one picked it up. My lucky day. Afterwards, BB and I drove 20 minutes to another thrift store, where we purchased a sofa for $50 and matching coffee tables and end tables all for $50. The tables were from Target and were still in the box. We were really lucky today. However, when we arrived home, BB began to assemble the tables and noticed that the screws were missing. We drove to Lowe's and bought some screws, but it turns out that they're the wrong size. This is but one of the drawbacks to being thrifty. But it's a minor problem, and we still managed to save a lot of money. You should see our condo. Roughly 90% of our furniture and housewares are from local thrift stores. Yet, you would have never guessed that's the truth.

The Tony Awards are on tonight. I saw a performance of Sweeney Todd, and now I'm hooked. It's dark and morbid, right up my alley. If only more shows would come through our town.

Hmm...As I sit here and type, I notice how cluttered our desk is with books and magazines. We need a couple of bookshelves in our guest bedroom/office. I guess that's something to look for next time we go thrift-store hopping. Suddenly, I find myself flushed and excited.

Pink Zen

BB and I attended Jacob and Lucas's housewarming party on Thursday night. We arrived at their new home an hour late. It took us an hour to drive there. It felt like a mini-road trip. It was a mini-road trip. Jacob came out to greet us and gave me a big hug. I have to admit that I've missed him. Although I felt uncomfortable at first, it slowly subsided as Jacob and I reconnected. Jacob and Lucas were very hospitable and appeared genuinely happy to see us. Lucas took us on a tour of their new home, which is quite impressive. I loved their furniture, but frowned upon the fact that their master bedroom neither had a walk-in closet nor a large bathroom. It's a beautiful home nonetheless. After a Memphis barbecue dinner, Jacob and I had a chance to catch up on all that's happened. I discovered that he's currently on leave from the air force and is working at a retail store. I was disappointed and saddened by the fact that we had lost touch with one another. We used to be so close. But, as Jacob puts it, our priorities have changed. I agree. We've grown up and, in the process, have grown apart. Maybe someday, we'll find our way back to how it once was between us.

BB bought me a pink Creative Zen Nano Plus (1 GB) mp3 player for my birthday. She ordered it through Amazon.com, and I'm waiting impatiently for it. I've been wanting an mp3 player for so long, but never seriously thought about purchasing one. Probably because it's something I want, but don't exactly need. I guess I'm a bit...frugal. OK. I'll admit it. I'm cheap, although I prefer 'thrifty' instead, thank you. I'm the 'thrifty' one in our relationship. BB's gotten used to that aspect of me, but it's been difficult trying to persuade her to see things (i.e., money and the way we should spend it) through my eyes. Of course, BB has tried to reciprocate the process. And I'm slowly changing my views. Money is just money. It doesn't buy happiness (although it pays the bills). BB's motto is if we have the money, then we deserve to spend it any way we want. 'We only live once,' she says time and again. I absolutely agree. However, money doesn't come easy. We need to work hard for it. We have to earn it. My motto is to save for a rainy day, to be prepared just in case. Why buy at retail prices when you can buy at discounted prices? Why buy new when you can buy used? Why shop at Target when Goodwill is just as good, if not better? LoL I am frugal. But, I'm learning to balance my life. I'm learning to enjoy life and to splurge now and again, all the while maintaining a budget which will allow us to pay the bills and still have a few dollars left over to save for a rainy day. Hence, I'm going to enjoy my pink Zen without feeling the least bit guilty.

OMG! Marie's officially married! It's already 11:26 p.m. in New York. Marie and Gary were married today. Wow! I can't believe they finally tied the knot. I'm so happy for them! BB and I were supposed to attend their wedding, but we couldn't afford it. The tickets to New York alone would have cost a fortune. Although we couldn't go, we bought them a wedding gift from their registry. I hope they like it. I also hope and pray that they share a long, happy, and successful life together. Palakpakan!

Wicked

I trekked to the local library this morning. Unfortunately, the books I wanted to borrow were out, and I couldn't request them online at home because my library card had expired (the horror!). However, I picked up a few books while perusing through the library's massive and somewhat impressive book collection. I chose That Same Flower by Jostein Gaarder (who also wrote one of my favorites, Sophie's World), House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, and The Plot to Save Socrates by Paul Levinson. The last book is a mystery, which isn't my cup of tea. However, the plot centers around Socrates and features other historical characters, which peaked my interest. If you get a chance, read Socrates Cafe by Christopher Phillips. It's thought-provoking and will have you questioning anything and everything to achieve a better understanding of matters.


I'm under a spell. I love Wicked, the musical. And I'm a fan of Idina Menzel. I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but I can't help it. Thanks to a friend, I saw Wicked firsthand. It's amazing! I hope it tours again sometime very soon. "For the first time, I feel wicked."




I'm currently listening to Madonna's "I Love New York". I wish I could have seen her Confessions tour. Instead, I'll have to wait paitiently for it to air on HBO or to be released on DVD. Check out www.madonna.com for all the latest news on her tour or simply to partake in a great site.

Uncomfortable

I'm listening to the New York Theatre Workshop version of RENT. A lot of Jonathan Larson's original lyrics and music were cut and edited, resulting in the version of RENT we've all come to know and love. The NYTW version is...unusual. I'm not used to this version. After listening to it, I understood why Jonathan Larson's original work was edited and cut back a great deal. There's just no way it would have been a success without the major editing.

Jacob invited BB and I to a housewarming party next week. We talked for a few minutes and then hung up. I felt uncomfortable talking to him over the phone after what transpired via our letters. I can only imagine how uncomfortable it'll be at the party. I'm really not looking forward to it, but we'll go because it's the right thing to do. I hate to think that Jacob believes I'm jealous about his new home and that that's the reason why we're no longer close. The last letter he wrote alluded to that. Granted, I'm a bit jealous, but that's not the reason why our friendship is on the rocks (see prior post). Who cares what he thinks. I'll go to the party and try to reconnect with him. And I'll be civil so long as Lucas does the same.

I still haven't received a reply from Autumn. I guess we're at a standstill once again.

On a lighter note, we received free furniture from BB's co-worker, who moved over the weekend. We received a loveseat and a leather recliner, both in pretty good condition. We also bought a 27" tv from the co-worker for $50, and it works like new! We're happy that we finally have furniture for the livingroom, and I'm anxious to get things in order. Thank goodness my weekend is finally here!

On a final note, Happy Birthday to my beautiful BB, who deserves all that her precious heart desires in life. I love you, baby!