Work bag woes

In my life, when it came to losing baby teeth, I hated pulling said teeth. My loose teeth would literally hang by one little root. I could rotate them a full 360 degrees, but I would still refuse to pull them. My work bag this week reminded me of that. I have been losing the battle of the straps breaking on my bag for 3 or 4 years.  In the picture below, you can see how much they have been stretching and pulling. 

But really, it had been like that for several years. I asked for a new work bag for Christmas one year, but I just didn't like what I got and couldn't find anything else I liked. I know this is shocking coming from someone who struggles with change. But everything fit perfectly just where I wanted it in the bag. So, I continued to use my faithful bag for 3 or 4 more years.  However, last week one part of one strap began pulling even more.  By the end of the week, kind of like my loose teeth, it was hanging by a few threads.  And I knew I was out of time.  So, being forced to get a new bag, I searched a couple of stores and found one that was okay.  It is not what I would have chosen had I had the time to really look, but such is life.  I do not have high hopes that the straps on the new bag will last for 7 years because they are not nearly as reinforced as my previous bag.  But we shall embrace the change.

Ironically, as I was lifting my trusty old bag onto my bed to make the switch and "test out" if my new bag will even fit all my stuff that I carry, the strap finally gave out :).  Coincidence?  I think not.

Feeling a little guilty

I don't often feel that guilt to buy things when kids are selling various stuff outside of the grocery store.  I'm pretty good about smiling, saying no thank you, and walking right on by.  But today, in the wind and cold and sprinkles, Boy Scout's were selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts outside of Walmart.  I just knew I was going to buy some.  Not because I love Krispy Kreme, because I immediately thought, "What would I do with them if I bought them?"  But because I was that kid in high school for several years in a row, selling Krispy Kreme at an intersection close to my house to raise funds for the yearbook.  I remember one year that it was raining.  Usually I roped my two best friends into helping and they spent the night with me and then we stayed up most of the night.  And then we had to meet the van at the school at like 4 am to pick up the doughnuts.  There are some good memories to it, but really just a sense of dread that these kids were having to sell them.  So I thought I would be a good person and buy a box.  DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THEY COST? $7.00.  So I smiled and said "No thank you."  And got in my car and felt GUILT. :)  I almost just gave them five dollars and called it a day, but then I remembered those people who used to do that when I was selling and I would get so frustrated because I still had to sell the box they didn't take!  So I didn't even go back and give them any money.  Poor kids, they are probably still standing out in the cold trying to sell that one last box...

Wanting to follow the trend, whatever it might be.

Sometimes I am stubborn about trends and refuse to follow them.  Sometimes I want to follow them, but I know it wouldn't be good for me.  Sometimes I want to follow them but I don't think I would be cool enough for them.  Sometimes I want to follow them but I know I wouldn't do a very good job at the trend.

Several of my friends set out on a "Picture of the Day" adventure at the beginning of the year.  I know it's not really a "trend", but go with me here.  It sounds fun in theory, but I just think it would stress me out.  So I refuse to participate (maybe a little bit of stubbornness thrown in there, but I also just don't know how practical it would be for me).  But I want to be able to do it.  So, sometimes I find myself thinking, "If I were doing a picture of the day, this is what I would take a picture of..."  So, today, you get my picture complete with a caption after it:

What says quick, easy dinner before I have to run out the door like a bowl of fruit loops (WITH MARSHMALLOWS!  How excited was I when I saw them at the store!)  And out of the bowl that I have been eating from since I was a child.  Good old ugly yellowish-brown tupperware.  Cereal doesn't taste the same out of any other bowl!

Happy 7 year work anniversary to me!

Really that's all I have to say.  It was a long day and I don't have a lot of words left in me (hard to believe, I know) but I didn't want to forget to post.  I will have to take a picture of the last two anniversary cards I've gotten from the vice president at work.  Last year, he forgot to sign his name or complete the sentence he wrote.  This year he spelled my name wrong. :)  Good thing I like my job or I'd feel a little offended!  And I should feel good that I actually get a card.

A Day in the life...

I decided to catalog my day today with this picture.  11 hours of work plus Bible study kind of threw up in the front seat as the day went on.  You can't really tell, but the cup is from Subway, which I had for lunch.  The bag is from Chick-fil-a, which I had for dinner.  The purple bag holds my water bottles (when they are actually in the bag--since I count two that were not put back in the bag).  The green striped bag on the floor held my Bible study stuff until I pulled it out for Bible study at which time I just threw it in with the rest when I left Bible study.  The blue folder and Bible are covering up my work bag.  My purse is buried under there somewhere.  I got to work before 8, had a meeting from 9-10:15.  Met with a client for 3 hours in Washington, had a quick lunch at Subway, headed to Chillicothe to see a client.  Headed back to Peoria to see a client.  Was thinking I was going to have a quick session (10 minutes at the most) with his grandmother, which turned into 45 minutes.  Left her house 15 minutes from Bible study already running about 15 minutes late.  Drove through Chick-fil-a, which I wouldn't really recommend to myself to eat in the car because I can't eat it without dipping both nuggets and fries in Polynesian sauce.  Was about a half hour late to Bible study.  At Bible study for 1 1/2 hours, and then home.  It was a chaotic day, but not a bad day.  Just a little busier than usual, and I tend to let it reflect in my car more than I would like.  The good thing is, it always gets cleaned up and brought into the house each day, so it never really gets much worse than this.  Wednesdays are sometimes bad as well because I go straight from work to AWANA and have a change of clothes with me.  Happy Monday everyone! :)