Indulging

Today I am indulging. It all started with sleeping in. Followed by lunch with my dad, some shopping, and now I have landed at a cupcake factory and I am sitting down to write all of you fine people from a lovely outside table in Dallas, Texas.

While it sounds amazing, there are some downsides.

Since I slept in late, I won't be able to go to bed tonight which would normally be fine, but we have a 7:15 am flight to Charlotte, North Carolina in the morning and we have to leave the house at 5:00 am. So i will be kicking myself tomorrow for sleeping today.

Next, while shopping is generally fun for the financially stable of this world, I am only shopping in order to return. Yes, you heard me right. Drum role for the big confession please... I am a secret shopper. The mystery shopper that slips into stores with all my shopping stealth spy powers and evaluates how well people do on the job and then returns the stuff later. It's either this or crafts that I make from my closet, remember, so I have chosen this. It's not so bad because in my heart of hearts I know that even if I could afford it, I could not live with myself for buying a $400 pair of shoes. But little devils follow me into the stores and by the time I am done I forget that I am poor, I feel so natural being rich, and I have already decided to love my new $400 shoes with all my heart; it is crushing to get back into my 10 year old vibrating ford escort and drive away knowing that I will be back tomorrow to say that I changed my mind.

And finally, it is hot today. If I were sitting here with my IZZE juice, cupcake, and computer and it were 10 degrees cooler, I might forget about the new pair of shoes sitting in the car calling my name and just bask in the glory of being outside on a glorious fall day. But it is 87 degrees, and I am sweating. And actually...the sweat drove me to do something I have never done before. I went next door to the trendy clothes exchange store, found a three dollar shirt, took my sweater off in the dressing room and left wearing a tank top. This is slightly bothersome because it has not been washed. My dad had a hang up with this growing up that he instilled in me. When you buy new clothes from the store, he would say, they've come from a different country on a boat and then they have been locked away in a truck or a train, and they are gross and carry diseases, and they must be washed and cleaned before you let them touch your body, or you will die. This made a lot sense to me. I did not want to die. I also didn't want germs from China. So I formed an early habit of washing, then wearing. I wonder how he will feel when he knows not only has this shirt on my body not been washed, but it's used. I wonder what I will contract from this? Probably a skin rash or a rare form of hepatitis.

Still...this cupcake is amazing. And that makes up for a lot. I get to fly in the morning, and I love that. Disease or no disease I have a new, cute shirt on and less sweat. And I had lunch with my dad, which is an adventure in itself. And finally...you people are at work and I am five years out of college and still not working!!! So, yep, today I am indulging.

In the spirit of being grateful and letting people know that I appreciate them, I will buy my friend Jama a cupcake and tell her I am glad she is my friend, and spread the love. (Jama is the cute one in the Halloween picture from earlier this month. She is married to our guitar player, Ryan. She is a good friend. )

Hope you are having a good day. Make sure you vote for your favorite part of Thanksgiving!