I was shopping for some clothes for me. I found a few things to try on so I stepped into a dressing room. At first my focus was on the clothes, but gradually it shifted and I realized that playing loudly from a speaker right above my head was a cutesy, wordy song that I’d never heard before.
So I stopped what I was doing and had a listen. Big mistake. Now I have an ear worm… and this is what I’m hearing.
[You’ve been warned. Click on the link at your own peril.]
I was at the supermarket checking out at one of the four U-Scan areas. I swiped a six-pack of beer across the scanner and it registered the price. The scanner screen then stopped, waiting for the employee watching over the U-Scans to bypass the need for me to show ID.
But the employee, a kid around 20, didn’t hit the bypass button.
He shouted over to me to show him some proof that I was old enough to buy beer. At first, I thought that he was talking to someone else behind me who was checking out.
But he wasn’t.
Then I figured that he was joking around with me. After all, I’m closer to Medicare than the magical age of 21.
But he wasn’t goofing with me. He was serious.
In fact, by then he’d walked over to me and was standing right in front of me, demanding ID. So I yanked my wallet from my purse– which caused my lipstick to go flying onto the bagging area of the U-Scan– and started to show my driver’s license to the guy.
But something about the amazed look on my face + the close-up of my wrinkled skin/graying blonde hair must have startled this guy because his demand for my ID suddenly turned into a quiet little question: “Ma’am, are you old enough to buy alcohol?”
To which I answered a simple little: “yes.”
And with that, the employee guy picked up my lipstick and handed it to me. Then he walked back to his U-Scan post where he hit the button that allowed me to buy beer.
I finished scanning my items without incident and put them in my bags. Then I left the supermarket with a big smile on my face– and a crush on this kid who takes his job very seriously.
God bless him and his bad eyesight.
[WordPress automatically generates suggested tags for each post. The three it suggested for this post are: Beer – Medicare – God. A glimpse into my future, perhaps?!]
~ Like a busy little bee I’ve been tweaking the spectacled bean these last few weeks. After three months of blogging I’ve made some decisions about what I’m going to write about and how I’m going to do it. And why, of course.
~ I’ve deleted some posts and categories. I decided that I will write what I want to write about, when I want to write about it– and not at the command of others. Seems obvious, I know, but perhaps I’m just a slow learner when it comes to putting a blog together.
~ I’ve added some tags and reworded some of my category names. Now they more accurately reflect what I want to share with the world. Not really very important to you, gentle readers, but this makes a big difference to me. Keeps me focused.
~ I created a FB fan page for this blog. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. Maybe nothing. But I figured that since one of my rules in life is to “maximize my options,” I’d better do that by creating a free, easy-to-set-up FB page. [Link in the sidebar to the right. No obligation to be a fan, btw.] [Please note: FB fan page deleted 08.11. No point to it.]
~ When I started this blog I thought that I’d try to have some sort of posting schedule. I know that it’s easier for my readers when I’m consistent. But here’s the thing: I didn’t always have something to say on the days of the week that I scheduled myself to post on. So I’m going to allow myself to be random. I figure that having something to say every once in a while is more important than saying nothing on a timely schedule.
~ I want to have more photos in this blog. I’m in the process of organizing our digital photos; eventually I hope to use many of them in this blog. Plus, I need to start taking more photos. But right now I feel so overwhelmed by the afore-mentioned mess of photos, that I’m reluctant to take more photos– which will just add to the mess.
~ I’ve been thinking about what I want to do with this blog. And if I’m honest, I have to say: nothing. It seems like I should have loftier, more commercial goals for this sweet little bloggy. Maybe someday I will. But at the moment the spectacled bean is a hobby that keeps my brain alive, my heart engaged, and allows me to stay in touch with those who care about me and Zen-Den. And that’s enough for me.
• If you know me well, you know that I start each day with black coffee.
• If you know me well, you know that I like to grow flowers, but have a rickety back that sometimes doesn’t allow me to do much of anything but look at what is growing– which means, in practical terms, that I like to grow weeds, too.
• If you know me well, you know that I am a jeans and t-shirt sort of girl. With flat shoes/sandals. I rock casual.
• If you know me well, you know that I am not overly enamored with the human race. Never have been. Even in 6th grade when I was forced to sing that stupid “Up, Up, With People” song, I didn’t buy into it. I always thought that the second line, “you meet ’em wherever you go,” was more gypsy curse than inspirational. Still do.
• If you know me well, you know that when wrapping a gift I always put tissue paper inside the gift bag or box– and that I prefer [fun] curly ribbon to [boring] straight ribbon.
• If you know me well, you know that I am allergic to April and August. And most dogs and cats. And dust mites. And some wines. And antibacterial soap. And many scented candles.
• If you know me well, you know that I have never been to a karaoke bar– which I consider to be a blessing.
• If you know me well, you know that I read books, websites, magazines about interior design. I learn what I can from these sources, and then I apply what I like to this house. Sometimes it even looks good.
• If you know me well, you know that I’m a lapsed Presbyterian.
• If you know me well, you know that I enjoy going to the zoo. I’m a fan of the okapi, the spectacled bear, and the pigmy marmoset. I also like giraffes and otters. And penguins, of course. I’m rather open-minded about which animals I like at the zoo.
[H/T to Michelle at Bleeding Espresso. You posted this last year. I get to it this year. Better late than never, eh?]
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 