The Chronic Consumer

Now that I’m working outside the home again, I have to spend more money on a suitable wardrobe. The last time I had a full-time job, I wore one of those full work jumpsuits that cover everything. That’s not gonna fly for my current position, so it’s back to shopping at department stores for suits, slacks, skirts, blouses, and other apparel that is deemed “business casual”.

You know, as much as I love shopping for clothes, I sometimes miss those halcyon days of wearing sweats or a uniform to work!

I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Halloween! Have the trick-or-treaters come by your house yet? I know some towns had their official trick-or-treating last night, but mine is doing it today, which is of course better.

What kind of candy are you giving out this year? I always give out Snickers or Twix because those are my favorites and obviously I’ll need to eat any leftovers we might have. I tried giving away non-candy treats one year, like McDonald’s gift certificates and things like that, but the gesture wasn’t as appreciated.

What do you think? Is it better to give out traditional candy, or do you prefer handing out something healthier like fruit or nuts? Have you ever gone the extra mile and given a gift certificate for a local business, such as the best carpet cleaning holly springs nc has to offer or the tastiest pizza Raleigh residents could ever hope to eat? Those things are way too expensive to give to every single trick-or-treater, but it would be cool to give out one certificate at random and really make someone’s night!

Anyway, have fun and stay safe today!

Thank goodness the fall fashions are now coming out at the mall. I can finally walk through there without feeling like a bloated cow as I look at all the skimpy bathing suits that I would never, ever fit into. After passing each summer display, I would vow to exercise for three hours a day and consume nothing but diet pills until I dropped 10 or 15 pounds. Now that I see hoodies, sweaters, and other baggy items, I don’t have to worry about things like that!

One of my friends is trying to get me involved in Amway. I am not a salesperson at all, though, and doubt I could ever build any kind of network with the company. But I wonder if it would be worth signing up just for the discounts on all the products. I have tried a few Amway things over the years, but nothing really stands out as being high-quality. What do you think? Do any of you use Amway products regularly and do you think their stuff is better than regular store brands?

My brother invited us over to his place for some beers last night and also because he wanted to show us his new computer. It’s one of those gaming desktops that come with high-spec graphics cards and other top-end features that helps him excel at World of Warcraft or whatever else he happens to play online. It’s a nice machine for sure, but has way too much under the hood for average users. Although I didn’t ask how much it cost, I’d have to guess it was at least a couple thousand. Glad he’s happy about it!

No, unfortunately, I’m not the one going to DR on vacation. My cousin is headed there as a celebratory trip after finally graduating university. (I think she was on the 6 or 7-year plan!) Anyway, she has offered to bring me back some souvenirs. I didn’t request anything special, but my husband jumped at the chance to get a few boxes of macanudos right from the source. I’m sure my cousin has tons of similar requests, so maybe I’ll just ask for a keychain or something so as to reduce her burden at least a little bit.

Oh, and I realize now that I haven’t been on vacation in almost two years. Now that I’m done with grad school, I think it’s the perfect time to get away. My family has always wanted to go on Disney’s Big Red Boat, so maybe we’ll look into that!

A lot of my friends have fancy smartphones with a bunch of different apps that help them do just about anything you can imagine. I don’t have a great phone because I don’t really need one. I stay home most of the day, so I’m content to use my computer or tablet for most things. But the one time I miss having a smartphone is when I’m out shopping. Many of today’s phones have a barcode scanner that allows you to instantly compare prices on a particular item at a bunch of different online stores. Having that ability would be very useful because then I would know if I’m getting a good deal or not. I’ve made a lot of in-store purchases, only to come home and find the same item for much less at a web store. Is this a good enough reason to buy a smartphone? I’ll have to think about that!

I have a friend who is a long haul truck driver, and he absolutely hates driving in the winter months. Can you blame him? The weather is just terrible and sometimes unpredictable, which leads to terrible driving conditions. The most dangerous places, though, aren’t the northern states that get tons of snowfall every year. Instead, it’s places like Texas — ones that are usually warm and where people aren’t used to driving in the occasional snowfall or on ice patches. I was once stuck driving through Texas myself during a rare snowfall, and saw so many pileups and jackknifed semis that I briefly considered becoming a Texas truck accident lawyer to service those that had been injured. I probably could have made a pretty good living that way!

Anyway, I just got an email from Kenny last night saying he was passing through some southern states, so that’s why I started thinking of this. Here’s wishing him some good weather and safe driving!