Scenes from a mall

On my lunch break, I went to Barnes & Noble and got Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. (I’m a little late to the party, I know.) I’m thankful that they publish editions with alternate, less kiddie-like bookcovers, like this, instead of this. Not that there’s any stigma being an adult reader of Harry Potter now that the series is so mainstream, but still, when I’m out in public reading a book, I like a little dignity.

I forwarded around an e-mail I got for an American Eagle Outfitters sale. Take a look at this one set of pictures, especially the captions. Adam deftly replied, “I’d like to load up on Cami’s jukebox, I’ll tell you what!” To which I riposted, “I’ll get my hands on Brian’s poker.” Ha.

I called the Ralph Lauren store in D.C., and it turns out they don’t carry in stock the corduroy coat I’m looking for. Grr. After work I went to Friendship Heights and scoured the department stores around there. Nothing. Although, at Saks I did come close to buying a $545 Theory denim jacket with removable fur lining. Okay, so maybe I wasn’t that close to getting it. (a) I don’t have that kind of money, and (b) I’m not so big on fur. And it was just a little too fabulous, even for me. Instead, I decided I would just get the Polo coat online.

On the way out of the mall, I stopped at Hold Everything, and got something much more prudent: a bookshelf. Here’s the story: a long while back, I bought a nice wooden bookshelf there. It’s foldable and stackable, which is great. (I think Crate & Barrel carries them too.) And since then, I’ve procrastinated on getting another one, even though I really need it, since my lone bookshelf runneth over. The shelves come in a few different wood finishes (my favorite is a dark shade named “chocolate”), but when I went in tonight, I didn’t see the chocolate shelves on the main display. I found them off to the side, and marked down. That made me think they’re discontinuing the finish, and my conversation with the sales guy confirmed it. (Don’t you hate it when a store stops carrying an item you really like?) So I bought one right then. Lugged it on the metro and everything. My room is on its way to becoming a neater, happier place to be.

But the actual tidying up will have to wait a bit longer. I’m turning in early tonight, ’cause tomorrow morning, I’m off to Union Station to catch a train for Manhattan, to meet up with Susan and Kesha. This is going to rock.