12:05 a.m. | 2004-05-30 What Is Up With The Pink? And Why, Pray Tell, Am I Fawning Over It? Okay. My car looks like shit. Honestly. I only drive it about twice a week, and I have to park it on the street. Since I live Downtown. And sometimes, I have to park it many blocks away. Hence, I don�t think about it much. Glad to own it, it�s out there somewhere, I�m happy about that, blah, blah, blah. It�s been windy lately and it rained a little bit recently. Did I mention that my car is white? Frankly, I was appalled when I hunted it down today. Apparently, the wind threw dirt all over it and the spattering of rain enhanced the dirt. So to speak. Not to mention that it was already covered in tree sap, bird droppings and pollen specks. It looks horrible. Did I wash it? Um, no. And, worse even, due to an upcoming event, I had to park it back in the same spot which is many blocks away. However, I must admit that I did attempt to address some car stuff today but it didn�t work out. I need to consult a mechanic first. Yeah. I�ll do that. Right after I wash it. I ran a bunch of errands today and then decided to go shopping. Clothes shopping. I don�t know what came over me. Perhaps it was insanity. I need new clothes, of course, but I�m not a shopper. Nor was I planning to shop this weekend. However, I felt �challenged� by UA after many conversations about that whole problem. Here�s that. (UA:) Whatcha doing this weekend? Going shopping? (CI:) Uh, no. I�m not working, that�s for sure (except I have been). I�m gonna sleep, do chores and relax. (UA:) What? We just got paid. You should go shopping. (CI:) Hee. Yeah, I did just get paid, but I have some fixed costs. (UA:) But, you can go to the YoungsterStore. Really. It�s not that pricey. (CI:) We�ll see. See, the YoungsterStore is a store I�d never venture into. UA? Sure, she�s in her early twenties. I�m a few months shy of forty. UA, of course, always looks cute. And, she shops there. She has suggested that I shop there too. I wasn�t convinced. Until she told me that CS (another colleague) also shops there. CS is older than me, and about the same size, well, except taller. As is UA, of course. Once I knew CS shopped there, I seriously considered it. And then, I did shop there. Just today. Spent three long hours at YoungsterStore, actually. Here�s what I didn�t like. Recorded, loud, hip-hop music inside; live, loud, audience-participating, dance, big band outside. Clashy and migraine inducing. Often, confusing. As in, �Did someone just �order� me to dance to this rap song?� Lack of organization and over-stuffed racks of clothes. Mostly due to youngsters just pulling things off the rack and shoving other things on them. Know what I�m talking about? They carry stuff around, and then ditch them wherever. Not that grown women are above that, but they tend to do less of that sort of thing. Two entry areas that sounded alarms when anyone stood in those particular spots. And, many, many youngsters milled about in THOSE areas. Add the constant alarms to the recorded hip-hop/live dance band? Yeah. Not so cool. Very FUCKING annoying, actually. The fact that I couldn�t take more than five items into the dressing room at one time. Nor could I take my �keepers� with me. I understand why they have that rule, but I don�t normally have to live by it. It makes shopping difficult and painful (carrying your keepers around with you), but I understand. Oh, and the creepy guys hanging around the dressing area. Or, well, anywhere in the store. Those guys being my age or older. Here�s what I liked. UA was totally right. I found a ton of clothes that fit. And, they were on sale. Not so much the pants though. I do own low-rise pants, but um, not that low. I learned today that a zipper that�s only one or two inches long is not long enough. Not for me. And, of course, they didn�t have petites. So, while the zipper was too short, the pants were too long. But, the shirts and whatnot? Yeah. Got a deal there. And, accessories. Even a skirt. I came home with 14 items. That�s a lot for me. I had mentioned to UA that I�d noticed that pink has come back into fashion. She suggested that it�s always in fashion. And, it is. But, I was talking about the �70s pink and the whole pink and black thing. Yeah. I made an understatement. Pink is back big time. And, get this� I got all girly and whatnot and bought a flouncy white, pink and green skirt, pink cammie, white blouse, and even a frilly pink beaded necklace. I was thrilled and appalled at the same time. I mean, come on. The skirt even has a pink ribbon. A Pink Ribbon. Just shoot me now. your thoughts? seed flower