this is a happy math formula!

Student discount + Tax Free Holiday + Back to School +  the Apple Store =



Not to mention that we also got a new printer/scanner/copier AND an ipod touch for almost nothing after rebates (Adam wanted to pay an extra few bucks for the 16gb touch)

Have I mentioned that even though the stores become madhouses, Tax Free Holidays are AWESOME!?!

Holding my breath...

and hopefully I won't have to hold it all night!

I've been watching the election results since I've been home.... heck, I was up this morning at 6:30 with the TV on! I knew that the only things they were going to say was that polls were opening, but I'm so excited, nervous, hopeful... You name it, I'm probably feeling it! Adam and I were able to vote early about three weeks ago, which turned out nice for us as we were able to walk in and right up to a voting machine. It was great! People I spoke to at work who voted even last week were waiting up to 2 hours. I'm not sure what the Shelby Co. lines were like tonight, I'll have to see tomorrow, but I bet they were lengthy! I'm just gonna say two things: I hope everyone went out and voted today (or has already done so in the previous weeks) and I wish I was with my friends in Maryville at their election party! We've been speaking over the phone a few times, but its just not the same.

On another completely separate note, I hope to be able to have some photos up here soon of the wedding! We've got our proofs but not the digital copies to upload. Of course, I could sit here and tell you about my wonderful, fabulous bachelorette party, but I'm too engrossed in the TV tonight -- SORRY!!!

This morning began

...with good coffee, rain tapping on the window, and a blueberry cake doughnut. If only it was tomorrow morning, I would be at home on the couch rather than sitting in my office at work. I think I want one of these umbrellas from the Umbrella Society for days like today when I have to walk in the rain.



Oh, I think I'll have soup for lunch...

A few thoughts...and one of my inspriations

For a few of you who know me well, you know that I'm not afraid to voice my opinions on things such as politics, what social situations enrage me, and situations I feel to be unfair to certain groups of people. I don't want to be abrasive about these topics, but if in a situation where I feel I can have an honest, sane conversation with someone, I'll let my opinions be known.

That being said, no matter what your views are politically, I think that one person worth reading is Barbara Ehrenreich. The first book of hers that I read, "Nickel and Dimed", was about her journey as a woman trying to make ends meet on a minimum wage job in various parts of the country. She took her computer, a reserve amount of cash in case of a major emergency, and a few clothing items. Anything more than that she pretty much had to find for herself on a very limited means...income levels that many Americans must live with on a daily basis. The book is a description of jobs she had, interview processes, where she lived (many hotel rooms), people she met, and the many difficulties that she and her co-workers were facing. If you've never known someone trying to make ends meet on a minimum wage job, this is very eye-opening.

She's written a few other books looking at different aspects of people in other income levels and situations. Sadly, I have not yet had the time to read them. Recently, she was on The Colbert Report and she keeps a blog (which is a bit more sarcasm and satire than her books and so an entertaining read). Although its not updated too often, I do enjoy reading it and thought I'd pass it along to anyone who's curious. She's a wonderful sociologist and someone that I would absolutely love to hear speak one day. She gives, what I feel to be, a very honest, unbiased description of many of the struggles Americans face in today's society as well as some reasons that people are in these situations. The latest post on her blog happens to be regarding foreclosures and the housing-market crisis - and is interestingly compared to the public's response to a housing crisis in the 1930s versus the ways people are dealing with foreclosures today. Its short, so give it a read if you're interested. Let me know what you think...

http://ehrenreich.blogs.com/barbaras_blog/2008/07/the-suicide-solution.html