Down In New Jersey

Slept in today, which was just as well. This morning was damp, cloudy, and cold. Actually, it was in the mid-to-upper 40s, chilly for what it has been, but really more like what it should be at this time of year. It rained a little bit as I rode to work, but nothing like the crazy storm we had late last night! That storm almost blew the welcome mat off my porch!

Picked up my paycheck and got my schedule at the Acme. In good news, I have all early hours next week. I think the latest I work is 6:30. In annoying news, I work all week long again, with one day off, Tuesday. I know, I know. I should be happy I have a job. Nobody has a job. There are no jobs. Jobs have vanished, disappeared. Jobs don't exist anymore. You keep your job until it disappears. It shouldn't matter if you like your job. It's money, it's insurance, and that's all that matters. That's all that should matter to anyone. Stress doesn't matter. Being bored with the job doesn't matter. Not using your skills doesn't matter. Making money and having health insurance matters, because you're the only one who has a job that allows you to do that.

If it's so great to have a job, why do I feel trapped?

I made a few stops at the Audubon Crossings Center behind the mall after picking up my paycheck. Hit FYE for The Princess and the Frog. Got that and made use of the buy two items used, get the third for 20% off sale to replace my video copies of Grease and Hot Shots: Part Deux and the cassette copy of Sleepless In Seattle I've had since high school. (I think that movie's dumb, but I looove the soundtrack. It's been one of my favorites for over a decade.)

Looked around Wal Mart and Staples for more plastic baskets like the ones I bought at CVS yesterday, but didn't see anything I liked for a good price. I just bought a cheap shoe rack from Wal Mart and pens from Staples. Stopped at the Acme on my way back around for grocery shopping. Mostly just needed to restock my fruits and vegetables, but I also picked up ground turkey, cereal, low salt-and-low-fat beef broth, canned Italian-seasoned tomatoes, and sugar.

(And I really wish Acme would start putting the cereals that are good for you on their $1.88 and $1.79 sales, instead of all that sugary junk. The only cereal I'd eat on that $1.88 Kelogg's sale is Corn Flakes...if I were using it to coat baked chicken. I ended up with Kashi's Go Lean, which was on sale, though not quite as good of a sale as the Kellogg's.)

Went straight home after that. By that time, it was still windy and cold, but the clouds had broken and blue sky was showing through the clouds. When I went back out to the bank and CVS, the clouds were gone, though the wind remained fairly gusty.

My stop at the bank wasn't as quick as I'd hoped. It was quarter after 4 by then, rush hour on the White Horse Pike. There was a long line at the teller counters and at the drive-through window, and there was only two tellers handling everybody.

Went back to CVS next. I finally decided that, if I couldn't get more baskets from Wal Mart or Staples, I'd just return to the source. I also bought a small plastic dresser for my dolls' clothes. I thought I'd get rid of Jessa's old American Girl Today box. It's not nearly in as good of condition as Samantha's box. (Of course, Jessa kept the box shoved in her closet in that nuclear-disaster of a room for probably about fifteen years, too.)

Did more organizing in the back room when I got home. I couldn't find bins big enough for the large towels (maybe at the dollar store?), but everything else on the three shelves you see as you enter the back room - the dust rags, wash cloths, dish cloths, and face towels - went in baskets. Most of the remaining American Girl clothes and accessories fit in the dresser. The Sailor Soldiers' Christmas outfits and their accessories were also moved to the dresser. I left Little Jess' fur coat (from the Smithfield Collection, I think), Molly's rain coat and hat, and the small box with the girls' ribbons in Samantha's box. The American Girls' mermaid and Sugar Plum Fairy costumes and shoes and Dulcie and Carrie the Cabbage Patch Kids' Christmas outfits were relocated to baskets. Found a place between boxes to wedge Molly's bike until I can figure out how to fix it.

I've kept out-of-season shoes in a crate in my bedroom closet since I've moved here. It's not really good for the shoes. All of the out-of-season shoes but my winter boots were moved to the shoe rack. The crate went in the back room. It was a great place to finally put all the Christmas books I only pull out during the holiday season.

Watched The Princess and the Frog while making Skillet Chicken Cutlets with Italian Tomatoes, spinach salad, and the last of the home-made cole slaw for dinner. Tiana, a young woman living in New Orleans in what I assume to be the early 1920s, is hell-bent on securing her dream of owning her own restaurant. She works hard at two waitress jobs to earn the place of her dreams. Meanwhile, her ditzy best friend Charlotte is eyeing Prince Naveen, a lazy young man from a fictional country who has never worked a day in his life. His parents have cut him off, but he wants to keep living the high-life. He thinks he's found the easy way in voodoo practicing "Shadow Man" Dr. Facilier's promises...but his actions have costs, not only for himself, but for Tiana and Charlotte, too.

I've been looking forward to seeing this since it came out in December, and I wasn't disappointed. It was an absolute blast. Tiana's an awesome heroine, for one thing, one of the best Disney ever came up with. Determined, smart, and tough, she has absolutely no problem with working towards her goal. I wasn't as impressed with Naveen, maybe because I have no more use for lazy pretty boys than Tiana, no matter how royal they are. I'm glad to see he changed his mind about the high life later.

Along with Tiana, my favorite character was Ray, the lovesick firefly. His "girlfriend," Evangeline, provides not only a lovely ballad, but the theme of the entire movie. Not only that, but he provides a wonderful dramatic moment towards the end of the film that will leave many in tears. Also liked Charlotte, the sweet-natured socialite who is a parody of every girl who's ever been obsessed with finding her prince charming. (And is it me, or does she look a lot like Darla Dimple from Cats Don't Dance, even as an adult?)