When the Sun Comes Out

It was still cloudy out this morning when I got up, but even as I headed out the door, the clouds were starting to break apart. By the time I arrived in Westmont, the sky was blue, the breeze was soft, and the temperature was climbing. My first stop was Dollar Tree. I mainly needed sponges and more orange marmalade. Bought a "welcome home" card for Rose and her family, too.

Next up was the Haddon Township Library. Not a whole lot going on there. The kids' DVDs are still overflowing, to the point where I didn't bother putting away the ones that came in after I did. Only had slightly more luck with adult titles. They really, really need to start weeding out their DVD collection. Either that, or they're going to have to buy more shelves or reorganize them. I did shelve some children's books, and I took out a few non-fiction titles. The library has the newest Garfield comic book, Garfield In a Pickle (literally on the cover) in. I also found the latest book by Sarah Ban Breathnach, the author of Simple Abundance, this one on money and thriftiness titled Peace and Plenty. There was a new job book called The 9-5 Cure that looked interesting.

I went down the hill to Crystal Lake Diner for lunch after I finished signing out the books. Despite it being lunch time, only the counter was really busy. I easily got a seat. Ordered a "Caribbean Shrimp Salad," which turned out to be a few small, bland shrimps on a bed of mango, carrots, and mixed salad greens. It wasn't nearly as good as the salads I've had the last few weeks were. From now on, I order sandwiches or meals at diners.

Doubled back to the library quickly to use their public bathroom (the women's bathroom at the diner was being remodeled), then rode out to Haddonfield. Got there just in time for counseling. I explained about my busy couple of weeks, the disappointing trip to Deptford, and Rose and her family finally buying that house. While I'm thrilled with that, I'm still frustrated about being chained to the Acme. What else can I do? I don't want to take any more online college classes for a while after the last ones I did wasted my time and money. I just can't figure out what else I can do.

So many of my ideas haven't worked out. I tried Weight Watchers to lose pounds. It worked...for most of 2008 and into 2009. By 2010, I'd dropped it. I got bored with figuring out the numbers and having to put them on their site every night. I tried Lucile Roberts. Dropped that when I couldn't afford it and got tired of having to do the whole "change into gym clothes/go to gym and use machines" routine. My job ideas keep going the same route. Barnes & Noble and Borders kept putting me off. The Library job I signed for last fall wanted more experience. I never heard from Staples. And if the writing market is overcrowded...what else is there for me? I feel like I've done nothing for a decade.

She said pretty much the same thing - try to stay positive. It's just so hard, especially at work, when I'm being fussed at by all sides. She also said to read the books I took out today - the two self-help titles might have some ideas. I hope so. I just feel so frustrated.

Made a few fast stops after leaving counseling. I quickly took money out of the ATM machine at the Haddonfield PNC. (And will have to remember to be careful when using their ATM - it's not only somewhat out in the open, but it's on the wall alongside the main building and next to the drive-in deposit stops. I held up a car getting my money.)

I had an easier time at Primo's Water Ice in Westmont. They were busy with a gaggle of pre-teen girls on their way home from school. I squeezed into the line and got a small Black Cherry Cheesecake cup. Not bad at all. The cheesecake pieces weren't all that big...but the cherries were huge, and the water ice itself was refreshing. I ate outside, letting the girls chatter indoors, then rode home via a busy, bustling Newton River Park.

When I got in, I went right into the bath. It was much-needed. I read Peace and Plenty while my Wynton Marsalis Joe Cool's Blues CD played brassily in the background. While I've never been in debt nearly to the extent that Ms. Breathnach was, I've never had much money, either.

After I got out of the shower, I put on the animated Wonder Woman while I made tilapia and asparagus in orange sauce for dinner, and then baked chocolate chip oatmeal bar cookies. One of the long series of direct-to-DVD animated films Warners made for DC characters puts their most famous superheroine front and center for the first (and to date, only) time as she travels from her native all-woman island home to bring cocky pilot Steve Trevor back to New York and retrieve Ares, the God of War who wants to rule all of humanity.

I haven't seen any of the other DC animated movies, so I can't tell you how it compares to the others, or how it fits with Wonder Woman's regular "canon." I do know this is pretty well-made for a direct-to-DVD animated film. There's a lot of violence, including two decapitations, so this is really more for Wonder Woman's older fans. If you love the character or other DC projects, you'll probably enjoy this one.