Wanting More

Began the day with breakfast and one of the Garfield travel specials. Garfield In Paradise takes the fat cat, his human, and his dog buddy to a tropical tourist trap, where the hotel owners dress like rejects from the mid-70's and like to make Jack Benny jokes. The guys rent a snazzy 50's car and go cruising. A sojourn at the beach is fun, but the car eventually takes them to a village of doo-wop worshiping natives who think the vehicle is the key to stopping their volcano from blowing the whole island sky-high.

I worked a little bit on writing after Garfield ended. Didn't get out to running today's errands until quarter after 12. First stop was the Collingswood PNC Bank. I finally got the check from the Union yesterday. I kept 20 dollars and deposited the rest for as much of my rent as I can afford to pay right now.

Kept going straight on Haddon Avenue, down to Westmont. I had lunch at a small bagel shop in the same mall as the Yogo Factory and the pizza place, across from what used to be the Westmont Theater (but is on its way to becoming Planet Fitness). They're run by two Asian people. The lady was nice enough, but I don't think her husband quite understood my order. At any rate, I had a "Turkey Fresco" sandwich on a whole wheat bagel - turkey, red onion, lettuce, tomato, chipolte mayo (that thankfully wasn't too spicy or slathered on) - and a huge raspberry jam sandwich cookie covered in powdered sugar.

There was a new and unusual tenant next-door to the Yogo Factory. Rocket Fizz is basically a larger version of the Candy Jar in Collingswood or the candy section of the Vermont Country Store. It's shelves and shelves and bins and bins of rare and unusual candy, and more rarely, retro pop culture toys and collectibles. Fun and colorful, but nothing I needed at the moment.

Dodged the lunch hour traffic going into Haddonfield. Made a brief stop at Happy Hippo Toys. I love all the great retro-inspired items Fisher Price has out now. I know we had that "old fashioned" cash register with the red-green-blue buttons as kids, and Rose used to love her original, boxy Chatter Phone.

Counseling was next. I was right on time. While I had fun on vacation, I haven't had a lot of fun since getting back. I overspent and am totally broke right now, to the point where I can't pay my full rent. Work has been a stressful pain in the rear. I haven't been able to concentrate on my story at home. I feel like a total idiot for spending so much on junk.

There has to be more to life than working at a dead-end job and living from paycheck to paycheck. Nobody around here really understands about that. Everyone either lives with someone who can provide a second paycheck, or they have a real job, or they're older or younger than me. I know I'm better than the Acme job. I just wish I knew how to talk to people and prove it, or where to find a job I'd be good at that's equally steady. I can't accept that this is it, and there's nothing else for me.

Basically, she said "write." Keep writing. Oh, I will. It's one of the few things that makes me happy, even when I'm taking forever on a story.

There was some road repairs going on in Westmont that were a bit of a pain. I ended up taking the long way back to Haddon Avenue, heading through the residential areas and past the Crystal Lake Park pools on my way to Primo's Water Ice. Though it was in the lower-mid 80's today and nice and breezy, I was hot from all the riding around. Apparently, so was every other kid in Haddon Township. I wound my way through a long line of bikes leaning against the wall outside and a longer line of pre-teens asking for gelatis and milkshakes inside to make my choice.

Ultimately went with a new one, Lemon Sweet Tea. It didn't really taste much like lemon or tea. It was more like sugar with the faint hint of mint. It was wet, anyway. I enjoyed it at one of the black metal tables, watching a grandmother feed her toddler grandson vanilla soft-serve.

Stopped at the CVS next-door to the Westmont Acme on the way home. I was just about out of toothpaste. Grabbed Colgate MaxClean on sale. Also picked up a generic strawberry-kiwi sparkling water for the way home.

Haddon Lake Park was surprisingly quiet for a really nice day. I did see some dog walkers, but it was mostly me and the Canadian geese. We need rain badly. Everything is starting to look dry and brittle again.

Went back on the computer as soon as I got in and continued the story. Leia wants to talk to Hera Sylendulla (of the Rebels cartoon), one of the few women fisher-folk. She, her crew, and the teens they take care of are year-round residents of one of the cottages. On her way to Hera's boat the Ghost, she passes a dilapidated fishing vessel, the Millennium Falcon, and stops to ogle the guy walking around on-deck in tight shorts and Ray Bans. The guy sees her staring and starts teasing her, asking her if she's going slumming and calling her princess.

Leia finally finds Hera, who tells her some of the cottage residents are having a party that night, and she and Luke are invited. Unfortunately, so is the owner of the Falcon, Hank Solokowski. He tries to get her on a date, but she turns him down..and then wonders what would have happened if she said "yes."

Finished the night with leftovers, sauteed leeks with corn meal, and an episode of Good Eats about leeks. I fell in love with leeks around the same time I first got this episode. I wish I could have at least made the Leek-Potato Soup, but I don't have a stick blender or potatoes.