Day 1 of Re-unemployment

Apparently today, December 15th, is the most dangerous day of the year for Californians on the road. I heard it brought up on 3 separate radio stations as I DROVE around the South Bay today. According to Allstate Insurance Company, over the past four years, there have been more car collisions on December 15th, than on any other day of the year.

Good thing I spent an exorbitant amount of time on the road today.

What was I doing? A whole lot of nothing!

I picked up 2 Christmas presents, returned 3 sweaters at Loehmann's, then stopped by the pet supply store and Trader Joes.

So y'know how you get hooked on something, maybe forget about it for a while, then rediscover it and it's as good as it was the first time? Well, today I rediscovered those pita chips with cinnamon and sugar they sell at TJ's. SOOOO GOOD!!! They are so good, in fact, that I couldn't let them ride in the trunk with the rest of the groceries. No, those crunchy, sweet, delicious bites had to ride shotgun to be near me (my mouth). I forgot how good they are. I ate (inhaled) a half (whole) bag on my way home (within the first quarter mile) - they are so good.

Anyway, I made it safely back home without colliding into any other cars. Now, it's nap time!

Return of the King

Sorry if you thought this was about the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  It ain't. 

Nay, this post is about the cyclical nature of life - and how the universe that revolves around me (doesn't everyone's?) always manages to balance itself out.

Yesterday, my husband and I began the process of landing our next place of residence. As of January 8th, we will be residents of Los Angeles proper.  San Pedro, it's been real - but, let's face it, we never quite found our niche here.  We loved our place - but it was just the island in an ocean of bad drivers and bad road conditions that we sought refuge to when we weren't at work or visiting friends & family in other parts of Southern California. This is good news! I like new things and am excited about our new place. I've already started mentally arranging what portions of our furniture will fit in our new place in their respective rooms...

Today, I went into work and was told it was my last day.
This is bad news, because:
            -   I like making money.

It has its silver lining, though:
            -   I didn't love the work;
            -   I was going to be moving farther away soon;
            -   And - once again - now I have time on my hands to focus on looking for a job that's a better fit. 

The economy: 2  

Me: 0

Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.  I saw this coming, but didn't expect it so soon.  But I guess when you're on a sinking ship, and you can't see the floor for the water - it's kinda hard to gauge things like this.  And that's what it's been like - these past 9 months. Like jumping from sinking ship to sinking ship, with small hiatuses on life rafts in between.  The first boat was my last longtime employer.  They decided to downsize to a smaller boat and there simply wasn't room for me and two of my colleagues.  Then as I doggy-paddled from buoy to buoy, waving my arms frantically at the large ships passing me in the night - completely ignoring me - I saw another boat.  It was close by, but I knew it had a leak.  Well, folks, you get on a sinking ship - you're either going to drown or have to jump back in the water and doggy-paddle to the buoys again.

In other words:
The Couch Commando is back!
Didja miss me?

LOL

So I've been going to this hair salon near my work that I've been quite happy with.  Whenever I go in (which, I'll admit, has only been 2 times over the past 4 months), everyone in the salon is Japanese.  All the stylists are Japanese. All the customers are Japanese.  A lot of bowing occurs when I walk in (maybe that's why I like it?).   And I mean Japanese Japanese - not Japanese-American.  English is definitely their second language, and I'm willing to bet Japanese was their first.  The place is called Pia Salon. Look at their website! It's in Japanese! My point is, that this is a very Japanese-oriented business.

Anyway, I got an email from them today with the subject line: "Seasons Greetings".  I click on the link and it takes me to their holiday greeting. 

Check it out:

WTF?  Who are these chicks?? 

I dunno. I just thought it was hilarious that the fobbiest salon I know has two petulant Anglos plastered on their digital Christmas card.  I wonder if their Japanese clientele got a different greeting...

Is it just me? Am I racist?

It doesn't bother me. I don't think it's wrong that they have non-Japanese people on their card.  For all I care, they could have put a bald black man, a little red-headed girl, and a Maltese falcon on their card!

I guess it just... tickles my fancy, shall we say? What do you think?