Day 6

It's been almost a week since I started both this blog and my new target for life. Unfortunately, I don't feel like that much has changed in the last six or so days. It's true, there have been a few minor changes, but I don't think anything major will happen until I return to school tomorrow. We'll see how things go there. I'm not sure if I mentioned before or not that I'm in graduate school. When I moved on to graduate school I was immediately introduced to a new and very unique group of people. I'll introduce you to them in turn throughout the next 94 days; I hope you find them as quirky and entertaining as I do.

Today, though, was filled with a last ditch effort at reccouperation before I started my new school term. I already had everything from my previous two terms put away and was finished putting things together for my next term. Today consisted of a quick trip to campus to buy the last of my textbooks and sign up for a gym membership to the school's rock gym. I woke up early, went through my new morning workout, ate a healthy breakfast of eggs, toast, and fruit, and then jumped in my car and headed for the train station.

The train into town was abnormally empty for a Monday morning, but I enjoyed actually having a seat for the trip. Typically the train is so full that everyone is either standing or leaning against one another. During cold season, this isn't the most pleasant way to travel. Who knows what the tall guy breathing on you might have that you'll inhale and be stuck in bed with a few weeks from now. I can't afford to take time off from school for a cold. Thank God for flu shots and multivitamins!

After I got to campus I went to the gym. Buying the membership for the climbing center was easy. And it was cheap. For less than a monthly membership at the other gym I climb at I had a term pass to the school gym. The downside is that I can't change in the climbing center; and it doesn't have showers. Unlike the last college I attended, this one requires you to pay to enter the locker room. In order to change your clothes on campus you are forced to buy a term pass to the locker room. At least now I can use the showers after I work out.

I then trekked through the glorious Oregon liquid sunshine to the bookstore on the other side of campus. I had two books left to buy, and three course packets that I picked up at the copy place on my way. It's ridiculous how much I have to pay for a packet of photocopied material. Especially when the copys are low quality and frequently cut off sections of pages or leave pages out altogether.

The bookstore was very busy because of all the students who actually had class today (My term doesn't start until tomorrow, so I get an extra day off). I made my way downstairs and found both my $80 and $120 textbooks. Then I stood in the largely too-long line through the apparel section upstairs to check out. All the hustle and bustle in the store distracted me enough that I actually started to look at the clothing hung around me. School logos were on everything and, ironically, made each item's price double from what it would have been otherwise. Some of the hoodies looked pretty comfortible, though. So much that I almost bought one before the price tag nearly made me have a heart attack.

I redoubled my efforts to the task at hand and started going over my mental to-do list. Gym membership: check. Locker room pass: check. Textbooks: check. Rule the world: ... oh wait, that's not supposed to be there. Grocery shopping for dinner: not yet completed.

Remembering that I had to go shopping reminded me of how hungry I was now that it was lunch time. Such a horrible time to go shopping. I always seem to buy more crappy food when I'm hungry because it's in attractive packaging and I never seem to buy what I went in the store for in the first place. I pulled a piece of paper out of my messenger bag and scribbled down a hasty menu for the next week so I would know exactly what to get. Then I walked up to the cashier to check out and put the paper in my back pocket.

I must actually be a nice looking guy because the cashier flirted with me before ringing up my purchase. Then I noticed that my total was $30 less than it was supposed to be. Attractive or not, I'll take any edge that gives me that much of a discount on a $200 purchase. I smiled warmly and handed over my credit card. Then I signed the charge slip and wished the woman behind the desk a nice day. She said the same thing and turned to the next customer: a husky man in what seemed to be his last 40s. She didn't look as happy to see him walk up as she did when I put my books on the desk.

I smiled to myself as I walked out the door. Then I pulled a scrap of paper from my back pocket and spit out my gum.

Walking away from the trash can I swore to myself.

That scrap was my shopping list.

Maybe those ribs with the pretty pictures on them will taste better this time.

Day 6 of 100 - Summary: Easy errands can be distracting.