New Coach Items = Animal Crossing?

The world is a strange and beautiful place.

I used to love those moments in college that happen when you're taking 4 completely different classes- yet one week out of each quarter, it seems that they land on the same exact topic- just approach it from a different angle.

I'm thrilled to discover that it continues to happen- looks like I just need to keep my eyes open a bit more. My current Nintendo DS love is Animal Crossing. My current purse obsession is with Coach... Coach seemed slightly inspired by AC by all the fruit designs that came out this summer (check out that coin purse!). For the fall, looks like they were checking out Blathers for inspiration. It's great to see that video games can be a bit of an inspiration for those in the designing industry.

Helen's Heart

So my precious Helen's heart stopped today. For those of you who aren't in the know, Helen is my lovely 1997 Subaru Outback Sport. She's a great little car- always reliable, forever spunky, gentle on gas, and incredibly safe.

I got up early to head out to work, aimed my alarm remote at my car and.....

Just that. Nothing.

My heart broke as I unlocked the door and wasn't greeted by her characteristic beep. Val, my knight in shining Ion that he is drove me to and from work. When we got home we tried to jumpstart her, all with no luck. No beeps, no turnover, absolutely nothing. Finally we drove to Sears, invested in a $90 Diehard battery, popped it in- and voila!!! Helen beeped back to life.


So here's the thing... Why would someone want to invest $90 in a battery named Diehard? Wouldn't you want it to be a gentler, more user-friendly name? Something like "Liveslong" or "Drivestrong" or "Willnotbreakdowneveripromise?" The last thing I would like to put into my poor already-dead-car would be something named "Diehard." I think she already did die. Hard, in fact.

Thankfully, the product is much better than the name.

Dinner

Nothing is quite as satisfying as making your own sushi. We can buy 5 different types of fish with dessert and beverages at Uwajimaya for only $19. Once you start making your own it's really hard to go back to a sushi bar... It just won't taste as fresh.

On the topic of food... I really have to start taking better care of myself. I come home dead-tired and go straight for the junk. My waistline and my ego has taken a beating- I guess it's time I start utilizing that new elliptical that's in the living room.

Coach love!

Val and I ignored the glory of Mt. St. Helens today and ventured instead to the outlet mall. To my surprise, an item on my wishlist was there.... at 60% off!!!

Here's to having my own little slice of heaven!

Summer is Finally Here!

The last couple of days have been unbelievable. Today Val and I celebrated the sunshine by venturing to Edmonds to bury our feet in the sand. Nothing is quite as wonderful as soaking in the sunshine with the one you love. I can't help but feel incredibly grateful to have him in my life. I have no idea where I'd be without him.

A job with benefits...

There are a lot of things that really annoy me about my job... But those little annoyances fade away when I look at all the benefits. Dental, vision, medical coverage, fantastic vacation perks and a great schedule. The best benefit of all is the free education that comes with handling large sums of money. I'm about the dumbest person in the world when it comes to rationing my paycheck, but I've really cleaned up my act since I've started working at a bank.

Improvements:

Online banking.
Multiple accounts (much, much safer and easier to manage).
ID Theft Inspect ($10/month for access to credit management and $15,000 worth of insurance).
Automatic Bill Pay (Money goes in and magically turns into a check! I don't even have to look at it!).

I'm really hoping to own my own place in the next few years. With a little bit of luck and a lot of work, I'm hoping to turn this dream into a reality. My credit has taken a dive in the last few months, but I know the worst is over now.