Monday, April 6, 2009

The Right Side (of the sidewalk, that is)

...or the aisle, hallway, etc. When you are walking somewhere (unless in England) stay to the right! Why is this such a hard concept to grasp for Americans? I get so irritated when I am walking somewhere and someone walking in the opposite direction nearly walks right into me because they're walking on the left. Almost always, they give me a dirty look and I find myself saying, "Excuse me." When I really want to scream at them, "WALK TO THE RIGHT! THEN THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN! ARE YOU AN IDIOT??!!" Okay, maybe I'm making too much of this. Afterall, I know I am a perfectionist and critical and probably have way too high expectations. But, c'mon people! How hard is it? In London, everywhere you go they have signs that tell people to stay to the left and to look right first and then left before crossing the street. I realize this is for the tourists like me who would get run over if that sign weren't there. But maybe we need this in the US. That way we can afford doing the little which way you going dance.

Also, this past weekend Bryan and I were at the mall to get him some new jeans. Now, normally Bryan wears GAP jeans. This is something I love about him. Not because I am an employee of the GAP, nor are they paying me to endorse them (although I have friends who are employed by GAP brands and probably appreciate his business). I love it because it's plain and simple. I can't imagine having a boyfriend who was obsessed with finding ass-tastic jeans (I mean, that's what I'm there for!). ANYWAY... Bryan (for whatever reason) wanted to go to Hollister, the poor man's Abercrombie. Either way I cannot stand either one of these stores. One because they have their logo on everything. This goes back to why I like stores like the GAP. You can buy a pair of shorts or a tee-shirt without some animal embroidered on it. (Yes, I know what you're thinking but a man playing polo or an alligator does not count because they're essentials in any Southern WASP's closet and they've been around a lot longer.) Also, you can smell either of these stores (especially Hollister) the second you enter the mall. You don't need to go to the big colorful map with the "you are here" circle to find them. "Just follow your nose!" as Toucan Sam says. I also hate the loud blaring music. Maybe I'm getting old, but I'm trying to shop. This is meditation for me, I can't meditate with the Jonas Brothers screaming at me. Maybe if it were Springsteen. Maybe.) But Saturday, I found one more thing to find fault with. When we walked into Hollister, the sales clerk looked up at us and said "What's up?" What happened to "Hi, how are you?" "Can I help you?" It'd be one thing if I knew this pre-pubescent Mary-Kate, but I didn't. This incident just added to my hatred of the store. Bryan tried on one pair of pants and when the pockets hung almost to his knees (that's how they were sewn on, not because they were too big, they actually were snug) he remembered why he never shopped there. I know I'm probably being a little too harsh, but I know someone out there feels the same way. Like Richard Gere said in Pretty Woman, "We're going to need some serious sucking up here, serious sucking up."

Oh, and just so you know, Bryan ended up getting a pair of Levi's. Plain, simple, classic. Just like him, I love it.

Today I am thankful for my wonderful boyfriend, good parents (who taught me manners) and my black yoga pants (which happen to be from the GAP.) :)

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