Deep Thoughts for a Wednesday

It’s now Wednesday night, and I’m coming down off of a sugar high for the record books. Actually, I’m currently recovering from the crash that followed the high. Too much corn–candy corn, that is.

This was not a normal day for me. I spent my morning hanging around the Honda dealership waiting for them to tell me what was wrong with my car. It’s the power steering pump. It’s going to be expensive. And, they had to order the part, so my car is still making funny noises.

As I tried to make time go faster by walking from the dealership to the mall, around the mall, and then back again, I had the most lucid, simple thoughts. Today I was thinking a lot about blog posts I want to write, interesting things to twitter, and all kinds of other random crap. Here are some of the thoughts I had:

Waking up

• It’s 9. I said I’d be at the dealership before 10, so I cannot possibly sleep anymore unless I don’t shower. Do I need to shower? Yes. But, then I won’t have time to do my hair. True, but wet hair is better than greasy hair. Okay, I give in. It will be unfortunate if I see Adorable Boy today and my hair is a mess. The degree to which my hair impacts my plans on a daily basis is embarrassing.

Driving to the dealership

• Am I the only grad student in America who requires 8 hours of sleep on a semi-regular basis? I’m freaking exhausted right now.
• Why did I wait a week to take my car in? This could all have been handled by the Ashley of last week, and the Ashley of this week could be sleeping.

At the dealership

• The lady said, “Oh, you just made it.” I think she was judging me. I really want to tell her that I work swing shift, but that seems unnecessary. Really, lady, I’m not lazy. I’m capable of getting places before 10. In fact, I’ll be up before 8 tomorrow. Do you want me to call you then to prove it?
• It’s embarrassing that I know nothing about cars. I can’t even describe the weird sound my car is making. It’s kind of a buzzing, but not really. A whirling maybe? No. It’s sounds labored somehow, but is that even a thing?

Waiting

• Oh my gosh, will that lady control her kid? Parents seem really good at blocking out kid noise. I wonder if I could ever do that. I hear every noise this kid makes. Twitter, twitter
• I have endless patience for some things, but 5 minutes in a waiting room, and I feel rage boiling within. I could try to get some reading done, but I’m starving and I haven’t had any coffee, so I won’t be able to focus.

Walking to the mall

• The car lots are empty. I guess no one’s buying cars because of the economy. Though, the fact that it’s 10:30 on a Wednesday morning might have something to do with it.
• Listening to Springsteen’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad”: I really want to write a blog post about The Grapes of Wrath, because every time I think about our sucky economy, I think of the Joads. But, would people really want to read that? I’ve also been meaning to write a post about the Coldplay song “Lost.” Oh, I could totally connect those two ideas, because every door the Joad’s tried was locked! Genius. Absolute genius! Wait, is it genius or does it make no sense at all? Damn, it makes no sense.
• People I know use this street to enter the freeway. What would they think if they saw me just randomly walking along?
• Listening to Muse: I’ve been meaning to get into Muse. I should try harder.

At the mall

• I’m starving and I need coffee, but I don’t like drinking coffee while I eat food, so what’s a girl to do? Maybe I’ll get coffee while I look around Barnes and Noble, and then I’ll get lunch later. Another genius plan, Ashley.
• Ordering coffee: I really want regular coffee, but I just walked a mile in 100 degree weather, so hot coffee doesn’t sound good. Can I get regular coffee on ice? Is that a thing? Do I just ask for an iced coffee?
• Oh my gosh, iced coffee is amazing. And, cheap. And, low in calories. Twitter, twitter
• Checking email on the iPhone: Professor asked me to call him if I have time to do research, but I’m stuck here, so I don’t have time, right? I feel guilty.
• Walking around Barnes and Noble: Wow, I walked to the card section, and instantly I was hit with a paralyzing dose of missing my mom. If she were here, this is the section she’d go to. Weird, because I don’t get homesick often. I should call her.
• I keep meaning to write more about my family.
• In the main mall: Oh my gosh, did that sign just say that they opened a Sephora?
• There’s another sign about Sephora!
• And another! Twitter, twitter
• I’m starving, but it’s 10:54 and a person really shouldn’t eat lunch before 11. By the time I get to the food court, it will be 11.
• Passing a shoe display: I still don’t understand Uggs.
• I should start walking slower, or I’m going to get to the food court before 11.
• I probably look suspicious walking around the mall with my back pack.
• Ah, there it is: Sephora. But, I can’t go inside, because my makeup looks terrible today. What will they think??
• It’s 11. Eating lunch is totally legit now. Sbarro or McDonald’s??
• No question. I’ll go to that NY Pizzeria Michael Scott recommended. Twitter, twitter
• This breadstick is good. I remember faintstarlite making a video about how lonely food courts are with everyone eating alone. She was right.

Leaving the mall

• I really want a plaid pea coat. But, it’s never cold enough for pea coats here. I really like Sarah Palin’s coats. It somehow feels wrong that that’s the thing I like about her. I also like her hair and she has nice skin. Wait, those aren’t any better.
• I wonder if they regret starting to remodel this mall, since the economy sucks. Hmm. There was really nothing wrong with it anyway. I wonder if they’d notice if I just joined their little consulting group and walked around staring at columns and commenting. Probably. I’d be the only female.
• It would be nice to have money to shop at Nordstrom’s. I shouldn’t go to malls. They make me want to buy things.

Walking back to the dealership

• Listening to James Taylor’s “September Grass”: When I was a kid, I always used to forget about October when I was naming the months. It’s never done much for me. But, October is a cool month, and I can appreciate it. I’m becoming such an adult.
• James Taylor . . . he makes everything better.
• I want to lie down in some September grass. Too bad it’s October now.
• I guess I’m better now. It was weird how I was so scared to utter the word “depression.” It could only do me harm to not acknowledge I was depressed if I was depressed. But, I’m not depressed.
• What is the point of that statue? Are butterflies the city insect or something?

At the dealership again

• Damn, it’s going to cost me so much money to get my car fixed. Twitter, twitter
• More waiting. Is that guy staring at me or is he looking at the coffee machine?
• I could spend this time being productive, but why don’t I tap out a facebook message instead.
• I guess all the money and time spent waiting were worth it just to have someone wash my car.

At Target

• I really need a new digital camera, since mine completely died. I would use it for the blog, which is kind of like a business that makes me no money. I think I’m going to have to work a little harder at rationalizing this.
• Watching this old lady in front of me walk with so much trouble makes think I should get more exercise.

At the Grocery Store

• I’d really like to participate in x365, but I don’t think I know 365 people. Maybe I should write a series about my relationships with family members instead.
• Funfetti mix is definitely a necessity. And, it’s the cheapest thing in my cart. Why is all of the best-tasting, most-terrible-for-you food so cheap?
• Candy corn!!

On my way to work

• I’m freaking exhausted. How am I going to make it through 9 hours at work?
• Candy corn. That’s how.

Later at work

• Should not have had so much candy corn.
• Hey, maybe I should write a blog post about all the random thoughts I had today.

Now

• This post turned out nothing like I imagined. It’s officially the weirdest thing I’ve ever posted. If anyone made it this far, you have earned yourself some candy corn and my highest respect. Is respect the right word?
• 9 minutes left of work!

1:29 am

• OMG! James Taylor is on The Colbert Report. Life is so random.