Sycamore spends the day in Suburbia...
 

Actually, I spend 5 days a week in suburbia, but very rarely am I in the burbs on a day off.

So today, we had our team's Xmas Party/Gift Exchange (since my boss will be on vacation from now until the 26th). I got a $20 gift card from Best Buy from my gift exchange. Sweet! My boss got me 2 PlayStation games--HBO Boxing and Action Bass. I haven't gotten any new games for my PlayStation since the summer of 2000, so this was nice. And I've never played a fishing game before, so this should be interesting.

Then I got the pay stub for my monthly bonus. $210...the most I've ever gotten...well alright! One of the only things I like about where I work...the monthly incentive check you can earn.

After eating some shitty Pizza Hut pizza, I headed to Best Buy. I wanted to buy the new DM single and Jamiroquai's "Synkronized." Found Jamiroquai, but no DM. They had a ton of their older singles, but not the new one. And this damned Jamiroquai CD was $15!!! Shit...I remember when the CDs were only $12 or $13. I guess Best Buy is just not making enough money selling appliances and big screens anymore. Not to mention, with a gift card, you have to use it until it's gone. I have $4 and some change left. Man, what the hell am I going to do with that? I guess I'll hold on to it for a while.

Then, I headed over to King of Prussia Mall. Each of the supervisors on my team (me being one of them) got a $40 gift certificate to the mall for a contest our team won last month. Sweet! I don't get to shop a whole lot these days, so when I get something like this, I can blow it and feel good. And it's not like I need clothes or anything like that.

First things first: The nice lady at Strawbridge's tells me that I can use my Hecht's card there since Strawbridge's and Hecht's are under the same umbrella with May Company. Cool!

I dunno...I just like May Department Stores. Of course, my mom worked for them for almost 7 years. But I like the layout of them. Particularly their downtown stores, with the multi-floors. When I was little, the Famous-Barr in downtown St. Louis would have a whole floor dedicated to a Christmas-themed exhibit. I used to love it. Plus, the store had like 11 floors at the time. One floor was a B. Dalton store. Very cool.

And whatever city you're in, their stores have pretty much the same layout. Be it Hecht's (DC/Baltimore), Strawbridge's (Philadelphia), Famous-Barr (St. Louis), or Kauffman's (Pittsburgh). I like the familiarity.

Then I had to pass by the 6ABC store (Yes, our local ABC affiliate has a store in the mall.). Now, I can understand the PBS stations having a Store of Knowledge, but a fucking ABC station that is about 20 years behind the rest of the world?! Uck!!!

I then headed to FYE (formerly The Wall). Yes, FYE sucks...it's like a Sam Goody/Camelot/whatever. But, I figured they would have my DM single and maybe a PS game. Plus, after I leave my job, I have no intention of going out that way anytime soon. Unless, maybe UT invites me out to his place for a bbq or something. ;)

So, I find the new DM single--$9. NINE DOLLARS?! WHAT FUCKING CRACK ARE YOU SMOKING?! I happened to notice on Wednesday that singles at Target are now $8, but didn't give it much thought at the time. Then I see the price of the new John Mellencamp CD. $20. WHAT?! I thought $18 was bad. Granted, everyone outside the US has been paying $20 plus for a CD for years. But if you think I am going to pay $20 for a 40-60 minute CD, you have lost your damned mind!

So, I look at their small games section. Nothing that great for PlayStation 1. Oh well...off I go. Wait a minute! I see FIFA 2002 for N64. Maybe they have it for...YES! FIFA 2002 for PS1!!! $40...yeah, another ripoff, but it's a gift certificate...what do I care?

It's now about 2:30, and traffic is already a mess on US 202. 4 major highways meet in the KOP area: US 202, US 422, I-76, and the PA Turnpike (I-276). It doesn't help that the area is a construction nightmare right now. Reminds me of the Springfield Mixing Bowl project in Virginia. Dear God...PLEASE just let me get back on the Turnpike so that I can go back to Philadelphia!!!

Finally, I make my way back to the city, and to the Hallmark store by my house. My ex-boss is getting married tomorrow, and I need a card and some wrapping paper for her gift. Plus, I need Xmas cards for the parents and Rho.

I'm so happy for her...Angi was the greatest boss I ever had. It's just a shame that she was my boss at CVS. Our district manager couldn't stand the two of us. I don't think he liked her b/c she was a strong black female. He didn't like me b/c I stood by her managing of the store, and would not spy on her (as he had once requested me to do). She wound up having enough of the bullshit and turned her keys in on the day of our store inventory. I didn't blame her one bit. I wound up leaving a month later. It's so hard to find good people that know what the fuck they're doing these days. When you shit on them, can you blame them for leaving? In the span between May and July, I think 2 store managers and 4 or 5 assistant store managers quit, along with several shift supervisors, across CVS stores in West and South Philadelphia. You can hire any fucking moron at $5.15 an hour if you want a warm body. But when you find a good employee...one that wants to work hard, wants to learn, and wants to advance...how can you let someone like that go?

So now, I'm at home, doing laundry and listening to CDs. Waiting for the woman to get home. I must say, this is the best day off I've had since my birthday. I feel like I did a lot today...and got some goodies in the process. :)