Bath and Body Works & A Random Rant

So it's another Saturday this winter break and I find myself at MOA once again. It seems to be always packed with people even after the holiday shopping season. I guess it must be all those after Xmas sales. Anyway, it's usually window shopping for me at MOA, although I did go see a movie while my parents were at an Alaska travel convention sponsored by a cruise company. While they sat around for two hours listening to the wonders of Alaska, I spent an enjoyable afternoon watching National Treasure: Book of Secrets. I think I still like the first one better because there was a lot more deciphering clues in the first one, while this one seemed to rely more on just stunts. Anyway, I felt it was a $7 well spent, especially after the diastrous viewing of The Golden Compass. I've just finished re-reading the book, and am now greatly dismayed and worried about how they will film the other two and a half books. The director left out an entire plotline from the first book, while the actress playing Lyra managed just one expression the whole movie: looking pissed off. The scene where Lyra rides the polar bear Iorek was directly copied from a coca cola commercial.

After the movie, I window shopped. Somehow I wandered into Bath and Body Works. The first thing to hit me was the blend of intoxicating smells that attacked my nostrils. Bottle after bottle of creams and lotion that say things like "white tea and ginger extract" are plastered over bottles to attract buyers. Then I had to wonder, when was the last time your skin needed such things as herbal tea and ginger? I don't know when my skin became so bourgeois but I certainly don't have time to sit around and sip herbal tea while rubbing ginger over my hands. A girl tried a few different kinds of lotions before settling on a bottle that smelled like peony. Now, a word to the wise, the boyfriend should step in and take a whiff. Most guys probably could care less what kind of lotion their girl is using, but trust me, when you sleep with your girlfriend who rubs herself all over with that stuff, you better like the smell for it lasts a long time. Talk about stinking up the room. The smells permeates the room and into the sheets, and soon enough, the boyfriend probably feels like he's being gassed to death.

Random Rant:

Britney Spears needs to go away. I was at the gym and every TV channel was talking about the psychological issues of Britney Spears. Seriously, how many degrees does a person need to know she's insane, especially after shaving her head while lip-syncing at an awards show like someone who had been sniffing turpentine while still trying to wobble like jello? Why is this even so news worthy to denote CNN entirely to such a story? I suppose issues like the dollar falling faster than a bullet train, or global warming causing weather havoc in the West coast is all insignificant compared to the issues of the Spears family. I'm laughing my ass off when publicists says how supportive the mother has been. Wow, who wouldn't want a mom who raises an mentally unstable daughter and another who gets knocked up at 16? The mom defends her younger daughter by saying that she such a good child and never misses a curfew. Uhhhh, maybe your daughter had sex before curfew?

I also want a new blogger address. Any suggestions? I have one I like but it's at wordpress.com. Maybe I'll start using that one instead?

Barnes and Noble Observations

One of my favorite stores, if you didn't already know, is Barnes and Noble. This summer, with no summer classes, my weekends are free from homework and exams. Thus, I get to spend my time however I please. And one of my favorite things to do is to go to Barnes and Noble, pick out a book (from a million that I see and go: "Oh, I wanna read that....someday =0), and grab a comfy chair and read and observe. When my mind starts to wander from the book, the only natural thing is to observe. Since the comfy chairs are often grouped together (at least the one at the Galleria Mall), it's easy to observe the other readers around me. I don't know why, but it fascinates me what other like to read. I feel you can discern something about a person based on the book he/she is reading. I feel one can pass a strong impression based on what a person is reading. For instance, there was a woman sitting to my left today. Her arms were laden with fashion magazines filled with glossy cover of voluptous women airbrushed so much that their faces look like marble; smooth and unblemished, though entirely unrealistic. These editors forget human skin is porous. From there, I took a closer look at the reader of these magazines. She looked like a woman in her mid to late thirties. Her hair was permed. She wore a collared Polo shirt by Ralph Lauren. Her pants were also brand name. Beside her chair, a ubiquitious Coach bag was bulging from its contents. I suppose it wouldn't be too far-fetched to surmise she's a woman who pays a particular attention to appearance. To my right, a young man, probably a high schooler, with dark gelled hair, was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of frayed jeans. He sat, with his feet curled up on the sofa, reading a book whose cover was a mutitude of colors. I was intrigued by the cover. The boy managed to stop his fidgeting long enough for me to make out the title: Zombies of the Marvel Universe. Certainly a very manly book. Finally, as I browsed the aisles, I passed by a mother eagerly questioning her son, a boy about ten:
"Are you sure that's the book you want?" asked the mother.
"Yes," replied the boy.
"Are you sure? There's a lot of other books here, about history, science." asked the mother persistently.
I swiped a look at the book he was carrying; it was a comic book.
"Did you open the book? And looked at the words?" asked his mother again.
The boy fixed his mother with an exasperated look and walked away, while his mother continued to pester after him. Alas, comic books will rot the mind according to parents, and this concerned parent was trying her hardest to get her son to read a real book. I doubt this little boy will call Barnes and Noble his favorite store.

P.S In case you were wondering, I was reading a book called "Waiting".

Weekend Shopping Adventures

So, for the past two weekends, my friends and I have been going shopping. It's the weekend, and the weather is nice and toasty. The mall provides free air-conditioning to cool down during summer. I have the best of intentions when I go shopping: to spend less money than my friends. I feel like I'm a pretty frugal person. I'm not particular about brand names or latest trends. I mean, c'mon, I'm sitting in front of the computer all day studying. Is my Perl programming going to be nicer to me if I came in wearing a Polo shirt instead of a Wal-mart brand shirt? None of the women at work are worthy dressing up either for because they are already taken.......and old(er).

Alas, I can resist anything except a good bargain. Last weekend, my friends and I went to shop at the Factory Outlet in Albertville. The goal of the trip was for one of my friends to pick out some presents for his trip back home to China. I was there to offer sound advice: Buy, buy, buy! What ended up happening was that I came home with a winter jacket from Nike and a hoodie from Guess. Guess! The one store whose fashion is usually everything I don't wear. Hmmmm.....maybe it's time for a wardrobe makeover.

Today, I needed an excuse to leave the house to pick out something for Father's day. I had really no idea what to get my dad. Mom's are usually easier. They are easily satisfied by shiny things, like diamonds and other jewellery. Men's accessories are far and few. The watch, the belt, and maybe an earring in one ear if you're phat. My friend got her dad the boxed set DVD of Planet Earth by the BBC. Her father and family are very antsy. They can't really stay still in their house. He spends his days sitting in the garage, reading National Geographic, and planning his next vacation. Anything travel related was a good gift idea. But my dad doesn't like to travel (that much).....and the books I buy him I end up reading myself anyway. He's got a watch, and a belt, and I doubt I can convince to get his ears pierced. Hmmmmmmm......conundrum.......

Well, I forgot one last accessory....the brief case. My dad isn't a travelling salesman, so that ruled 90% of the brief case population. I didn't want to get him a bag that made him seem like he'll be walking door to door, selling can-openers. No, it has to something casual, yet sophisticated. Something an engineer would carry. The Mall of America (MOA) provides is an abundant terrain for gift hunting. All I had to was to wade through the jungle and find my prey. I found my prey inside Wilson's Leather. A leather messenger bag. Casual sophistication.....ka-ching! So there's goes my paycheck. Sigh. I really should return the Kingdom Hearts II game I bought for myself. But its price seems so inconsequential to the bag I got for my dad. Naaaahhhh, I think I'll keep it =0)

So after two rounds of weekend shopping. It's me in the lead with a grand total of $200, Cheng with $120, and Yezi with $65. Yay! I'm winning!