Anyway, we shopped. I got lucky. I got a fleece zippered hoodie at Sears on clearance for $8, and a denim skirt from the Gap for $10. I didn't think you could get anything at the Gap for that. The jeans I've been pining over and have tried on on three separate occassions were still $48. It's the ultra dark, stretch, low rider, flares. I can't bring myself to pay that much, and the girl there said they've never been on sale, and probably never will. Damn. I guess someone will have to give them to me (or a gift card). That's how we got Jeff 2 pairs of Gap jeans. Of course, I got a used pair for me for $7 at a consignment shop.

Aimee had filed for bankruptcy a year or two ago, and is still having trouble. She looked at my check book as I was balancing it after my purchases. Later, she asked how often I got paid, and whether I had just got paid. I told her that I was actually about to get paid. I think she saw the balance. She has to remember, we don't have a kid. And I make quite a bit more money than she does. (She has worked for the same company for over 10 years, and they are not generous with the raises.) I'm not sure what her husband makes. And I guess I'm thrifty. I do spend high dollar for some things (air cleaner, digital camera), but it's not a normal thing. After years of only shopping for clothes at thrift stores, I am known to look at the price on something and ask, "What, is it gold plated? Sheesh. $20 for a t-shirt? I think not!" Or, maybe I got the penny-pincher gene from my dad.

Anyway, her husband is in school to be a home inspector, and she is looking into financial aid for a nursing degree. I'm sure they will get back on track.

One thing that did frustrate me was when she told me about Lisa being on disability. She was working as a guard or something at a juvenile detention center. (Yep, I'd say the job suits a lesbian in denial.) She got injured when she broke up a fight. Aimee made the comment that Lisa's the only white person working there, and all the "niggers" let Lisa do all the work. I apologize for using that word, but I'm quoting Aimee. This is like talking to my stepmother, Barbara. They say it like they think I agree. It's so frustrating. I didn't say anything. It didn't seem like the right time or place. That may be a cop out, but I don't get to see her very often. I didn't want to get into an argument.

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So, I was watching MTV Sunday night and found myself getting extremely angry and annoyed. It was one of those True Life shows about plastic surgery. On the show, there was a guy wanting calf implants (that spells D-U-M-B-A-S-S); 2 Hollywood girls wanting lipo, a nose job, and a lip enlargement (collagen injections, I think); and a girl who weighed over 350 lbs getting gastric bypass surgery. The two girls were so stupid. One said to the other (the one getting lipo), "You'll be skinny and beautiful when it's over!" She was already like a size 2 or 4. The other one was talking about maybe getting some lipo herself. It was revealed that she never works out. Hussy. If I could look like that and never work out.... I just hope they realized after the airing of the show how superficial and stupid they looked, the calf guy included.

The harsh reality portions of the show were about the obese woman and another woman who had a damaging lipo surgery resulting in disfigurement. I just thought, they are doing this to themselves with so much risk! I mean, if it was surgery to remove a tumor, the risk is justified. The obese woman's surgery was warranted, since the benefits outweighed the risks. She was in extreme danger of a heart attack or something due to her size. And you can't just work out when you're that size and have a hard time just getting out of bed. Something had to be done.

OK, so this all made me think how stupid it is of me to worry that my stomach isn't perfectly flat, or that I have cellulite on my butt. There was even a time about a year ago when I thought about vomitting up what I ate. How stupid is that? (Speaking of vomit - Leigh, do not see the movie Orange County, unless someone can warn you not to look.)