That would be me, apparently - a walking Mary Kay Cosmetics Target to be exact. It’s bad enough that I have an addiction to shopping at Target, but when I’m standing there in the children’s underwear aisle looking for some NON-pink-flowery-or-Hannah-Montana-y bikini briefs for the Catholic Girlie, I really don’t expect to be approached by a Mary Kay representative giving away free facials. And yet, that’s exactly what happened yesterday. Underwear aisle and all. Huh?

So here’s how it all went down - I’m standing there smack dab in the girl’s section of the local Super Target looking baffled because I cannot find plain ‘ole white or beige undies in my daughter’s size when this 20 year old-ish woman approaches me:

• Her: Wow! Is that a real Coach handbag? I love it!
• Me: Actually, no. It’s a knock-off. *moves handbag closer to self*
• Her: Oh, well it’s really very nice. Hey! That’s such a pretty necklace you’re wearing!
• Me: Why, err, thank you. *furrows brow thinking this woman is getting stranger by the moment*
• Her: By the way, I just started selling Mary Kay cosmetics, and we have a great new line of colors, and I’m giving FREE FACIALS. Here let me give you my card.
• Me: No, that’s ok. I already have a Mary Kay person.
• Her: Ohhh! What’s her name? Maybe I know her!
• Me: Hmmm… I can’t seem to remember. It always escapes me, silly isn’t it?
• Her: Well, ok then. But I do like your necklace. Have a really great day!

Then I’m left pushing my cart quickly in the opposite direction thinking to myself, What happened there? Was I really just accosted by a Mary Kay salesperson? That was so odd. I guess building a client base in the makeup-selling industry requires desperate measures - but I mean really now. Her approach freaked even me out, and I don’t think I freak out quite that easily.

What in the world was the name of my Mary Kay person anyway? *shakes head*

On my way back home from helping the lovely nuns with email, internet & printer issues, Office Depot channeled me. It said, ‘You know you want to stop over for a visit. Admit it, woman - you were just talking to that Catholic Family of yours about picking up the latest version of Family Tree Maker.’ So I caved and found myself pulling right into the store parking lot, walking all zombie-like down the aisle until I actually found the software I’d mentioned to the family just a couple of days ago. And now it’s here in my hot little hands. Pretty strong channeling there, eh?

So now what. Hmmm, exactly.

Well, now’s when I get started documenting all those crazy ancestors my family has been alluding to over the course of my lifetime. Relatives mostly whom I’ve never met, because I’ve grown up in an Air Force family and rarely (if ever) met any of them. Only now maybe I’ll be able to find some truth in those gossipy stories about how I’ve descended from royal British people - heck, they even say George W. Bush has a branch in the tree somewhere in there. Perhaps I’ll find one of those long lost relatives from Italy who gave me my dark hair and Italian nose. Or maybe I’ll learn about some of the Lutheran Pennsylvania Dutch ancestors from my maternal grandmother’s side of the family. I hope so on all counts - this could really get interesting.

So now I’m off to open the box and get started. What’s the worst that could happen? I mean, if anything, the Catholic Kids will get to know some family history out of all the research, right? Nothing wrong with that. Meanwhile, I have a sneaky feeling we’re only at the tip of a big huge iceberg.

Unlike computer technology, gaming systems in our house aren’t always state-of-the-art, yet we do eventually hop on the bandwagon and venture out to buy the latest craze. This time all the rage is the Nintendo Wii. After the CK’s spent many a play date testing out this game system at friend’s homes, finally I caved and promised to buy one by the end of the school year, mostly as a way of congratulating them on their hard work and dedication throughout the year. So now the time has come, and I’m scrambling around like a headless chicken in search of a Wii. No problem, right?

Wrong. Check out my progress so far:
Continue Reading »

Here at my blog, that is. Because between enjoying Spring Break and working on consulting projects, this here blog has been slightly abandoned. Not on purpose, of course, but it just seems that whenever I sit down to post something lately, I’m all: Where in the world do I start? With so many things going on, how do I focus on any ONE thing?

Focus. Focus ITCM. You can do it girl.

Alrighty then, so let’s talk about my latest Target gadget find:
A Microsoft wireless mouse.

While it’s just a simple thing, I did a little squeal after finding it between shopping for socks and underwear for the kids at the new local Super Target. And now I’m loving that my other travel mouse is no longer annoying me with its pesky cord. Technology is so sweet! What in the world took me so long to make this eensy little swap? As if underwear shopping triggered some sort of neural connection in my brain telling me to head over to the electronics department to ogle over wireless computer gadgets? What a scary thought.