My World In Reflection: The Best Laid Plans, or A Really Long Story About Colored Pencils

When I got off work Wednesday morning, I had a plan. That plan was to buy a sketchbook and colored pencils and head home to paint my nails and go to sleep. I wanted to get in and out of the store so I'd have time to paint my nails, let them dry, and still get six hours of sleep before having to get up and get ready to head back to work. I was determined to keep my schedule. I was so foolish to think that would happen.

Image via International Debate Academy Blog. This should be a pic I've drawn in my new sketchbook, but alas, it was not meant to be as of yet.

I headed to the 24 hour Wal-Mart up the street from my job because it was close and open. At that point, I would have preferred to go to Office Depot or Staples because I knew they had what I was looking for. I knew this because I'd just taken my niece shopping for school supplies. But I was on a schedule, so Wal-Mart would have to do.

Easy and I have gotten into the routine of talking after I get off work and before he goes on weekdays. I get off at 7:15 and he doesn't start until 8:15. We spent almost that whole hour on the phone while I searched Wal-Mart for what I wanted.

I found the sketchbook pretty easily. I got a nice one that's ringer-bound. Makes it easy to hold onto or remove pages as I need to. They had the nice fancy artist pencils and the multi-colored Crayola pencils. I couldn't decide, so I just got both.

Image via Amazon.com. I avoided these. What are these anyways? This is why I couldn't find a damn pencil sharpener to purchase!

I decided I needed a cute pencil case like the one I bought my niece. I thought it'd be fun to have my sketchbook a pencils able to be carried around in a case to keep them safe. All they had were the plain flat canvas zipper ones. Which is why I strolled around Wal-Mart for an hour. I checked the home department, the kitchen department, the office department, and the Rubbermaid department. I couldn't find anything that would work as a case. I gave up and headed home.

While on the expressway, my gas light came on.

Image via crispyhundos.com

I got off the expressway to get gas. Right across the street was a huge parking lot that had a ton of stores all around. One was a Staples! But I looked at my clock and realized it was still well before 9:00, so the store was likely not even close to opening yet. I noticed a Target too and headed there.

I walked into this Target. And I stopped in my tracks. This was the biggest, shiniest, happiest Target store I've ever been in. It just kept going and going in every direction. Imagine the best Cost-Co, the best Sam's Club, the best grocery store, the best department store, and the best Walgreens you've ever been at. Now combine those all into one, but make the prices not bargain-basement-low, make the packaging not bulk, and make the employees look happier and in better health. I was dying to take pictures so you can see it if you've never been to a magical Target like the one I was in. He said I couldn't, so I'm trying to find the words. It was like in a movie when the main character enters a new world and they see people milling around, hearing snippets of conversation that makes them sure they've finally reached Emerald City and there is sure to be a three course meal gumball waiting for them in the next room right before they take a magical flight on carpet.

Before you get to excited and decide you must make a pilgrimage to this magical Target, you need to know they also didn't have what I wanted. I strolled around just taking it all in for at least 30 min, and ended up purchasing a soft make-up case that was close to what I wanted, but still not quite it. I was getting pretty frustrated at this point. How could two huge stores not have it? School just started! What the hell people?

I had to drive past the Staples on my way back out to the road. I decided on a whim to drive past the store to see the store hours since it looked like there were just too many cars there (5) to be just employees opening the store. I was in luck! They were open. I parked and headed in. They were having a school supplies sale, and I found a box similar to the one my niece has. It was glittery and pretty with a handle, but it was a clear box of the right size that locked and that was about as close as I was going to get.

The also had pencil sharpeners, so I picked one up because I was not getting twistable colored pencils. That just didn't seem... artsy enough for me. I took my third pencil case purchase in an hour and headed home, ready to finish my morning. I painted my nails (Easy likes them painted and I wanted to switch to his later color request) and got into bed. I didn't get 6 hours of sleep, but I still got some sleep. I woke up for work and put my new pencils into my new clear locking case, locked it, and headed off to work.

I got to work early and decided to work on a cartoon to put on my wedding blog. When I went to open my box and pull out my new supplies, I realized I left the keys at home! Security fail! I tried to pick the lock, but the way it was made, let's just say it wasn't made to be picked with a paper clip like some other locks. I tried this other thing I happened to have in my purse (basically a fancy drink stirrer). Well, that broke in the lock! I realized I'd have to go back out and buy another one. I tried to get the plastic out of the lock but it wouldn't budge.

I realized I'd have to break the box open to get my colored pencils out. I'm not strong enough so I'll be using the assistance of my hammers when I get home from work tomorrow. The first thing I'll be doing before that is heading to the Staples I bought my niece's box from, now that I know they open at 8:00, to replace the box I'm about to shatter into pieces. The first thing I'll be doing after I liberate my pencils is putting the key to my new amazing locking pencil case on my key ring.