Monday, January 26, 2009

Weekend Report

Well, I did have my weekend alone. I was in sort of a crud mood on Friday with all my conflicted feelings about the weekend. On the orders of a geographically removed friend I organized a group of pals to go see Slumdog Millionaire on Friday night. I had wanted to see it for a while but it wasn't showing anywhere nearby. I finally found a theater within a decent distance where it was showing so 5 of us hauled on over to check the movie out. I think all but one of them was ready to pelt me with popcorn because they were expecting something light and fluffy, which Slumdog definitely is not. I loved it though and thought it was really well done. there are some scenes that are difficult to watch for some people, there is no denying that, but it's kind of hard to portray the life of a street kid in Mumbai without some tough scenes. That said, every unpleasant thing is in the movie for a reason and it has a resolution that is satisfying. I also really liked that, aside from the typical boy meets girl storyline, there is an exploration of how people in identical circumstances respond differently and make different choices. The choices reveal a person's character and there are consequences for each set of choices. I like very much that the characters have a certain complexity to them, good people do some bad things, bad people do some good things, everyone wrestles with their choices and the outcomes. It's messy like real life, but hopeful. Good flick, go see it.

So that was Friday night. Having been convinced that an entire day of hibernation would have been more of a giving in to a bad mood I thought Saturday ought to be about something I don't often get to do but really wanted to. I have been wanting to go to the Philadelphia Art Museum for a while now but it is kind of a long hike from where I am so I went to a smaller on that was closer to home. It was a little disappointing to get there and find half of the place was closed (no indication on their website that such was the case and no one informed me of that until I paid my admission....grrrr) but I did enjoy what was available for my perusal. I was delighted to be able to linger over things and actually read the exhibit text without someone trying to drag me off to the next thing or whining about how boring an art museum is. That was deliciously leisurely and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I took a bunch of pictures. I hope to share the best ones tomorrow.

If I had any smarts at all I would have chosen a different activity for after the art museum but I made an unwise choice and paid for it. There is a mall not far from the museum. In said mall is a particular store which I have avoided for a number of years but for which I was given a gift certificate. I don't get this way often, the store does not exist in my own town so I thought, "I am here I will try to use this gift card." DANGER, WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!

Now let me pause because I suspect a great many of my female readers will feel some degree of envy when I say my gift card was for Victoria's Secret. I truly loathe VS. Forgive me and let me tell you why. Let me also say I do not want to appear ungrateful because I know the gift was given with love and only the best intentions and for that I am truly appreciative. The friend who bestowed it upon me knows I don't often splurge on things for myself and she wanted me to have something special. She is a sweetheart in that regard. VS is another matter entirely. First of all, I am not very much the frilly girly sort. I don't go around in granny panties and old lady bras. I like them to match and look nice but I wear them mainly for their containment properties, not their frills. Second, If you are over 25 (check) and weigh more than 110 pounds (double check) the staff look at you askance (at least that has been my experience the few times I have braved the place).

I tried on an armload of bras in my size and not one of them fit. I asked the girl to size me and she told me I had the wrong size. She brought back several in the "right" size for me to try. They were far worse than what I started with. I tried to warn her that shoehorning "the girls" into the bra size she was suggesting was going to put significant strain on the flimsy engineering of said undergarment. In fact, we'd be lucky not to loose an eye. But who I am, a frumpish middle-aged woman who has been hefting around this particular rack since age 13 to know better than you, a highly trained fitter of boulder holders who should also be very familiar with the product line your store offers? I bow to your expertise...and pray the bra hooks don't give way. Not a single bra fit properly and I had no interest in trying anymore so I thought I'd find a t-shirt or pj pants instead. I tried XLs and not one of them fit. I left in disgust. Have I ever mentioned I hate VS? The mental scarring is not worth it.

I drove home and consoled myself at the local Chinese buffet. A plate of fried rice, lo mein, pepper chicken, veggies, and such helped remedy the trauma that was VS and insured I may require hydraulics in my next bra. The next morning I joined the pals who had accompanied me to the movie to help cook a spaghetti dinner for the church and then came home just moments before my family returned from their weekend. So all in all it was a good weekend.

Speaking of Chinese...it is Chinese New Year so may I leave you all with best wishes for the year of the Ox. Works for me...how about you all?

33 comments:

G-Man said...

Hey...I'm an Ox!!!

But forget about Victoria's Secret. Thats why Wall-Mart was invented! They just happen to also sell vacuum cleaners, cleaning supplies, and candy.
Have a Great Week...G

Mona said...

G man seems to be mastering & conquering the yahtzee scene today!

I have to see that movie sometime this week...

sometimes choosing things like bras & boots sucks!

I am glad you could have some quality time & space for yourself!

Desmond Jones said...

Wow. . . I'm the Perfect Mate. . . I had no idea. Would you pass that info along to Molly for me? ;)

Molly got a gift card to VS a few years back. From the sound of it, she's got the opposite problem to yours - nursing eight kids has left her 'girls' a little, um. . . deflated. Which, in the context of VS, has a unique trauma all its own. . .

S said...

Hee hee! The ox!

Ok so, the ONLY thing I buy at Vickis is the panties. The normal cotton ones, mostly. The fancy ones are made with laboratory created textiles and feel mighty wrong to me. I have a handful of those too, but only for fun.

Belive it or not JCPenney has cool undies. They have the best fitting thong on the planet and for $8 it better be. They also have D cups and DD.

When the girls were much much larger, I had to shop at Fredericks. They have large cups there. And, not sleazy anymore. They have made an effort to desleaze.
Remember that bra you made a purse out of? It was from Freds.

Ok so back to the Vicki panties. I like them because they last a very very long time. They do NOT fall apart, they do fit well.
The bras are horrible, and yes, they do size you up when you go in there and I have learned to head for the panty table, size M, ignoring ALL the salesladies and other boa covered fluffery.

I also tried to be fitted at Vickis, chose an old lady saleschick who was a moron. You'd think at her age she'd get it that if you are over 30 you need a REAL bra not just one thats sits on top of your boobs..........
why, even my own Little Rita said to me, "Mom, you need to wear your (get ready lol) molded bra, it looks better under clothes."
OMG! How cute Im feeling verklempt, that little one doesnt even have any you know whats yet and she knows about the bennies of molded bras!
She's gonna go far.

Have a good day!

snowelf said...

As soon as you said VS, I winced. I remember from a previous post how much you'd like to bulldoze down every single store.

I bought a bra from them that fell apart. I love their undies, but their bras should be ashamed of themselves. They are complete crap for girls who have been blessed with boobage. You may as well be wearing a doily with yarn and a paper clip for underwire.

I love chinese food. It is my favorite of all of the ethnic foods. :)

Happy Chinese New Year! :) He's a foxy ox!

--snow, rabbit

Anonymous said...

You see, hibernating would have been better than that VS experience!

Anonymous said...

We don't have VS over here at least not in my neck of the woods. I posted my own battle of the Bras not long ago so I sympathize totally. As to the moulded bra. I actually folded I brought one and can wear it all day without ripping it off.

Peace sister!

Logophile said...

Im glad you had fun going out.
The museum in peace and quiet is always a favorite thing of mine.

I am sorry about the VS visit. I do like their Signature Cotton line but I always order the pieces I know I like ONLINE. Gotta love that. Susie is right, they last and they are comfy.

Happy Year of the Ox! May it be a fortunate one for you.

Logophile said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bijoux said...

Bra shopping is never fun, notmatter where you go. But I agree with S, VS does have good cotton panties.

It would be a blast to go to an art museum with you, btw!

misticblu said...

http://picasaweb.google.com/misticblu/DropBox

the link, finally. Sry for the poor direction.

Have had the same experience at VS. Crying in the changing room sort of thing.
My best bra is highest end Walmart.

Anonymous said...

My bra size is nothing to brag about, and I can't find anything at Victoria Secret either. Their bras don't fit me, and the quality is disappointing. I wear German engineering www.triumph.com and French seduction www.lejaby.com :D

Suldog said...

Sun nien fai lok.

(Before you say, "Same to you, and your mother!", that's simplified Cantonese for "Happy New Year!")

Jazz said...

I don't think VS has come to my neck of the woods, but we do have a few of those undergarment chains. That I loathe with every fibre of my being. I feel your pain.

Anonymous said...

VS... oy... I swear they manufacture bras JUST to make you look like you have fakies. Ugh! It's good to hear you liked Slumdog and had a good time at the Art Museum. :) Small graces!

I did your interview today :)

EmBee said...

Somewhere DEEeeeeeep in one of my dresser drawers I too have a VS gift cert.

I was never able to brave the humiliation and thanks to your story, I never, ever will!

By the way, I've had that gift certificate since the breast reduction I had almost 12 yrs. ago. The girls may be smaller, but the trunk that's holding 'em up is still as wide as a giant oak.

airplanejayne said...

I agree with your description of the clerks in V.S.
FYI - I got excellent help, fitting and bra at Fredericks. I think it's the new place for pretty panties, etc.

Oh, and I saw Slumdog Millionaire this weekend also! Great flick!

Kat said...

Next time you get a gift certificate for VS just get the perfume instead. ;)
Glad you had a good weekend despite the VS frustration. :)

Cooper said...

ummmm....yeah....

Fred said...

A weekend alone? I've been gone for a bit so I need to check out why.

If I were alone for the weekend, I'd sleep in, babysit the couch, watch ESPN, and nap. Of course, I'd be eating all day, too.

Yup, that's my idea of excitement.

(M)ary said...

boulder holders! ha!

sounds like a weekend just fun enough that you were probably really glad to have the family back again but not overly desparate when they walked in the door.

~Tim said...

How did your friends get the idea that Slumdog is light and fluffy? I really enjoyed it and am glad you did too.

Oh, and we already knew you might put an eye out with one of those things. ;)

Susan English Mason said...

I buy the same think every time I get a VS gift certificate. If you ask them they have cotton briefs in beige, white, and black that are very comfy and wash well. (They hide them in drawers under the bikini briefs srsly) They are $8 per. Gots to have undies!

Commander Zaius said...

My wife feels the same way about Victoria's Secret, now I'd like to hang out in the place but they keep calling security on me, go figure.

barman said...

I love the Ox, simply great.

VS is funny. I can not get near the place even if I ever wanted to. I have an allergic reaction to most types of perfume. I get a burning sensation in my mouth, my eyes burn too. Not pretty. So I just stay away. Someone I know would love to be able to shop at VS. Although she is somewhat your age (maybe a few years the younger) she has a dancers body so she could probably survive the sales clerk. So what is her problem? They do not make bras for someone that is size A. So, for slightly different but similar reasons she walks away just as disgusted as you. Sorry there is not a place you can go that is just a touch more practical but yet still be a splurge.

I love Chinese but I sure wish there were not so many Chinese buffets in my area. That and several different Mexican places. Unfortunately the Mexican places are OK but not fantastic.

I have only been in a few minor art exhibits and but I did enjoy them. I am not sure I could completely appreciate some things as I suspect I am not sophisticated enough at times. What a wonderful weekend.

Cheesy said...

If you still need to use the GC.. VS does have rather awesome flannels in their catalogs.. I LOVE them. Also they make very nice soaps and such...

Bra shopping just sucks.... not matter where you go lol

ttfootball said...

hehe the VS perfume idea is a good one!
But it sounds like u had a fun weekend =)
and you'v now given me a lil more inspiration to go see that movie

Moosekahl said...

Use your gift card online and treat yourself to a pair of VS's Pink Boyfriend Sweat pants. Think back to college, stolen sweats from the boys dorm, a little extra room in the trunk, straight leg, and amazingly soft! I caved after years of hearing raves and I'm in love. They come really long...you can leave them that way or they show you different lengths that you can crop them at without worrying about them falling apart. Total lounge wear for your next leisurely weekend to yourself :)

KFarmer said...

I have the exact problem, only in a smaller version.. lol! I like the Amber Romance line of sweet smells so that's what I go there for~ but not too often. When I see they are running a sale, I skiddidle on over :)

Glad you enjoyed the week-end :)

Craver Vii said...

Note to self: Never suggest or buy VS gift certificate for Wifey.

That whole business seems so complicated and one would think it should be more uplifting (emotionally, I mean). I know I'm a pig for saying this... but I sure am glad that I am a man. I have preferences for skivvies, but as long as they don't have holes or skid marks, they're tolerable. My wife will occasionally pull one of those beaten old soldiers out of the drawer, and casting an incredulous glare my way, she tosses the retired garment in the trash.

Craver Vii said...

Gong-hee, Fatt-choi!

That's another Cantonese way of saying happy new year. I'm not sure why it's different from what Suldog said. For all I know, it could mean a terrible insult. A churchmate pronounces it differently. She says gong-HAI, fatt-choi.

Jocelyn said...

Can you use that gift certificate for the catalogue/online? I know I used to buy some things through the catalogue--they had a wider range of things to choose from (like PANTS, not lingerie), and the size range was also better.

Reverend Michael Kilgore said...

Ah, Lime, I have some experience in that specialty, feel free to ask if you have questions! Ok joking-which museum? Were you in Reading?