Searching

My entire day was defined by looking for things.

First off, my search for a new camera is in full swing. Nikon? Canon? Canon? Nikon? I've read just enough reviews on the Internet to be dangerous. My earnest and innocent desire to capture great photos has spiraled into a lust for features that I may or may not ever have the time or desire to learn how to use. Do I opt for the entry level camera body and invest in some nice quality lenses? Or am I better served with the higher level body and a kit lens? Nikon? Canon?? Although I am hopelessly addicted to reading an infinite number of opinions on the matter, I will let you in on a little camera secret. There is no definitive answer to that question. At least, not while you are actually shopping for a camera. Once you've made your purchase you apparently become passionately, and even somewhat belligerently, brand loyal. That seems to be the case from the six thousand reviews I read daily. I was heavily leaning toward the Nikon. Then my neighbor lent me her Canon to use for a few days. It's a great little machine and I'm having a blast with it, so my decision will be a slow and agonizing one. That's how I like to make decisions. I love to wallow in them. Incidentally, the Canon has been here for four days now and I have yet to learn a single advanced feature. I do not see that as writing on the wall. I see it as merely an indication that this has been a very busy week, much busier than the weeks will be when I own my own camera and have lots of discretionary time for feature focus. Whatever.

I went to the Christian bookstore today to search for a new Study Bible, which is my birthday gift from my Dad and Suzanne.

I went to the Christian bookstore today with four children.

I came home from the Christian bookstore today to search online for a new Study Bible. Some days I simply forget who I am and what my limitations are, and I set out from this house with an agenda that defies logic. On a positive note, I have narrowed the search to two top contenders, and I can be equally happy with either one. Of course, if that were really a true statement I would have already ordered the book online. I think I need one more good day of wallowing.

So, let me split no hairs when I tell you upfront and boldly that I detest Halloween with every crabby speck of my being. Hate it. Always have. Even as a kid, when my parents forced me to wear the Raggedy Ann outfit with the crepe paper wig that dyed my entire head fire engine red, and drug me through the neighborhood to beg for candy, I complained and whined. It's not my favorite day. My boys, however, do not share my deep seeded aversion. Weeks ago, they made plans with friends in the neighborhood to dress up like Star Wars characters and go trick-or-treating together. During the last trillion visits to Walmart they have begged me to visit the costume isle to search for Star Wars gear. I resisted, due to reasons including, but not limited to, my resounding lack of interest and overall general Halloween crabbiness. Their gentle pleas and reminders became more frenzied and panic stricken as the days wore on. Today I became weak, and let down my crabby guard just a smidge.

Hayden and I were in Target and we found an Annakin Skywalker costume on sale for $13. (I realize I'm going to spell all the Star Wars names wrong, and I'm willing to live with that. I have no idea who they are, and am willing to live with that too.) Apparently, in the neighborhood line-up, Max was slated to be Annakin. Perfect. I bought the costume, then promised Hayden a trip to the party supply store tonight to pick up some kind of trooper suit that he wanted. Helllllooooooo? It's the day before Halloween, and I ask you, what parent in this overcrowded city didn't promise to take their kid to the party supply store tonight. Words fail me. "Crowded" would be an understatement of epic proportion. We waited in gargantuan line #1 to order our storm trooper suit. Then, we re-waited in gargantuan line #1 to get the mask that was missing from our costume sack. About that time we realized that gargantuan line #2, otherwise known as the checkout line, could possibly have reached to the moon and back if it were stretched out in an orderly fashion. Which it wasn't. There were people everywhere. Not just normal people. People holding severed arms, bags of rubber eyeballs, and ghoulish masks. I tried incredibly hard to feign optimism about the trooper suit, but I think even Hayden was dismayed. It was his suggestion, not mine, that we jump ship and head to Walmart, but I had him out the door at warp speed before he could change his mind.

I think it was sheer ignorance that prohibited me from having any reservations about finding the right costume in the right size at Walmart late at night on the day before Halloween. Apparently, the Party Store fiasco taught me nothing. Not one shred of anything remotely Star Wars related was found in, on, or near any shelf, rack, or bin. Trust me, I looked. On my hands and knees and with devoted fervor I looked. Poor kid. Recognizing that I had been a teensy weensy unsupportive of this whole Halloween plan, I agreed to head clear across town to another Target. The first Target we were at today had no storm troopers. An exhaustive search at the second Target left me feeling like the meanest Mom in the entire world. I was out of ideas and filled with remorse. Then, I spotted it. The Hope Diamond of the picked over, clearance isled, Halloween cast-offs. On an end cap, misplaced, one lone Obi One Kanobi suit lay. Crumpled and wrinkled, but the perfect size. And on sale. Alas, there was hope. I presented the offering and held my breath. The neighborhood boys had a fairly elaborate plan for how each person was to dress. I had no clue if Obi One could make the cut, but I was passionately certain that our chances of making a storm trooper happen were between zero and zilch. Storm Trooper's mothers shop early. The only bad news, Hayden carefully explained to me, was that Obi carried a blue light sabre and we only own a green one.

SOLD!

I got out of Target tonight for the bargain price of $22. That was $13 for the discounted costume, $7 for a brand new, very blue light sabre, and $2 worth of chocolate therapy to help ease my stress.

Thus we have come to the end of my very longest blog post ever. What exactly do people do with bags of gooey eyeballs after Halloween, anyway?

Nikon? Or Canon??