~Spree, Hair, Moooovie!
2004-01-08 - 12:09 p.m.

Hm, well, yesterday was mostly productive.

I went on a shopping spree! I don't think I've ever really been on a shopping spree, the kind where I just look for anything at all that I like and, if I like it, buy it! Usually I'm looking for something in particular - I need new shoes, I need some tops etc. - so I shop selectively, ignoring all those things that I don't have time for. I also usually have a budget. I don't really like spending money, I like saving it, watching it increase in my bank account. I like having things that I spend money on, but I don't like the actual spending very much at all. I generally have a sensible part of me that pulls me back from splurging (although it doesn't always stop me from buying impulsively, it almost always stops me from spending to much, or buying too many things impulsively!). Anyway, today I was going to try on all the clothes and shoes I liked, even if they were $80 and my sense told me I not to buy anything above $50 (which is getting harder these days, anyway), or even if they weren't sensible and I would only wear them once or twice a year. If I liked them, if they fit, I'd buy them! I also had a $30 voucher from Sussan (yay for having a VIP reward card for the clothes store I buy the most from anyway!) and a $50 Bras 'n' Things voucher (from Dianne for Wissmas). I tried on about two tops in Sussan. I walked straight past B'n'T and happened to try on one more top in Target. That.was.it.

Apart from that, I considered buying a $179 3.2mp digital camera, but consulted Tim via the wonderous modern portable telephone and figured that it wasn't a good quality one, even for $179. The problem there is that the ones that are what I want, even the 3.2 mp instead of the lovely 4-6 ones, are around $400 or more. I just don't want to pay that much. It's about a third or even a half of what I could spend on a video camera. Hm. I've been browsing, I really think I need to start going in and asking the shop dudes questions, now. Especially if I establish first that I'm at my scouting stage and I'll get shirty if they try to push anything on me - which most of them, in my experience, are pretty good at not doing, anyway. Like when I was choosing a video camera for Dad's birthday a few years back, helping Emma buy a printer or when I bought my DVD player last year.

So I came home with enough of a shopping splurge to satisfy - two DVDs (having put the third back (what was it? what was it? I've forgotten!) and walking straight past Legally Blonde 2), two Terry Pratchett books (Equal Rites, Lords and Ladies) that I've read, but I've read all of the Discworld ones save The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, which is sitting on my bedhead, and, less satisfyingly, the original Legends book with New Spring and that lovely Terry Pratchett witches short story, which I lent to Martin and never got back. }:(

I also bought a native animals calendar for Eva, who I have sorely neglected this year with regard to any form of communication, let alone birthday (last March!!) or Christmas presents! Ironically, I got home to discover that a Christmas card & letter from her had arrived! That made me feel even worse!! However, I wrote her out a belated Christmas card (all my Christmas cards are belated this year...) letter and will buy her one or two more thingies and send them off. At least this time I can afford to send her a proper parcel, instead of stuffing little things into envelopes like I normally do!

Still, I came home without any new clothes or shoes which, despite the shopping trip being non-purposeful, I really do need. I guess next time I won't go out in my boots, and that might help. I haven't worn them, save for special occasions like work social dinner and job interviews where I get to sit down mostly, at all since I re-hurt my back in last term and realised that the twinges were worse after wearing my boots. I don't think they matter very much when my back is fine, but but when it's not fine, or recovering back to fine, my boots are just a bit too high. Luckily my new party shoes that I wore to Alysha's wedding seem fine. Finefinefinefine.

So I got home, feeling a little unaccomplished just the same, and called Maree and we arranged to see The Return of the King late that afternoon! Whee! So I then called the hairdresser's and made an appointment. I've been meaning to get my hair cut since before Christmas. Even though it was still neat, and I didn't mind the length, it was getting a bit tangly and the style had mostly grown out. I was playing with my hair in front of the mirror a few weeks back and caught sight of myself with just-below-shoulder-length hair and thought it'd be fun to have that again. So I got my hair cut. Nothing extra special, light layering all around the the sides and back to give a bit of shape, then whatever-they-call-it gradation of hair from just above my chin downwards. And it's all styled very nicely. I'm not looking forward to washing it and having it go all frizzy and the same as it always is (because I'm sure my styling skills will kill it of any - well, style).

So there I was, with my super-hairdo, seeing RotK with other people, and other people who actually appreciated it! I say people because Brendan tagged along. There weren't a stack of people in the cinema, and we three were about the only ones who laughed at the jokes. And I cheered silently at Maree when the really good bits happened. I spent a lot of it grinning to myself, even if the awful bits, because they were so good and I could anticipate what was to come. I knew they reserved the Saruman-Isengard stuff for the extended edition, but I wanted to see the Houses of Healing bit (even though I think it's too much to hope that they've got Ioreth and Apothecary in it - they were so funny!). It also didn't really seem right not having the scouring of the Shire, and the bit where Arwen gives Frodo...well, I won't say too much. But overall it was totally spiftacular. I was not at all bored (nor uncomfortable, yay modern cinema seats!). I'm so glad I finally got to see one on the big screen, they are so much better there than on TV, for all that I get to walk around and stretch and cheer and stuff at home. Maree and Brendan didn't notice my haircut (well, it's not really different from how it used to be, just shorter and the teensiest bit more defined), but Dianne did, when she came to give us tickets! Yay for sisters! I didn't mind Maree & Brendan not noticing til it was pointed out, but it was nice to have somebody notice and see and appreciate the day I got it done (Mum & Dad are away at the mo).

Now I want to see it again, because it'll be ages before it comes out on DVD and even longer before the extended edition (which I can't wait for!), but I want to see it with someone like Laura. I want to cheer at good bits and so forth with her. I felt they got even more of Any Serkis into Gollum this time round. Oh, and I was watching this BBC short drama series, Shooting the Past, which I've seen most of before about 4 years ago, and there was Andy Serkis, playing some important advertising guy. Hehe. It's cool when I discover I've actually seen people in things before and didn't realise. Like watching The Buccaneers, which I remembered Carla wasserface (Spy Kids) from, but I didn't realise had Mira Souvrino or whatever her name is. It also has that actor who reminds me of Alan Rickman. And we saw a trailor for Troy, yay! Orlando Bloom is going to be so good as Paris, he's just perfect! And what part does Brad Pitt play? If it's Achilles, then he should also be superdooper. Whee ok I need to go and browse imdb.com now!

I said to my reflection "Let's get out of this plaaaaace." *sings*