Penny For Your Thoughts, $2.50 for that Post-It

Funny how you take things for granted. I've started writing down words / verbs I need to learn on little flash cards. But until now, didn't have a rubber band or clip to keep them together...I just stuff them in my pants pocket and PRAY that when I pull them out, they don't go flying all over the floor, bus...you get my point.

So I go to an office supply store (don't think Staples or something like that--those don't exist here. It's just a Mom & Pop type store). I ask for a clip...you know the clips that come in different sizes to hold different thickness of paper.

The sales clerk leads me to the back of the sore where he shows me exactly what I want.

"HOW MUCH?", I ask. He says, "How many do you want?" Well, I'm learning new words, but not THAT many, so I'm thinking, well one box should do. He then shows me that you don't buy the clips in the box, you buy them Individually...price is based on the clip size. (Remember the discussion about SPF gets more expensive as the number goes ups...are we onto a trend here?) My average sized clip cost me about 60 cents per clip. HIGH DEMAND ITEM, I guess.

I then looked at Post It notes. Each little pack of ONE (in the US, they usually come in packs of 4-6 packs wrapped in cellephane...well, here they sell them in individual packs of one. And they are expensive--each costs about $2.50.

So, I now know that there is a reason that EVERY TIME I have to clean out, or straighten up, my desk, I have the HARDEST time throwing out CLIPS of any kind or Post It notes.

It's just an innate need to save those items and I now know why.

DRUNK ON THE HIGH SEAS

A friend from Germany and I were on our way to the beach when a huge rainstorm hit. We sought refuge in the Copacabana Palace, poolside (see the picture...a beautiful hotel right on the beach). Within 5 minutes of being there, this older woman came by, bedazzled in diamonds and precious gems, and while taking a drag of her cigarette, turned on her heals as she heard us speaking English. Before we could say much, she'd sat at our table and weaved her way into our conversation.

Come to find out, she's from NYC/CT/FL, and on a stop over in Rio until her cruise takes off to Buenos Aries. I asked why she decided to do that...and she said she was trying to get away from Thanksgiving.

"In what way?", I asked. Come to find out, she divulged her life story (she's actually very interesting and charming), her husband, father and mother all passed away this past year. She couldn't bear staying in Florida and thinking about it.

So, she found a way around it..around the Horn of South America, that is.

I hope she has a good cruise, the seas are calm, and she always finds an ash tray and a drink to calm her nerves.

A REAL TURKEY

At lunch, in a pay by kilo restaurant, I realized that tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the US. I'd almost forgotten. To everyone there I love, YOU WILL BE MISSED. You're missed anyway, but I just might forget the day as here, it means NOTHING.