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24.12.13 07:49 Random observations and/or opportunities for you to bask in my wisdom:

What else am I gonna do when it's 04:30 and 10 below? It wasn't snowing, after all! So I went to Toys "R" Us in Maple Grove (or Maplewood? It's the one practically next to MYTH - yeah, Maplewood), once again inexplicably open 24 hours through ... like 9PM Christmas Eve, I think. If you're wondering why on earth I'd possibly do this, you may need to get to know me better.

NOTHING says "badass" like rolling up on the Toys "R" Us parking lot just as your iPod shuffles up Crockett's Theme from Miami Vice.

Foursquare told me I hadn't done this in three years, which seems long, but I can't argue with it.

I won't say I was the ONLY customer there, but I sure seemed to startle every worker I encountered. I feel like the gimmick has run its course, but maybe there were more people there at 3 than there were at 5. I can definitely confirm I was just about the only vehicle between the house and the store that wasn't hitched to a trailer or had a plow blade affixed to its front.

Surprisingly, the store felt pretty picked over. I'm not sure if that means that more shopping had happened prior to the procastinators, or that they weren't getting stocked as well as they had in the past.

Here is where it would have been good to have somebody with me so they could have heard me say "Hey, there's also one of these in Blaine--" and stop me in my tracks. But there wasn't, so I put faith in my phone's GPS and let it guide me to Blaine.

In the dead of night, the sight of the Shoreview transmission towers up close as you're heading down US 10 is as stunningly awe-inspiring as the best Christmas lights display - and those things are there year round!

I did end up spending more in Blaine than I did in Maplewood, so I'm glad I went.

Since it was well after 6 by the time I was done, I could go to the closest Rainbow (practically next door in Blaine) instead of the 24 hour one at The Quarry. For the second week in a row, and the second Rainbow in a row, I bought the last two cubes of Pepsi Max in the place. It's like they only ever restock two at a time or something.

At 7, even on Christmas Eve, there's way more traffic than there is at 5. I am ashamed to admit that it didn't register soon enough with me that the vehicle off to the side in the shoulder was not in reverse and had in fact spun and had their headlights pointed into oncoming traffic. As I hit my brakes, I felt the same black ice they had probably spun on - fortunately, I'm just better enough at driving to take my foot OFF the brakes before I did the same thing THEY'D done. So I failed to move over one lane as I passed them - but the guy to my left was super happy I didn't merge into him. *I* was super happy they didn't try to turn around before I sailed on by.

I probably should take a photo later but this nutmeg - which only seems to be used when I pour egg nog and brandy - carries a Safeway label, which means it was bought in the Bay Area, which may make it over a decade old. Still tastes good, though. We don't have a lot of call for nutmeg around here, and I always take care not to ingest it in super psychotropic amounts.

That is all for now - but I'll be happy to take any questions from the floor at this time.
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