Super Uber Busy

I accepted the position with the retail interior decor store, yesterday evening. I was still sort of struggling with what to do when the manager who had interviewed me (the first time) called to see if I would accept their offer. I said I would.

"You sound flustered," she remarked.

I laughed. I probably did sound flustered, and I was sweating like a - er - nevermind. Ladies don't sweat. I was "glistening."

"I'm making risotto for the first time!" I replied. It was true. Also, I was sort of flustered because I hadn't made up my mind 100% about the job situation before she called.

So, I now have a job. I start this coming Monday. Tomorrow, I will go to the store to pick up my employee manual and the paperwork they require.

I emailed the hiring manager a couple of questions, after I received her email. I had some very very SERIOUS issues I needed to discuss.

Like shoes.

Are open-toed shoes acceptable?

Well, yes, but only if they're peep-toes or if they're wedge sandals, but not if they're flat sandals that are very bare.

In other words, not the sandals I currently own (like these ^).

She felt the need to tell me that my toenails had to be nicely pedicured if I wore open-toed shoes. Oh, darn. I have to get pedicures to keep my feet pretty...

I went into my closet and started going through my clothes to see what is and is not acceptable for "fashionable business casual dress." My closet has become considerably more casual since I entered grad school. Hooded sweatshirts are now de riguer in my wardrobe, alas.

I then received an email from Neiman Marcus Last Call informing me that their whole store was 40% off, through tomorrow.

Guess where I went?

The only Last Call within driving distance (or, rather, relatively reachable driving distance) is in Katy, TX. Katy is about 30 miles away from where I live. Katy is also a depressing town. I think.

It did have one redeeming quality, however: a snow-cone stand. I have not had a snow-cone since I moved from Arlington, TX to Dallas, TX (where you cannot easily find snow-cones, if at all). Needless to say, I was elated. I bought a raspberry one and proceeded to sit in the parking lot of a gas station eating it. I told the snow-cone people that their snow-cone stand made my day. Also, the snow-cone stand was bright fuschia with big signs saying "SNOW QUEEN." I can give you directions, if you like.

So I bought a few things at Last Call, and then I was driving back to Houston - the long way - and went by the Galleria area and saw that Anthropologie was having a sale, so I went to that, too. And I bought some stuff there.

Did I mention I also bought some stuff from Banana Republic a few days ago? Um, yeah, I did.

Fortunately, I've sort of been squirreling away a little bit of money to help out with summer clothes expenditures. Everything I've bought - okay, everything but one item - can be worn to work.

So now, I just have to tackle the shoe dilemma. At present, I have one pair of black flats in decent condition, but they have stretched, so I've got to get little pad thingies to put in the heels. Otherwise, they just flop around off my feet. But I'd like to get one or two other pairs of shoes to wear to work.

We'll have to see. Maybe I'll head to Nordstrom, tomorrow, to see what I can find. Or maybe, I'll wait and go shopping in Dallas, while I'm up there, this weekend. Regardless, I need shoes. And I need them before Tuesday!!!