I've been wanting to go for quite a while, because I imagined ninja stars, old star wars action figures, and other odd collectibles galore. Trader's Village did have those things, and even had some illegal butterfly knives and switchblades for $3 each...but I was still disappointed.
(That said, are those things really illegal or is that just something parents like to tell their 13 year old boys to either dissuade them from buying them, or to maintain their interest in these relatively harmless weapons in hopes that they will not feel the need to move on to true illegal weapons such as AK47s and C4?)
Anyways, I went with the intent of buying some protection in the form of a large hunting knife with a thigh-sheath. I don't know why I possess such a desire, but, as Elissa will testify (if she remembers the conversation), that I've wanted one ever since middle school.
And I found one. But by that time, I was so sensory-overloaded with 5 for $10 bras, huge tapestries adorned with tigers, and hoochie-mama jeans that you couldn't try on before you buy that I didn't end up buying it. Because despite their being some odd collectible things, the majority of the stalls were car tires, furniture from the early 1990s, ATVs, and "exotic pets." I saw one WT vendor lady telling some hispanic guys--"This snake is a great starter pet. Even for a kid!" And I saw another hispanic guy leaving the store with a two-inch lizard...in a harness. No cage, just a harness. Like he was just going to bring it home in his pocket or something.
And, it was so freaking hot, I felt like the cement was just a large baking pan and the world was an oven.
Anyways, that was my weekend. It was actually a really fun adventure, but Trader's Village just didn't quite live up to my magical dreams of it.
Oh, and want to hear about the most recent injustice in my life?
So back at the end of April, I fell in love with some sandals. They were beautiful, and in a fit of passion, I ordered them online for $200. While waiting for them to arrive, I decided to take on some extra work hours to pay for them. In fact, I am at the library working now partly because of them--I had planned on quitting my library job when my classes ended since I no longer needed the time at the front desk to study. But just as I was considering buying these shoes, they asked me to officially announce my last day. So I chose the end of May rather than the beginning. Also, I felt bad to be leaving them possibly short-staffed, so that was another reason.
In any case, I have been working to pay for those shoes. And at first, it seemed like it would work out really well--the shoes arrived the day that I was supposed to take my last test of the semester. And they began to represent exactly what I intended them to represent, freedom and summer and having fun in skimpy clothes. But then, just as I was putting them on for the first time to go out in the world with them, Aaron noticed that two studs were very loose and on the verge of falling out of the straps. Now, with any other shoe, I could've gorilla-glued those suckers in, and probably not thought much about it. But the more I thought about it, the more it stuck in my craw (lol-Maine fishermen speak) that I'd paid $200 for shoes that I would have to glue together. I do not want to contribute my workmanship to something that should've been taken care of in Brazil! By the supposed sexy Brazilian men who make sandals shirtless! (Surf the Matt Bernson website, they actually say that.)
So I sent the pair back for an exchange, and the guy who emailed me was super nice about it, and promised to send me another pair. However, as it turns out, those were the last pair in my size (suspiciously so, perhaps a twice-returned pair? A lemon?) and he was very vague about when they would be back in stock. So I have been waiting a full month. And then last night, I checked the website, and the website says, "Available July 2nd." I was really happy until Aaron reminded me it was not even June yet. See, I had not even conceived of it taking so long, and had assumed they meant June 2nd. I mean what are these brazilian men doing? Not their jobs, obviously!
So I cancelled my order. Aaron told me I should email the guy and say, "I don't think you should be making interest on my $200 while I wait for 2 months on those shoes."
Anyways, so here is my dilemna. I went shopping for replacements today. And found some ok ones, but I just don't know. Urbanoutfitters.com has the ones I originally wanted in stock, but I don't know if I even want them anymore. Because they don't represent freedom anymore, they represent another F word. Not the one you're thinking...it stands for FRUSTRATION!
So help me out. Should I settle for replacements that are considerable cheaper or should I just bite the bullet and order the original ones again? The kicker is my sister suggests that the original ones might shorten my legs a bit due to the thick ankle cuffs. (Not everyone can have legs like Ashley Tisdale...) I am ashamed that I know who Ashley Tisdale even is, but I swear, it's only because of the shoes!
Here they are:
4 comments:
i would just like you to know that i have started reading your blog again. please write as much as possible.
second, i like neither shoe. i dont know if its too late to say so... anyway, i would suggest going to old navy (of all places) or the gap. i tried some on but i have sausage toes so they didnt look good on me.
by the by, please come to houston to visit me. i am dreadfully bored.
I'm not crazy about either as well, but I much prefer the replacements. But we have pretty different feet, so my opinions are skewed for my own feet.
My masculine opinion is that neither shoe looks that great. Converse, darlin, that's where it's at! Not that I think you really should care or listen to my opinion about women's footwear. :-)
I like the sandals, a lot harumpf!
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