I spent my lunchtime shopping. Not because I�m a shopper by nature (though I�ve been known to waste some cash here and there), but because I forgot my lunch at home today, and instead of being tempted by fast food place after fast food place, I opted to pop into a couple of local shops.

Valentines day is, of course, coming up, and that presents a definite shopping outlet. For the first time in several years, I have a valentine. Ironically for me, this year his annual work trip to Washington DC lands on Valentines day weekend. So, after taking him to the airport early Friday morning, I�ll be spending the rest of Valentines day potentially alone. That�s not so bad. In fact, I�d really enjoy that. I could rent girlie movies, take a bubble bath, give myself a manicure/pedicure/facial, etc. The options are endless!

But, I digress.

I don�t want to send Non to DC without a little care package. So, that�s primarily what I initially went shopping for today. I didn�t find much, really, but I picked up a couple things I think he�ll like, and I�ll go find more things for him this weekend. I ended up shopping for my parents, and that was the most fun! They got married on Valentines day, and this year will be their 39th (I�m pretty sure) anniversary. I found a few little, silly things for them that I�m so excited to mail. It�s not that these gifts are perfect for them necessarily, or that they�re one-of-a-kind or anything, but this is perhaps the first year in I-don�t-know-how-many-years that not only will I be sending them something on time, but it�s the first year in a while that I�m sending something more than just a card.

I know material possessions aren�t that important, and I know my parents would readily agree. What�s so exciting about this is that it marks a new chapter in my life: the �I�m FINALLY organized enough to remember birthdays/anniversaries/other important events and commemorate them� chapter. Even though I�m not married or engaged yet, I think of myself as already having �settled down� with Non, and no matter how cheesy or clich� it is, these past few months have definitely had a calming effect on me. In general, I feel composed, prepared, and grounded. And after the last year I had where everything from my career to my love life to my eating habits were up in the air (at best), this is a most welcome change. It�s like I�ve finally been able to put together a few pieces of the puzzle of my life.

Let me apologize now for the inordinate amount of similes in this entry.

In other news, the drama department at the junior high school at which Non teaches is putting on �Little Shop of Horrors.� We�ve got tickets for tonight�s showing; I think it�s going to be fun to see little 11-13 year-olds doing ANY musical, let alone THAT one. I�m meeting Non and a couple other friends at one of our favorite Chinese (Szechwan?) restaurants after work (peanut butter won tons, anyone?), then it�s on with the show.

YAY � only 45 more minutes. Time to accomplish something on the heels of the day.