Taxes

I wonder what it's like to cruise through downtown Chicago on the river, much less with a swimsuit on. These people are brave, as I would never take a dip into the abnormally green water that people spit and piss in from the bridges scattered across the city.

I would love to have a boat someday in the future. I would like to own a cottage in a large port town and use a small motorboat or a jetski as my means of transportation. Ah, wouldn't that be a splendid life or what?!

Today, I went to Walmart for the first time in ages because they had the kind of dishwasher soap my dad wanted. I had forgotten how dreary and cluttered Walmart was with its overly bright fluorescent lights, huge carts with wonky wheels, broken items on the floor, stained clothes on the rack, and lethargic employees. The store reeked of dirty clothes and stale barbecue sauce, which wasn't all that surprising because the entire superstore was crawling with children. I'm all for saving as much money as possible, but I can't imagine being able to shop there regularly. The place is too depressing to me. I think it's because blue is everywhere. The color blue is known to soothe the mind, but it could only soothe you so much. After a while, it just depresses you.

Target is pretty much just like Walmart, but the atmosphere is much more upbeat and friendlier. I shop there regularly. The Target gods knew what they were doing -- red is known to inspire passion and energy into people, so they'll feel more motivated to shop, shop, and shop. Plus, Target feels a lot cleaner than the filthy, filthy superstore known as Walmart. It's not as grey and "blah". I have learned that the whiter the floor is, the cleaner the store looks. So if you ever open a department store, opt for the white tiles as opposed to tan or grey.

Yes, I have too much time in my hands. Why do you ask?

The good news of the day: Congratulations to my cousin Daniela & her husband Joe on the arrival of their daughter, Giulia Maria!