Walking the Walk

Today was just one of those odd days. Heck, this week has been one of those weeks, and it's only Tuesday (soon to be Wednesday).

So, here's the deal. A week and a half ago, I went to Target to get some things to continue working on the various home projects I have going. I got some more paint tray liners so I could maybe use one for primer, one for color, and have one to spare. Target has a 3-pack for about $2.75ish, so I get one...or so I thought.

Later in the week, when I was cleaning up my staging area, I noticed that I had inadvertently gotten 2 3-packs because they were stuck together. I checked my receipt, and saw that I'd only paid for one. Damn.

I went to a different Target earlier this week to return something else, and asked whether I needed to bring the extra 3-pack in, or if I could just pay for them. The cashier looked at me like I was nuts and told me that she didn't know, but that I should probably go back to the Target I'd gotten them from. Really? Well, OK.

Tonight I took the 2 3-packs plus my receipt to yet a different Target and explained what had happened. The nice lady looked at me, perplexed. I offered to pay for the extra set, considering I'd had them for a week, but it ended up that since I didn't actually want them, I could just give them back. As she was taking the one 3-pack to put into the returns cart, she looked at me oddly and said (kind of like I was a big dummy), "You know, most people wouldn't have even bothered to bring these back. Um, thanks for being honest."

Uh.

I never know what to think about this kind of thing.

It was a mistake on both my and the original cashier's parts--mine for not being careful enough to make sure I had only one, and then not checking my receipt right away, and the cashier's for not making sure to ring up both. But two wrongs don't necessarily make a right, kind of like the saying goes.

Also, my kid was with me. What kind of example am I setting if I say, "Wooo! Their mistake!! I get to keep this for free!!!"? Is there some kind of dollar limit at which this becomes OK? (No) Am I that odd for returning it and offering to pay? (Apparently) Would I do it this way again? (Absolutely) Is this the kind of action that she'll remember and emulate herself? (More than likely)

The whole thing made me think about personal values and the moral grey area in a way I haven't for awhile, not in a meaningful way, anyhow. It was the right thing to do, though, and even as odd as the Target employee (and my husband, and a family friend) thought I was for doing it, I'm glad I did.

101 in 1001 August Roundup

I'm not sure why, but I seem to have a greater sense of urgency to get this list done quicker than I did the last one. I keep thinking it's more like a 365 day list, rather than a 1001 day list...which is fine, I guess, because I'll be more motivated to get it done.

I also find it interesting that the food section is going so quickly. Considering how not apt I am to experiment with food, I thought that section would be more challenging.


Finances/Giving (0/12)
1. Get Emergency Fund up to $1000
2. Pay off and close Chase Visa
3. Pay off and close Target Visa
4. Get Emergency Fund up to 3 months (~12,000)
5. Get a used truck
6. Put a $50 bill in the second collection basket
7. Put a $100 bill in the second collection basket
8. Donate to the Food Shelf 10 times ($25 or equivalent) (1/10)
9. Leave a 100% tip 5 times (0/5)
10. Choose 2 kids from the Jesse Tree during Christmas & get them presents
11. Give to a family in need during the holidays
12. Buy a scratch-off lottery ticket & donate 25% of the winnings to charity

House Inside (1.5/12)
13. Hang up 5 pictures
14. Frame Tree picture
15. Paint back room and closet
16. Paint hall storage closet & set up shelves [Done 17 August 2010]
17. Spruce up front door area (outside: welcome mat, flower pots/ inside: bench, mirror, lamp)
18. Finish basement
19. Back door/entryway re-do
20. Repaint & redo my office
21. Hang curtains or blinds in master bedroom & the Kid’s room
22. Get dining room chairs
23. Repaint Laundry Room
24. Repaint/redo master bathroom/closet

House Outside (1/12)
25. Plant 5 trees in yard (4/5) [4 Blue Spruce planted 7 August 2010]
26. Put in back flower bed
27. Paint Storage Shed same color as house
28. Back entryway outside re-do (transition between steps and red rock)
29. Build garage
30. Put in front flower bed
31. Put in front tower flower bed
32. Put in side flower bed
33. Level out north side of house & put down the decorative rock
34. Get covers for grill & fireplace
35. Get rid of stumps in back yard [Done 28 August 2010]
36. Get a flag for front porch (and install said flag)

To Do/Watch/Read (0/12)
37. Watch 101 movies (6/101)
August (2):
• Smokin’ Aces
• The Other Guys

38. Read 101 books (18/101)
August (8):
• Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris
• Done Gone Wrong by Cathy Pickens
• Sand and Foam by Kahil Gibran
• Mama Rides Shotgun by Deborah Sharp
• Strip Jack by Ian Rankin
• Give it Up! My Year of Living With Less by Mary Carlomagno
• Riot Act by Zoe Sharp
• The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

39. Go to a Cowboys-Vikings game
40. See 5 Minnesota Tourist Attractions (0/5)
41. Visit 5 art galleries in Minnesota (0/5)
42. Watch all seasons of “24” (0/8)
43. Watch all seasons of “MI-5” (0/9)
44. Complete a crossword puzzle book
45. Watch 5 documentaries (0/5)
46. Read 5 Non-fiction books (0/5)
47. Donate 100, 000 grains of rice on FreeRice.com (0/100,000)
48. Do 5 things from the “365 Things to do in the Twin Cities” (1/5)

Health (0/12)
49. Walk to work 30 times (2/30)
50. Bike around the lake
51. 175
52. 165
53. 155
54. 145
55. 135
56. Get eyes checked
57. Get new glasses or contacts
58. Get annual physical
59. Do the 200 sit-ups challenge
60. Track my progress with Wii Fit for 28 consecutive days.

Grown-up/Family stuff (0/12)
61. Change life insurance beneficiaries
62. Write wills
63. Write living wills
64. Get family picture taken
65. Send out Christmas cards with aforementioned family picture on it
66. Host Brother/Sister Christmas party
67. Have a family board/card game night 5 times (1/5)
68. Buy a new “grown-up” outfit (shirt/pants)
69. Take a family vacation
70. Make a picture family tree
71. Get first aid certified
72. Get the Kid a car safety kit for her car

Spiritual/Church (0/12)
73. Learn the Rosary Prayers
74. Go to a Latin Mass
75. Go to daily Mass for a week
76. Donate time, talent, or treasure for the CCW Bazaar
77. Read the Tao te Ching
78. Get a new St Christopher Medal
79. Do the Advent readings and wreath one year
80. Do the Lenten readings one year
81. Do the Rice Bowl project one year
82. Light an intention candle 10 times (1/10)
83. Attend Mass in the Basilica
84. Attend 2 Lenten dinners

Food (4/12)
85. Make a cake & icing (or cupcakes) from scratch [Done 24 July 2010]
86. Try 3 new restaurants (0/3)
87. Do one week of meal planning
88. Do one month of meal planning
89. Eat 1 serving of fruit a day for a week (7/7) [Done 12 July 2010]
90. Try a new recipe
91. Make cookies from scratch
92. Try a different flavor ice cream (no vanilla/chocolate) [Done 12 August 2010] (I had Ben & Jerry’s Boston Cream Pie…not too bad)
93. Limit Diet Coke to 2 servings per day for 1 consecutive week (0/7 days)
94. No fast food for a month
95. Try 5 different kinds of apples (5/5) [Done July 2010]

Just Because (1/5)
96. Donate hair to Locks of Love one more time
97. Take part in a pub quiz
98. Complete a 500+ piece puzzle
99. Fly first class
100. Start a Tumblr [Done 8 July 2010]: http://daughteroftime.tumblr.com
101. Do a 365 day photo challenge


For September I'm going to be focusing on getting things painted while I can leave the windows open. I have all winter to sort through things and spiff everything up, which I now have the time to actually do. I also figure I'll have plenty of time during the winter to watch things, since I'm definitely not fond of playing in the snow (it's because my socks get wet, which makes me cranky).