Random things from mid-week Beaverton

I meant to mention, since it's a pretty gigantic occasion, that the (flipping) El Pollo Loco finally opened in Beaverton. Imagine my shock when I drove past it Monday morning expecting to scream "OPEN!" like I have done for roughly two years. Have I been there for lunch yet? Well, no. I'm pretty low on funds due to the fact that I have just stopped charging stuff and am back to a strict pay-that-crap-off-and-pay-cash-for-everything-again game plan. I do it to myself. And though I might have $60 in my wallet right now I still haven't had Starbucks or Dutch Bros all week. Discipline. I don't know that it will last.

But one of the biggest reasons for that, if we're going to be honest here, is because it's been raining or threatening rain or whatever every morning (and day) this week, and Beaverton is the only branch where the parking situation makes getting a coffee on the way in problematic. Let me explain: If it's raining, or might rain, or starts to rain the minute I cut the engine, with the fact that Beaverton has no covered parking, I'd have to battle my purse, my coffee, and an umbrella to avoid hair disaster. Lincoln Tower and the KOIN have underground parking, and Orenco has a Starbucks on the corner (so I don't stop. I park, go in, get settled, then take my umbrella to the Starbucks and carrying a coffee and an umbrella is no battle), so those are easy. Beaverton has that God-awful Rae's Cafe on the first floor but their coffee tastes like foot and it's ridiculously expensive and just a stupid cafe. So in closing, I might say I haven't gotten coffee this week because of discipline, but it's really about pride. I don't want to look like a jackass walking in the building.

Other than that, no real updates. Tanning is not going well, I've been inconsistant and am trying to rectify that situation. The desk I'm on is not the busiest, so I have some down time in the day, and that makes the day sort of drag on. I need to get to thinking about what I have to bring on my trip (which is fast approaching - what is it, like 21 days away? Remember when I used to do these elaborate countdowns at work and talk about it constantly? I'm not doing that. I'll look up and realize the date and go, oh shit, I need to be tanner!). It's not that I am not fired up about it, I am (but it's been so long since I've been there it's almost not real). I think I just have too much else going on mentally that I can't focus on the get-excited part of it.

I'll close by saying it's Veterans' Day. Thank a soldier. I am currently thanking (everyone but specifically) my nephew Matt and my dad Joe. Way to throw yourselves out there and take one (or twenty) for the team and my ability to complain about the most mundane of things. Cheers.