People you meet at Aldi

[wendyzski]

I've been doing my basics shopping at the new Aldi over by Granville because for basic stuff it really is cheapest.

I also get into the most interesting conversations at the bus stop in front.

The last time I got chatting with a homeless-looking dude who happened to have a copy of Jim Butcher's latest paperback in his coat pocket. It's probably good for me to have my pre-conveived notions slapped out of me once in a while. We talked about Oregon.

This time I chatted with an unemployed home care aide and a nice but slightly creepy old Polish dude. OPD heard us talking and when he heard we were unemployed he gave us each $5. Bless him and I will try to pay it forward. I will not, however, call him tomorrow like he asked. Cuz, um....no. But the home care lady and I talked unemployment and food stamp strategies.

As a single woman living alone in a large city, I have a pretty sizeable case of urban paranoia. But little moments like these are a nice change from the couch and the TV.

Today is my "use the hell out of that 1-day CTA pass" day - I'm gonna get my $5.75 and THEN some out of it. Besides the trip to Aldi I'm about to head out to the Sulzer Library for a stack of reading material. Then over to the free afternoon at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Cabinet of Curiosities - some people I met at the Baron's Soiree are presenting. And if it's not too cold perhaps a stop at the Zoo Lights on the way home.

Comments

[katexxxxxx.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a day filled with several flavours of win, leavened by weirdness. A good day.

[aedifica]

I like Aldi! I've been shopping there more lately too. (My sister has been shopping there longer and she gave me recommendations for what to buy there and what to buy elsewhere, also to bring a book for the long checkout lines, and put softer items on the conveyor belt last so they don't get squished as much when everything gets tossed into the cart.)

[sciffy-circo.livejournal.com]

And then there's the strange people you meet on your way TO Aldi! ;)

How much money did you have leftover for food after hitting the fabric store? Oh yeah, you mentioned the government kinda helped out with that, and your Xmas gifts, and I mentioned how Kelly Temp Services has paid me yet again, about 4 years of vacation pay, about frigging time!

Am i spending it on Xmas gifts? Heck no! Half the people I'll be spending my holidays with won't deserve much of a gift, and the other half will understand how REALLY broke I am. I'll STILL be spending my money at 1/2 stores and dollar shops, because after paying off my bills for oh, the overdue this month, paying next month, getting the letter saying another unemployment extension is running out, the rest of that legal settlement goes POOF.

Brice got me a 1 day CTA pass. My classes Wednesday start at 1pm, and Thursday at 5pm. If the days were reversed, you can bet I'd use the heck out of the pass. But he asked if I wanted to do lunch on Friday. There's also a Graduate Portfolio Show at the school... er, Holiday Inn @ Merchandise Mart on Friday. If I get my timing right, that 1 day pass could serve me pretty well on Thursday-Friday, not so well trying to do Friday-Saturday though.

Sounds like an interesting day for you!

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Oh I was only at the fabric store to spend $5 on pins and necklace cords.