Joining the Dinosaurs

Well, I'm back from break, and let me just say that is so positively *wonderful* to be back slogging through classes. If you failed to catch the irony of the last sentence, let me make that even plainer: coming back from thanksgiving break STINKS. Oh well. Seven days of classes plus finals week left. Not that I'm counting or anything.

Thanksgiving break was pretty much the normal state of hecticness that is my life. For that weekend before Thanksgiving, my mom and I flew down to South Carolina to see my grandma. It was good to see her again, and sweet to spend time with her, but sad, too (she has Alzheimer’s). My mom spent the weekend cleaning out her room and closet, and I spent it lugging the tons and tons of trash and junk mail out to the dumpster. Not exactly exciting blog material. (Except for getting creative so that the doors wouldn't lock me out).

Still, one funny thing did happen. One of the evenings, when my mom and I were out getting some food (since her choices are limited because of that terrible no-wheat-celiac-disease-stuff) I begged her to let us stop by Blockbuster and rent a movie or two. "Like, let's get a grown up chick flick" I begged. "Maybe one rated R? Like we can't watch at home?" "Why?" she asked. "Becaaaause," I responded. "We can't watch it at home." Duh.

[Side note: I did NOT want a movie for what I term "icky romance." I wanted a good movie with a higher rating because we can't watch those with my younger sisters, as I'm sure you can guess how well THEY take being left out.]

Like the kind and loving mother she is, my mom agreed. I ran in to Blockbuster, my brain furiously working to figure out what I could find in two minutes (our food was already in the car).
I had one of those moments when it's like the ground positively shifted under my feet.
I mean, seriously, it was one of those times when your frame of reference completely collapses. Aliens walking through the door would have been less surprising.
Because as I looked around, I realized to my horror than every single video was on DVD.

Now, I suppose I should explain. My mom and I were staying in the "independent living" home's guest room. A room that was equipped with one set of silverware, two plates, no glasses, a kettle for decoration only, lots of random and weird trinkets, and a TV and VCR. So, for the first time I needed something on VHS and realized to my shock that they were. . .extinct.

I swear, it was like one of those moments from the movies, where the hero glances around as the camera spins, revealing bad guys emerging from every alleyway. Every single DVD seemed to leap out with unnatural clarity as I searched in vain for a nice, fat, comfortable VHS tape.

So, my mom and I went back and watched a Disney Channel movie. I'm not sure rather to laugh or tear my hair out. The one time away from my little sisters, and I watch their favorite station. Really, life is ironic.