We all know there is a specific stratergery that retail uses to entice shoppers to stray from their lists and believe they need the junk on those pesky end caps. I usually do ok. October in Target means Monster cereal on the end caps and I’m always a sucker for Monster cereal. Oz likes the $5 movies that he’s already watched 4000 times on AMC but for some reason having the movie would be so much better. I can remember giving my mom a side glance of hope when I was a wee girl (or at least young, I really was never wee) for a pack of Fruit Stripe gum. Come on! How can you NOT give your kid Fruit Stripe gum!!!

I thought of this while packing this morning. See, I had my daily outfits laid out with one extra shirt for post contest party fun; a suit; undies; socks, ya know, the usual. But I picked up a new suitcase Sunday to replace my weekender bag I’d been using and now there’s lots more room! Soooo, grab my training gear; an extra pair of tennis shoes; a couple more shirts? Uh oh, I have even MORE room left over.

And this is where my end cap packing kicked in. My compact mirror; an umbrella; another sweater; my rubba slippas. I finally had to walk away. I literally was going to start adding a 1/2 eaten dark chocolate bar and my 8th tube of lip shit. WALK AWAY!

I still have a couple of hours, I’m going to have to remain strong. As I type, I’m picturing all kinds of shit up there that can still go in the suitcase. OH, and by the way, here is a heartfelt letter to my new suitcase…

“Dear beautiful new Samsonite suitcase. It’s very exciting that so shortly after coming home with me, you get to travel all the way to Lithuania. You’re very lucky. I have filled you with everything I deem absolutely necessary (please don’t read the above) and leave you space to bring home goodies from abroad. I’m sure you acknowledged the care and organization as I loaded my stuff into your belly. I apologize now for that bag I snuck into your front pocket. I know, it smells; it’s stuffy; and the fabric softener sheets I put inside with it’s contents just form some type of outdoor ass smell. See, they’re called KNEE SLEEVES. They’re bad. I know. It’s why they’re not allowed in the main compartment.  Please know that I give my utmost respect to the sacrifice your front pocket is giving to hold these Rehband holders of stink all the way to foreign lands. Hugs and kisses, jules.”

Poor suitcase.

You know, there’s nothing damnable about being a strong woman. The world needs strong women. There are a lot of strong women who you do not see who are guiding, helping, mothering strong men. They want to remain unseen. It’s kind of nice to be able to play a strong woman who is seen.

Ginger Rogers

Training Log