Materialism at Work

In the back of my mind I always keep a list of things that I really want but can't have. I don't really know why, as it can sometimes be a little depressing. Usually, though, it makes me kind of happy to imagine a life where I do have the ability to travel Sabrina-style by jumping into my closet and immediately being at my destination. Or just having more money so I can buy a ring from Tiff's instead of stealing them off my dead relatives.

Anyway, I have been mulling this over lately, as I have been spending my days/weeks in the capital of unassuming consumerism: Seattle. I know, you wouldn't think it was so in-your-face money hungry, but it totally is. At least where I hang out, here. And I only am really there as much as I am because I don't have a car and I'm too lazy to take the bus somewhere more enthralling. I've already been to Barnes n' Noble like, eight times. Ditto Anthropologie.

So, to pass the time I'm now spending waiting to go to dinner (in U. Village no less - conveyor belt sushi!) I'm going to do a little consumerist show and tell. Here are the things I want, *but can't have:*Because of my landlord. We'll call him "Dad."
* Because it is out of print. (I do NOT want a copy of one of my all-time favorite books with [blech] Kiki Dunst on it. What blasphemy.)* Because of my bank account.

*I was supposed to go to Cape Town in September, because my mom was being hired by some universities to help them overcome the long-term effects of apartheid on librarians. Or something. Anyway, they don't want me to come. So now I'm not going and my mom's not going. This trip has been on this list since I was about three, and those stupid S. African librarians had to go and ruin the dream. It's probably because I'm white.