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My errands this morning didn't take as long as I expected-- I arrived fifteen minutes early for my costume fitting, and they took me right in, so I finished before my actual appointment time; and for once, the people from the Virginia Employment Commission were highly efficient with the winter unemployment registration (my job at CW is what's called a "10-month" position, meaning I work from mid-March through the first couple days of January; I go on unemployment every winter, but thanks to CW's deal with the state, I don't have to show that I'm searching for a job, as I still really have one). The head of Human Resources arrived around 8:30 with the paperwork, the VEC clerks started processing the applications ten minutes ahead of schedule, and since I was fourth in line, I was out of there by 9:00. Since I spent about two hours sitting and waiting at last year's registration, this year's speediness was a pleasant surprise.

So that left plenty of time for shopping. My mother and I usually go to the mall in Newport News on Tuesdays, since it's CD new release day (today, the only title I bought was Gwen Stefani; I'll report back later on whether it's any good); but now that's it's getting towards Christmas, the environment is getting a little more hectic. The place was mobbed with young mothers pushing strollers, often barreling through the crowds at a breakneck pace; this is not so great for my mother, since she doesn't move as well as she used to. They also have a tendency to clog up traffic, because whenever two or more get together and start a conversation, they insist on walking side by side, only moving into single file when they want to pass a slower-moving obstruction. If I were on my own, I wouldn't get that frustrated with it, but when I shop with my mother I'm constantly worried that someone might hit her and aggravate some old injuries.

My search for a Wii continues to be fruitless. The EBGames store at the mall got none in today's shipment; the one back home in Williamsburg got three, and sold out in five minutes (about four hours before I stopped in). I was surprised to see a woman buying a PS3 at the mall; evidently, money was no object, because it was the $600 version, and she also got an extra controller and the extended warranty (but, strangely, no games). But I'm not sure it was a very informed purchase, since when I walked in, the clerk was explaining the difference between the PS3 and the Wii in extremely simple, Books For Dummies-style terms.

The only snag in the whole day has been my mother's weekly hair washing. She never makes an appointment with her stylist, at the stylist's insistence, and usually goes around 2 in the afternoon; but today, the stylist wasn't there, and apparently isn't going to be in until 4, and there's already an appointment scheduled when she returns. The other stylists suggested that we call ahead, to make sure she's there when we arrive; my mother got annoyed at that suggestion, because she interpreted it as an order, and she doesn't like anyone telling her what to do. xp