B E B E R E

I like what they've done to Assembly Square. For so long that place languished semi abandoned, a halfway point on one of my walks to other places. Now I actually have a shopping center that doesn't require a drive out to sprawl. Yes, the sprawl's come to us.

I'd been putting off getting one of those caller ID boxes, but finally made the trek over to the new Staples to pick one up. Took that occasion to look at other things: a new TJ Maxx, a Christmas Tree Shop, AC Moore. (Never even bothered walking into Bed and Bath: what's the point when you can find a lot of the same stuff at TJ Maxx and Christmas Tree for about 1/2 the price?). Even the KMart, which I'd always found to be kind of depressing when it was alone, seemed a bit cheerier from the company of the new stores and the Martha Stewart stuff.

Spent a celebratory $20 on my trip over: $16 for the caller ID box, then the remaining bit on seeds (Bok choy! Flax! 1/2 off!) and a planter ($2 for a pretty red ceramic thing from, of all places, an EU country. Since there's no way they could produce something so cheaply in Europe, I can only assume that this is an example of dumping. No, I will not report it to the authorities, just like I won't boycott Walmart for improving nascent manufacturing economies by throwing business their way.)

Isn't much, as I'll never be a big spender, but still a nice little foray into stimulating the economy now that the economy's finally been brought within walking distance.