Get out of my bookstore and give me back my beer.

It was an eventful weekend and, as usual, it was far too short.

Friday night Drew went to a Parent's Night Out at his tae-kwan-do school and Eric and I went to have some grown-up time. We went to Chili's and had chips and salsa and beer. Then we went to Barnes and Noble where I proceeded to spend my last night of study time for the PHR exam by reading out of one of their study guides. I wanted to get access to different questions and didn't want to buy the book. So...we sat in the cafe and I took the practice test and then read the explanations of all the questions I missed. I failed that test. By a lot. There were lots of explanations I had to read. It shoud have made me nervous, but basically I just said, "Aww, screw it." Then I went and shopped for books that I could read for fun.

I do have to say...you can definitely tell the economy is bad. It was a Friday night and that book store was packed. As a book fiend I was both pleased and irritated about the mass migration to the Barnes and Noble. I was pleased that so many adults were embracing books and were in the book store instead of watching reality tv. However, I was quickly irritated that so many adults were in the book store instead of watching reality tv. I was all, "Dude! You're missing the new season of The Bachelor! It has this guy who is looking for a girl and there are all these girls who want to be on tv. Hurry so you don't miss it! Run! Go! This is not a drill! GO! GO! GO!"

It dawned on me pretty quickly that the store was filled with lurkers...those irritating people who buy a small cup of coffee and then camp out with about 57 books and magazines on the table. They don't want to BUY the new issue of Vanity Fair, but they certainly want to read it. They don't want to BUY the new Janet Evanovich, but with a few hours and a few cups of coffee they will sit at the bookstore and read the book. Then they put it back. I figure it won't be long until all books and magazines are wrapped in plastic like Playboy so you have to buy it to read it.

Oh...and before you get all, "What's so different about all the other people not buying the books when you did the very same thing by studying with that book and not buying it? Huh?" Well, I'll tell you. Because I have single-handedly funded an entire section of that store (much to Eric's irritation) and that obviously has earned me the right to complain. Loudly. And often. The employees may not realize I am their Queen, but that's ok. I know. And that is all that matters.

I love that store. It is like my mothership. I told Eric that the best proof of my dorkiness is the fact that my idea of heaven on earth is a bookstore with a coffee shop in the middle.

Anyway, I did take my exam on Saturday morning. I actually passed it. PASSED!!!! It took lots of self-control not to fall out of my chair when the results popped up on the screen. It was this totally quiet room and when it came up and said "Pass" I did that really loud intake of air thing and then giggled. Yes. I giggled. Like the Pilsbury Doughboy. It. Was. Awesome. To me anyway. I'm not sure the rest of the room appreciated my crazed cackling as I scooted out the door doing a little dance. It was a glorious moment.

That night Drew had a sleepover with some friends so Eric and I got to go out again by ourselves. This time we decided to go eat and then potentially go bowling. We went to this sports bar type place with hot wings and stuff to watch the XGames and eat wings and drink beer. By the time the night was over I had learned a truly horrifying fact about myself.

Are you ready?

I can drink a lot of beer. I don't know if it is really sad that my tolerance is so high or if it is really cool that my liver is so efficient. Either way, I can put away some beer. We calculated it at about 100 ounces. Yes. That's right. 100 OUNCES. In one sitting. And remain coherent. And able to walk.

I'm not exactly sure what this means about me.

Oh, and Jeff...if you are reading this...at no point during the night did I drink the beer from the pitcher with an elaborate network of straws designed to keep me from having to lean forward to pick up the pitcher. I actually hefted that glass for each and every drink. I just thought you should know. I'll save the straws for the next outing to the Sunshine.