Running Errands is Ridiculous

First, I would like to clap my hands at all of the housewives out there who spend many days, 'running errands'.  I decided to take advantage of my first full day of unemployment by running a few errands.  You know, the things you put off doing because you don't want to take time off of work to handle them.

The plan: Drop letters in the mail, go to bank, go to Costco to fill up gas tank (I saved .30 a gallon by the way), go to Ikea to pickup additional bed linens for the guest bedroom, attend a 4PM meeting at my University to review this terms financial aid package.  Done.

The reality.  Forgot to drop letters in the mail as I drove right by the mailbox, made it to the bank, but went to the branch closest to my house rather than the one by my job and learn they are terribly understaffed and it is a Friday.  Waited in line for 30 minutes to complete my simple banking transaction.  Was surprised to run into a long line at the COSTCO gas pumps, another 20 minutes waiting to fill up the tank.  However, I was able to field a call from a recruiter and get an interview opportunity scheduled for next Tuesday which is fabulous and put a bigger smile on my face.  After gassing up I was off to Ikea, land of the cheap and oddly named thinking I'd be in and out.  I mean, it's the middle of the day on a Friday...everybody would be at work, right?  WRONG!  The parking lot looked like the tailgate section at a Georgia game.  PACKED.  I decided to stop in at the Ikea cafeteria for some inexpensive Swedish fare and waited in line again...20 minutes.  I regrouped and was off to the textile section which after weaving through large slow moving people with a habit of stopping in the middle of the walkway and managing not to tumble over free roaming sugar filled runaway children.  Arrived at my destination, snatched up my items and made like a running back towards checkout.  ONE HOUR later I made it out safely.

Just in time to make it to my 4PM appointment, right?  WRONG!  Traffic.  Why?  I thought everyone would be working still, how am I not moving and taking the sneaky side streets.  Needless to say I made it to my 4PM appointment only to find the computers were down and they were unable to do anything and I would need to come back.  WHY DIDN'T ANYONE THINK TO CALL ME before I pulled a Mario Andretti to get there on time.  I refused to let them anger me, smiled and left quickly before the lack of professional and courteous conduct from a front office got the best of me.  

In the car once again, exhausted and winding my way around traffic to get home, I was supposed to stop at the grocery store on the way home but was too tired to pull it off and straight home I went.  

And that was my adventure running errands during which I learned an important lesson.  Never assume everyone else is working.  After a quick bite to eat and some TV it's time to enjoy the relative comfort of filling out the same information over and over and over again while applying for interesting potential employment opportunities.  Each job description a possible new adventure or life phase, and it's strangely exciting.  I still haven't cried, nor felt any of the feelings I would expect to feel after being laid off.  

The journey has begun.