laptops and ghosts

Ok, so this morning I had to buy a new laptop. New stuff is usually very exciting but less so since I had to spend a chunk of change. I've only had my old one for about a year but since that unfortunate incident in the bathroom of the airport on our way to Chicago, it hasn't worked properly. It basically has to stay home, plugged into the wall, because it doesn't act right (hold a charge) when allowed to be out in public. It's grounded, I guess you could say.

So last night, Shawn (who loves searching for techie deals constantly) was on DealNews.com and found a great deal on a Toshiba laptop with 4GB mem and an Intel Core i3 processor ($450!!!). Being that I'm not yet doing anything crazy, it was a good fit for me. So bright and early, I woke myself up (excitement? genuine retardedness?) and purchased it online at Best Buy. I opted for in-store pickup, which saves me about $15 in shipping charges. Secretly though? I just really don't want to have to wait for it to get here. Instant gratification. But it did save me some dough. And I had a $5 RewardsZone coupon thing. Now I'm just waiting on that lovely you're-allowed-to-go-get-it email.

In other news, I'm anxiously awaiting our contract to get here so we can officially book our venue for the wedding. We decided to have it outside in the garden area at the Lemp Mansion. This way, the wedding and the reception can be at the same place which is more convenient for everyone. Searching for a place was a little stressful because the phrase "rip-off" doesn't even begin to describe what these venues (caterers, florists, bakeries, etc) will try to do to you. When Shawn came up with the idea of having it at Lemp (we've had dinner there a few times), we discovered that we'd save 10-15% because they offer a discount for booking on a Friday or Sunday, which are considered nontraditional days. We couldn't pass it up and decided on a Sunday. We saved $800 bucks.

Holy crap, I just got my email from Best Buy. If the contract is in the mailbox when I get home later, today will have been a success. For now, xoxo.

briana :)