Coming Up Empty

I am on the search for a new journal. I only have a couple pages left in my current one. I have had it since 2007 and over half of it contains my thoughts since last September. Finding a suitable journal is more difficult than I remember. Someone asked me once if I was a journal snob. I said no, but apparently I am. I have went to both LifeWay and Borders and come up empty. I have one more store to check to see if I can find one similar to the one I already have: small, brown and contains a Bible verse on each page. I thought for sure I would find one at LifeWay, I mean aren't they the one-stop-shop for all things devotional? :) While I was there, the very nice cashier pointed me to the Moleskin journals, which "are very popular"...they are also very pricey. He then took me to a different area to view the rest of the journal selection. They were all hard back, bulky and very ornate and frilly. No sale. I just want a journal that doesn't scream, "I'm a journal!" I mean this is something I will be writing in for a few years (unless I keep up the current rate of journaling!). I then proceeded to Borders thinking they would have a nice selection to choose from. Plus, they sent me a 50% off coupon. :) Their selection was better, but not by much. They had the same bulky, flashy ones that I passed over at LifeWay, but they did have a few small, simple, genuine (thanks to Dr. Schreiner for help pronouncing this word!) leather journals that were right up my alley. I will probably wind up getting one of these, but there is a Christian bookstore on the Indiana-side of the river that I want to check first.

I am also on the search for pepper spray to buy for my friend who worries about her safety. I looked at Walmart while getting groceries today, but to no avail. Where would they even keep something like that? My sister and I tried using logic (which never works in Walmart): with the repellents? No. By the guns? (It's like a weapon, right?) No. An associate informed us that they don't carry it anymore. What's that all about? Our next stop was Walgreens. The place that prides itself on having everything you need. Everything, that is, except pepper spray. We weren't sure where to look. The family planning aisle, maybe? :) Nope. They told me to check Autozone. Yeah because that is the first thing I think of when I think of Autozone...but we'll see...