"Do you know how hard it is to get a lipstick in this place?"

I will give you a dollar if you can tell me where that is from and another dollar if you can tell me who said it! You can make TWO WHOLE DOLLARS off a line that I never thought I would be using in my whole life!

The last time I went to the Honey Creek Mall here in Terre Haute, it was before I moved her and I needed  to kill some time before meeting with my boss Jim (I have two bosses and I already told you about Geoff) to formally accept my offer. It was just before Border's closed and I spent most of my time trying to find discounted audio books (I know, that is so old of me...I also knit so laugh away!) and I didn't wander around much. I really should have so I would have been prepared for what was (or wasn't) in store for me.

I should take a moment to let you know that I made a new friend, Chellie. She is around my age and just moved to Terre Haute because she got a job here. (Sad fact about the Haute: the job market sucks here, but two of the most recent residents came here because of a job.) Like me, she left friends and family behind, but she also has a fiancee that will join her once he is done with his continuing education. I am still getting to know her, but I am realizing that Chellie is the Patty to my Simcox and we have been getting along just fine.

Chellie and I had a lunch date yesterday because she wants to possibly volunteer where I work and after thinking it best to walk off our Qdoba (yep, they have one here...shocked? me too.) and I had sometime before a meeting, we went to the mall. I am thinking this is a great idea because they have a Macy's (which equals a MAC counter) and a JCPenney (which equals a Sephora!). I am pumped and super prepared to get my beauty on because I have been seriously deprived because I am sure the Ulta is shacking up with Target and Chase bank. Seriously? No Ulta? Ulta is everyday stuff! They should really have an Ulta! I think I am going to have to start a major letter writing campaign and something needs to change, because Ulta sells the mascara that I like and OPI nail polish that I can usually get on sale and I just love Ulta. OK, I am taking a breath. Where was I? Yes! The mall.

Super excited to go to the MAC counter because there is this lipstick that I keep hearing about and I must see it person (can we say stocking stuffer idea?!). For what seems like five minutes of searching, I ask the gal at the Lancome counter where to find the MAC counter. Without emotion or remorse, she says "Hmph. You won't find that in Terre Haute." Dejected, I managed to make my way out of Macy's and into the mall and began to notice what else I would not find in Terre Haute (Express, New York and Company, and Aldo) and things I really didn't care to find (Hollister, Aeropostale, BOTH Claire's and the Icing and American Eagle to name a few). It seems like to be happy with the shopping selection here, you have to be a cookie cutter teenager. By the time I made it to JCPenney, I really needed to spend some time among quality beauty products and went looking for the Sephora. I asked the first sales associate to point me in the right direction and I would be off. First. She looked at me with a question in her eyes. Then. She started to understand. Finally. She delivered the crushing blow: "Sephora? They took that outta here. They weren't gettin' much business from the folks around here." Then she walked away. Walked away. That's right pay no attention to the girl you have sentenced to an existence of drug store beauty care--something I don't do often. Don't get me wrong, there is a market for drug store beauty care. Teenagers and people that don't know or don't care about better products have found what they need at the local CVS or Walgreen's. I prefer specialty shops, I guess I am high maintenance that way. I am not a beauty product snob, I just like what I like and love when it is made available to me.

As I walked out of the JCPenney I was inquiring to Chellie as to how two young, intelligent, charismatic, fashion-forward girls get sucked in to the Haute? Because I may have been slightly hyperventilating as I was asking her this, it came out more like "h-how (huuh-huuh) d(huuh)id t-two (huuh)..." you get the picture. I realize that it is not good form to have a psychotic break a week and a half into a friendship, but Chellie handled it well. I regained my composure by the time we found the Cinnabon stand and I decided to eat my feelings. Plus side: I discovered the cinnabon "centers", the best part of the cinnabon without all the calories! I did manage to get through the mall without any more break downs and I found the Gap (the only redeeming quality) and a cute ornament stand so the trip wasn't a complete bust.

Why did I move here? They clearly are not ready for the likes of me. This is not about some poor girl not getting her mascara and lipstick, this is about the fact in most of my experiences here, I feel a lack of progress here. I feel that they are not only are they not ready for me and my "big city ways," they are not ready for any way except the way it is already. This has to change or I have to. At this point in time I am resolute in maintaining my innate "Lainie-ness" and that is becoming hard work in a community that is mostly stagnant in population and enlightenment and I need progress in my life. I also need challenges and this one might keep me busy for a while.

I know that if I can just hold on and get my cosmetics when I visit my family back home, I can get to work on impacting those around me in the meantime. It's just like I said when I was (and still am) unsure about Geoff, I know can inspire people to want better for their lives. I know that I was talking about cosmetics and shoes then, but we have to start somewhere, right?! Besides, Sassy thinks that it's already working--she's bought at least four pairs of new shoes since I moved here. At this rate, we can probably get an Ulta in no time!