Before I tell you about my week, I’ll need you to watch this:
For those of you who refuse to follow instructions, the above clip is from The Office, and features the resident curmudgeon Stanley Hudson. Never one to crack a smile unless he means it, Stanley is beaming and delighted because he gets to celebrate Pretzel Day – the one day of the year when a soft pretzel cart comes to Dunder Mifflin, and all the employees get to enjoy a free, salty treat.
This week, I had my very own pretzel day. No, there were no salty snack treats to be had, but I got to live out one of my favourite days of the working year. You see, every year, some of the students at the university where I work take it upon themselves to organize a second-hand clothing sale. All the proceeds go to the Invisible Children organization. For the record, they’ve been doing this for three years – long before Kony 2012 literally (well – figuratively) blew up the internet. In the weeks leading up to the sale, students, staff, and faculty drop off their unwanted items. Then, for two glorious days, they run the sale in one of the classrooms downstairs. Are you getting this? This means I get to thrift, AT WORK! On lunch! On break!
I lovingly call this occasion my Pretzel Day. Because like Stanley, I put the rest of my daily worries aside, and just enjoy this annual treat with a big, stupid grin on my face. Pretzel Day 2012 was yet another success. I don’t excercise as much discretion as I ususally do when thrifting on Pretzel Day, simply because it’s all for charity and everything is dirt cheap, so who cares if they end up back at the Salvation Army next week? My biggest score was this $3 brown jacket – sleeves long enough, relaxed fit, hello Spring closet staple!
Other thrifted finds were a lovely linen Gap top, an easy graphic tank for the beach, and a kinda-weird but strangley-comfortable blue cropped thing. I spent a mere 10 dollars on all these finds.
As we inch ever slowly towards the spring, I only hope each of you will experience your own form of Pretzel Day.  If you don’t experience this metaphorical joy, at least get yourself an actual pretzel. They really are delicious.