Carrefour say Roundeyes steal

No that's not fortune cookie wisdom, it seems to be the truth. So, here's what happened. I was shopping at Carrefour today, as I do at least once a week, if not five times. Mainly because it's a block from my house, but it also has a good selection of "Western" stuff and their fruits and vegetables only cost an arm, as opposed to an arm and a leg, like everywhere else.

But I digress. So, I'm acknowledging the greeter as I walk in, when a manager-type RUNS over to me to help her tell me to put my (very-small-purse-sized) backpack in a locker. Did he think I was going to get beligerent with her? Maybe just force my way past? We teachers are a rough bunch, don't mess with us, or you'll get the wrong end of the board marker, let me tell you. So, I stow my purse, as I always do when asked (about 20% of the time) and go in. Where I see EVERY OTHER WOMAN has her purse. Now, don't get me wrong, they aren't tiny backpacks, secured across their backs, no these are the much more stylish 30-gallon totes (Mary-Kate-style) slung over their wrists.

This can only lead me to one conclusion. As a professional in my mid-thirties, I must be profiled as a shoplifter. OR Roundeyes steal.

I was not *too* steaming mad until I passed not one but three packs of teenagers who all had their messenger bags across their shoulders. I look more likely to steal than groups of teenagers?!!! What was that guy smoking?

I usually try not to take Koreans (incredibly blatant) prejudices too personally. I'm from the South and was brought up to believe prejudice was the sign of ignorance/ stupidity and such people weren't going to become less prejudiced until they became less stupid. However, it is this kind of thing that is hard to overlook.

So, I am faced with a dilemma. Do I do what I think is right and take my business elsewhere? Or do I suck it up and go there because it's convenient? Time will tell I suppose.

Maybe I'm just testy because I'm meat-deprived. I haven't eaten meat all week. Somewhat coincidentally, I have just finished Fast Food Nation and feel rather revolted about all the meat I have eaten in the past. I read The Jungle years ago, but assumed, foolishly, as it turns out, that changes were made in the last century. EEK is all I have to say. On the other hand, I really like cheeseburgers. I really think I'm going to have to learn to love less processed foods, though.

To top my day off, I dyed some yarn and a 1" section all the way through didn't take the dye, because I had the skein bound too tightly. The rest of it is really nice, though. I think I'm going to knit it up and then redye the finished product if it looks bad.

It's been a bad week for knitting in general. I knit an entire pair of socks that I'm going to frog and reknit, because my experiment with afterthought heels was a crashing failure. They look pretty good, but they don't fit comfortably. On the positive side, I'll have two sock-length pieces of yarn, so I may give two-at-a-time socks a try. I've started three other socks this week and a scarf and ripped them all. Tomorrow is another day. I've got progress reports to write and various and sundry other paperwork, but when that is done, I'll start something new.