ad hockery.

[ad hok–uh-ree]  noun

1. reliance on temporary solutions rather than on consistent, long-term plans.

Every few weeks while traveling, I start to panic about money. While planning a trip, I think a certain amount will be sufficient, but I’m usually quite wrong. I think my delusionality is good in this respect or I’d never leave home.

Today I realized I am completely out of bobby pins. I searched both backpacks and my satchel. My hair looks unruly. C’est la vie, I thought.

I found a Mars Hill church (I felt like I should while in Seattle after going to Mars Hill College) to walk to and on the way, I saw a bobby pin on the ground in the stairwell. It looked so attractive to me, which is so odd.

I bent down and picked it up with the intention to sanitize it healthily multiple times. Then next to the library, I saw another one. I put it in my pocket and laughed to myself, what was becoming of me?! And as if a 99 cent pack of bobby pins would break my bank on my way to get a soy latte. I was choosing disgusting ad hockery instead of a long term plan of buying a pack of 100 clean bobby pins.

Also, the one night we stayed in a hotel, I took every sweet and low packet even though I never use sweeteners anymore. I grabbed every soap, shampoo, and lotion bottle, and tea bags, hot cocoa and oatmeal packets from the continental breakfast. It reminded me of Ross from Friends. “Take the lightbulb, not the lamp.”

I also take about 14 napkins from every coffee shop. And I’ll never pass up a good bag. Who knows what I‘ll need it for? This trip has made me into a mad woman.

Do not worry! I have plenty of moolah to survive out here and get home. I just figure I might as well save money where I can so I can order a steak in April. And my hair looks GREAT.