Coupling: Hillary Clinton and Jansport

Yesterday was very odd. First, I slept through my first class, which is something I haven't done in years. Usually it happens when I am so tired that in my sleep-induced haze I turn off the alarm unwittingly. So I missed the class, but managed to get up in time to do everything else that I had planned for the day. But I knew it was going to be a strange day.

When I arrived at the Post-Standard around 1pm yesterday, there were a lot of suits hanging around outside. They were looking at me strangely as I got closer to the building, but I figured there must be something going on at the courthouse or federal building, which are both nearby.

After walking into the lobby, oddly, there was a crowd of about 10 P-S employees hanging around, and looking slightly nervous, for no apparent reason. I walked right up to my security guard buddy and told him that I'd forgotten my ID. I was kind of stunned when he told me to wait because he couldn't help me right then. I'm not a very patient person, so I was slightly annoyed until I saw Senator Clinton walking into the building surrounded by the suits. That was my Eureka! moment.

She was surprisingly tiny and seemingly gracious, as she shook everyone's hand. When she got to me (because everyone else was doing it and I was completely unprepared for this kind of scene) I stuck mine out and said "It's a pleasure to meet you." She noted that it was her pleasure to meet me too. Ahem. And then she disappeared up the stairs with the secret service guys, and everyone in the lobby relaxed.

So that was that. Strange, but interesting. She seemed really friendly and warm, and she also seemed to genuinely know many of the people in the lobby. Apparently she comes to the P-S for editorial board meetings quite often. What struck me as really odd, is that there wasn't nearly the amount of security that surrounds the President or other dignitaries. She only had about 15 people with her.

Of course, there may have been fewer of them. It was hard to tell because they seemed to be following me aound the building that day. For example, when I went to get lunch, the sandwich-making lady told me that the Secret Service had cleaned her out of bottled water and tomatoes, both of which I wanted. Those bastards!

And now to tie my subjects together.

When I got home, there was a large Priority Mail envelope resting on my door. I couldn't figure out what it could be, because I hadn't ordered anything big and squishy lately. When I opened it, I saw that it was a fancy new Jansport backpack in a strange color (not what I would've chosen, but it's free, so I will deal with it.) I had sent my old forest green colored one back to them last week, because it had developed a tear that pickpockets would love.



Jansport has a policy of repairing or replacing your 'pack, unless the damage was caused by normal wear and tear. In that case, you're on your own. To be honest, I kind of thought my tear fell into the usual wear and tear category, because I've had the thing for 12 years. It had travelled all over the world with me, and it probably was ready for retirement.

Because they couldn't repair my old one, they sent me a fancy new one in a different shade of olive green. They even sent me an APOLOGY for not having my original color in stock! What is even more exciting is that the new pack has the same pocket features that I had gotten to love with the old one. Jansport, you are wonderful. (Feel free to send any high-paying endorsement deals my way.)

Clearly Jansport and Sen. Clinton have nothing in common, other than both surprising me, albeit pleasantly, in the same day.

Sidenote: it's suddenly gotten cold here. And what worries me is that I think THIS WEATHER is cold at 50 degrees, I am going to die in the next few months. A professor told me today that in February, 39 degrees will seem WARM. UGH.