Living with Jessica

TRIAL #1:
I may have mentioned once before that taking me on a trip to Target is never a good idea. Inevitably, I walk away from the store having spent way more money than I intended. At this point in our relationship, I'm pretty sure Tyler equates Target with being in debt, but I can't help it. There are so many wonderful things to find!

On one of my expeditions, several months back, I found a beauuuuutiful green table lamp that was on sale for $15!!! It's emerald exterior and smooth glass finish caught my eye right away, and who can ignore a bold red price tag that screams, "I cost much less than I used to!!" What kind of person would pass that up?!

Exactly this shape, but a pretty green color!

Obviously, not me.

Now, I admit. On most occasions to Target, I do remind myself that I have a significant other with whom I share my living space, and I resign myself to the fact that if I get home and he doesn't like it, I can always make a return. But, I knew this was NOT about to happen with my new lamp. Whether Tyler liked it or not, I was keeping it...even if that meant hiding it in the closet until I could sneak it past him.

Thank God, Tyler had enough sense to like it. It wasn't his favorite item, but he recognized the crazy in my eye that night and allowed it to stay. The one, singular "problem" with the lamp - and I really hate the word problem, challenge might be more appropriate - was that it did not have a lamp shade. Personally, I didn't mind, but after a week or two it made Tyler go crazy, and on a subsequent trip to Ikea, he very thoughtfully bought a shade for the lamp's naked top. Although a thoughtful move, I will confess that my first thought about the shade was, "It looks like someone urinated on that".

The flash washed out the image. Trust me.

TRIAL #2:
Unfortunately, as it happens sometimes, my filter didn't kick in and I shared that comment with Tyler. I'm a big believer in honesty makes a relationship stronger, but this urine comment wasn't my proudest moment.

In my defense, the shade is definitely pee-colored yellow, and after a few weeks, Tyler thankfully came to the same conclusion. Since then, I've fervidly been searching for a replacement, and have brought home multiple shades varying in size, shape, and pattern. This past weekend, on a trip with some of my students to Target (duh!), I hit the jackpot. This time, I remained optimistically hopeful, crossing my fingers that Tyler would like it and I wouldn't have to make a return.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the shade fit perfectly, AND Tyler liked it! I had struck gold.

Source

To be frank, Tyler and I both won that night. He finally convinced me to move the lamp from the living room to our home office. He had mentioned a time or two that the lamp looked odd floating in the middle of our living room, and finally, I had to admit that the teardrop shape of the base, while gorgeous, did seem strange. The lamp needed some sort of backdrop to highlight it's curves. The table against the wall in our office turned out to be the perfect spot.

P.S. Besides my spending habits at Target and my inconsistent filter, I'm pretty much the perfect girlfriend. =)

Joke.

P.P.P.S. My first thought post-lamp transfer was, "I get to buy a new one for the living room!!!"

No joke.