IT'S A SIGN!

I know one oughtn't take photos while behind the wheel of an automobile, but this one had to be done! I was driving home from Build-a-Bear--- more on that later--- when I saw a street sign that was more than a street sign. It was, in my opinion, a clear indication of my future.

Yes! University of Edinburgh here I come!!!

Admittedly, I also drove past Glasgow St. and I have no intention of going to the University of Glasgow...


So. Build-a-Bear. I went there for the first time, today, at the age of 17.58. I didn't actually build a bear, but I advised Kat on the naming and accessory selection of hers. She is a long-time Build-a-Bear patron, and seems to know everything there is to know about the fuzzy critters. If you've not been there before, this is how it works:

• Walk in.
• Coo at the little un-stuffed animal shapes (bears, elephants, koals, dogs)
• Pick up each one and compare fuzziness
• Once a particular animal has been chosen, look at its smile--- some have creepy ones
• Having selected a non-pedo animal (we'll say Koala), walk on to the next section
• Look at all the little voice boxes and decide that making it talk is kind of creepy
• Don't get a voice box no matter how sweetly it sings 'Happy Birthday'
• Take your Koala bag (for that is what it is) on to an employee at a stuffing machine
• Become mesmerized by the wildly cartwheeling fluff
• Pick up one of the little embroidered hearts and follow employee instructions
• Jump up & down
• Let out a primal roar
• Kiss the heart
  
• Put the heart in your freshly stuffed bear
• Decide on a name-- preferably something foreign
• Guillermo
• Francois
• Jacques
• Parminder
• Jean-Claude
• Alain
• Gerard
• Sebastiano
• Give your newly sewn bear a 'bath' with 'water' and a 'scrubber' (MAKE-BELIEVE!)
• Pick out your Koala's clothing from innumerable racks of PJs and motorcycle jackets
• Go to one of the computer stations and print out a nice little birth certificate
• Giggle at the cash register
• Walk out satisfied.