Convenience: noun

1. The quality of being suitable to one's comfort, purposes, or needs: the convenience of living near shops, schools, and libraries.
   
2. Personal comfort or advantage: services that promote the customer's convenience.
   
3. Something that increases comfort or saves work: household conveniences such as a washing machine, an electric can opener, and disposable diapers.
   
4. A suitable or agreeable time: Fill out the form at your earliest convenience.

My mornings are extraordinarily hectic as of late. I teach a first period class at a local high school, but only on even days. MY MIL, bless her heart, meets me all over town on her bus to pick Cam up for school. On even days (teaching days) she meets me in a parking lot as soon as she drops off her high school kids. On odd days she meets me at a Tom Thumb along her route to pick Cam up.
The past couple days I've been feeling a little more and more run down-my throat is a little scratchy, I have some congestion in my chest, and my sinuses are beginning to rebel. This morning I woke up sneezing and have yet to stop. My nose is runny and I just generally feel like crap.
Since today is an odd day, I met Barb at Tom Thumb. I had planned to drop Cam off, drive up the street to Wal Mart, and pick up a box of non-drowsy Alka-Seltzer cold as we're all out at home. Cam and I got to Tom Thumb a little early, so I figured I'd go in and see if they had anything similar rather than wait here and then drive down and spend 20 minutes (and surely end up buying more things than I intended to) at Wal Mart. They had the Alka Seltzer I wanted...for over $6!! Here's the internal debate that went on:

Common Sense: "The hell? $6 for 10 packs? Uh uh, no way. Don't even pick it up."

Laziness: "But we're already here...we might as well-"

Common Sense: (adamantly)"No."

Laziness: (sulking)"Fine. You'll spend $2 in gas driving down to Wal Mart anyway."

Common Sense: "..."

Laziness: (sensing weakness)"And besides, if you get it here you can get to work and get online with Resa that much faster!"

Common Sense: "Well...okay. Just this once."

Sadly, my laziness does often get the better of my common sense more often than I'd like to admit. So once again, overpriced convenience beats a reasonably priced, barely difficult task.

Signed,
Fat, lazy American



P.S. There's a 5th definition of convenience that is by far my favorite:

5. (Chiefly British.) A lavatory.