Penny jar wishes: Post in which I covet Shield DVDs, reach new lows in cheapness

I don't buy many DVD's, I'd rather rent, but sometimes I like to own so I can watch repeatedly, get through the extras, and have at my leisure. I'd really love to own The Shield - The complete series box set. My favorite tv show, it absolutely blew me away. I rented it and burned though episode after episode until there were none left. It is so intense and morally ambiguous and over-the-top. Well written and acted and gritty, it's the best crime series ever. Everyone who's watched The Wire tells me that's the best, but I couldn't get through one episode. It was so boring compared to the Shield. Cops were following rules! Whatever. Pffft. This cop show has shootouts at drive-thru funeral homes and cops who steal money from the Armenian mob. It has a crazy big bald man, and undercover hookers who sleep with cops, and Forrest Whittaker getting so angry his eye almost bulges out of his head.

All seven seasons of the Emmy®-winning, groundbreaking series in a collectible 34-page bound anthology book filled with photos, quotes and a special letter from creator Shawn Ryan! Loaded with DVD extras including new featurettes, this set includes all 88 arresting episodes and an amazing ensemble cast featuring Emmy® winner Michael Chiklis.

WANT WANT WANT. $107.99 at Amazon. That is cheaper than Target's advertised at $129.99. Sadly, neither is within my budget, which is strapped due to school expenses. So I will continue to rent from Netflix and watch stuff online.

The Criterion Collection, which strives to collect the best movies in the world and preserve them in high-quality, multi-featured DVD's, has free online steaming movies now. Just go here and select "views" and you'll see a list of free films (the free ones are the most viewed, of course). They have a free online film festival every month, which is supposed to be listed here. However, they seem to be a month behind (even though last month's films are still available). I guess that's why it's beta.

Yesterday I returned a few shirts that I bought at JCPenney that didn't fit. They had cost around $4 each and another size would have been too much work to find, as they had rearranged the merchandise. The two other shirts I had purchased fit, they were both white. You can never have too many white shirts, or at least I can't. I'm always getting stains on them. :-( One of the shirts has a lace lined v-neck, and the other is v-neck and ties back around the waist, and has blue embroidered flowers in the front and on the short sleeves. It's a little peasant-y but not too much. I love it! $4. When I went to Target later, I found myself scoffing at the outrageous prices of $8 or $10 for clothing on clearance or sale. Wow. I have hit a new level of cheap. I just kept thinking, "I could probably find this at JCPenney for $2 or $4!" It's true too, I probably could! You have to search a lot, but that place is full of cheapo sweet treats.

So what did I do at Target? I bought socks, of course! Cheap and satisfying. There were the cutest socks for $2.98, marked down from $5.99. Two shiny pairs of over-the-knee rayon socks, one gray and one burgundy, with a puffy/wrinkeled texture and ribbing. They fit great under boots and look great with heels. Yay. I love socks. I also got a $5 glass necklace on a ribbon at the mall.

Tomorrow night a friend is going to teach me how to crochet a hat. I need one, so I'm going to make one. Looking forward to that. There was a cute hat at Target I wanted but I thought I could probably make it with yarn I already have. I have a set of arm warmers half finished.

I couldn't find photos of my purchases, sorry. They're not exciting enough for the effort of photographing them. I will make up for this by showing you other photos of fabulous things.

Adi Designs Flowing A-line Easy Care Skirt - Purple - This skirt from Target comes in many different colors and is $39.99 at Target. When it gets cheaper I may have to buy one or more. I love skirts like this, they're basic and go with most tops, and they can show off your legs (and new socks!) or boots. Easy to travel with and wash. Made of 62% Polyester, 32% Rayon, 6% Spandex...but for some reason, I see some skirts that are the same but just a different color don't have the spandex. Weird. Anyway, they have some other basic skirts like this at Target that are different lengths and styles.

The holidays are coming! Target has a Christmas section on their website. I'm a Buddhist but I celebrate the holidays anyway. Why turn down a chance to decorate and do other fun stuff? I try to celebrate holidays whenever I can. I need to get a new menorah, I lost the one I had in a move. Gotta make my Jewish friends feel at home. Target's got a brass one that looks like the one I lost:

They also sell candles, which better fit. The last Menorah I had came with candles that were too big, so I sat at the table with friends shaving them down. We laughed that this should be the new tradition, the shaving of the Menorah candles! It took a long time, I'd rather not repeat that. Oy.

I love that Target has not just one, not two, but THREE cat Menorahs.

These LED string light snowflakes are so pretty. They're $15.98, 10.3 feet long, and have 60 blue and white lights. I'd love to get these. I might! I like the icicle and hanging style lights, although I have never bought any before.

Set of 9 Snowflake Light Sculptures - Sculptures? I guess these are just bigger lights, but they're awesome too. I like making paper snowflakes every year, I stick them all over the place - in the windows, cupboards, hanging from gift bows, the ceiling, whatever. This year I think I want to make a paper chain like we used to make in elementary school. I know some kids that could help me. Good times.

I can't sit here all day uploading pictures, so I will find a few inspiring holiday photos. Shopping will come easier then, perhaps? Photos all ~~stolen~~ borrowed from Apartment Therapy.