My First "Co-op"

I got a confirmation email from REI this afternoon about my membership with the store. Yes, for $20, I became part of their co-op. It just seems like an excuse to get a discount or cash back down the road, so I don't quite get why REI calls it a co-op. It reminds me of the Barnes and Noble membership thing, though with a different discount schedule.

At any rate, I'm glad I joined, since it's just a one-time fee, and REI is a cool store, indeed. It kinda fascinates me, as the store near Southpoint looks pretty unassuming from the outside, but it has all sorts of neat things on the inside. Part of the attraction for me, I think, is that for a number of years now (maybe about 15 or so!) I've thought it would be really cool to hike the Appalachian Trail. Being in REI inspires me a bit more. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy purchasing Gu Gels, SportsBeans, and little gadgets and gizmos I may find there.

In My Car...

I'm listening to books on CD in my car again. I just finished listening to Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, a book about his hiking journey on the Appalachian Trail. I'd read this book a few years back, because at the time I was fascinated by the thought of hiking the "AT." I enjoyed listening to the book this time. One of the things that bugged me, though, was that I thought the narrator on the CD was pronouncing "Appalachian" wrong, with a long A sound in the third syllable, rather than the short A sound that I use. I just learned, though, that the long A pronunciation is used in the northern part of the Appalachian mountain range that the Appalachian Trail is named for, while the short A pronunciation is used in the southern part of the range. It turns out that Bill Bryson is from New Hamsphire, and I'm in North Carolina, of course, hence the difference in pronunciation.

Now I'm listening to Two for the Dough, by Janet Evanovich. George's Aunt Gail recommended this mystery series to me, so I'm going through them while in the car, since I have a longer commute now. I've already listened to One for the Money.