I used to love shopping. Love love love it. I would read the weekly fliers in the paper to see what was on sale. I was at target enough to notice new product or if something was rearranged. I loved malls. I could walk around for hours look at things I wanted and things I "needed." I loved the thrill of giving someone money and having my brand new thing. It was new and it was mine.
Things have changed so much. I can't stand malls anymore. Joe and I went to one before Christmas when I was rain pants shopping. It was terrible. The lights were terrible. It smelled of gross greasy food, nail salons and perfume. We wandering into old navy and i nearly had a seizuer from the clothes strewed around totally unorganized while loud obnoxious "music" made it impossible to think let alone talk. I remember running out at that point.. well at least walking quickly.
When I am at a store I no longer want or need anything (there is an exception always in the kitchen section ) In fact i am almost repulsed by things. I can't stand looking at the useless junk that people buy. Just as a point of reference this is totally ego-centric so everything that I can't picture using, or needing is useless. I don't like hearing about shopping and always judge people on things they buy only because in the same conversation they complain about being poor. I blame this new person entirely on Joe. I think he is more than pleased by this. We are not perfect. We shop. Sort of. We have a new TV. I bought nice thank you cards instead of the cheapest. Both of these required long conversations and Joe pacing. The TV was the worst we went to 3 or 4 different stores. Joe read every review ever on every TV. There was pacing, nervousness and general anxiety. When we buy a house I expect Joe to be hospitalized at least once.
I still like and want the feeling of buying something, then holding it and having the new thing. I now get this emotion from the Library. Ok. Ok. I don't actually own the stuff anymore but the fleeting feeling is still there and cheaper. I love browsing the catalog for CD's, books on CD, and DVDs. I still haven't seen Sex and the City the movie. I placed a hold. I was number 400 holds on 50 copies of the movie. So I wait. Waiting is fun. I knew it would be a couple of months. So I have rented the entire series in the meantime. I get most of my cook books from the library now and spend time writing their recipes on 3 x 5 cards. I like knowing they are not taking up room on my already overstocked shelf and yet I can get them again at my will. Sometimes the books are so good I can't help buy buy them. This happened recently with The Bread Baker's Apprentice. That is the only downfall of the library. I love the library. I could write about it forever.
I also get a shopping fix at the grocery store. I love cooking dinner for Joe and I. I make a list. I cross off items one by one. I memorize prices at each of the three stores I attend. I know where to get the best prices on beans, cheese, and veggies. My only downfall is Limbo. My produce place. They have a different variety of veggies every week. You can't count on them for everything but they have really good deals. Last week in their discount section I got about 10 lbs of squash (I am not sure of the variety.. possible sweet meat?) and a 5 pound bag of organic apples for 3 bucks total. Love it. The squash will become a variety of soups and purees. The apples were about a day from turning for the worse... and I had made a cake already for the week so pie was out of the question... So I made applesauce. It was my first time... and it came out awesome! Tasted just like my grandma's used to,most likely because I am now the proud owner of her food mill. Anyway. Limbo is where I am tempted and I don't mind. I love when I get home from the G-stores and my produce bowl is full to the top with yummy onions, peppers, lemons, limes and whatever veggies are gracing my table that week. (actual bowl not pictured)
