Today's topic Shopping.  OK, I don't enjoy shopping.  I somehow was born without the gene to shop.  I should be rich, right?  Wrong!  I still spend money and shop, I just don't like it.
 
I think I don't like to shop because of early childhood trauma.  Oh, not abuse, but shopping with my mom (gasp).  She can shop.  She pretends now that she is old and frail.  Don't be fooled.  Granted she has to use one of the motorized carts now because she is arthritic, but she can shop.  When I say shop I don't just mean to purchase things.  I mean going from store to store looking at display after display of stuff to buy.  See, I usually know what I want, I go to the store that should have it, buy it and take it home.  Done. Finished.  Mission accomplished.  Yeah, with mom, not so much.  She does have one of the motorized carts, but they aren't a car, for goodness sake.  So, why can't I keep up with her?  Especially, when she stops to look at almost everything.  It is part of the torture, that's why. 

When I shop if I go to more than two stores (which is rare) I feel like crying.  Sometimes, I just decide I don't need what ever it is at the third or more horribly, fourth store.  "Yeah, I don't need shoes."  You know, stuff like that.  I try to think about what I need and try to be in a store that carries as much of it as possible, like Wal-mart or Target. 

Now that you can buy so much on the Internet I admit I don't mind that so much.  Maybe because I don't have to brush my teeth or bathe for that matter, to online shop.  Oh, and if I play my cards right I can have things sent to people so I don't have to travel with their crap I bought them.  OK, that is harsh.  I try to buy people nice things that I think they will like and use.  But, when I am stuck dragging it from place to place where they might be, I let it become crap and a burden.

Back to Internet shopping.  That is my niche for shopping, and I don't just mean purchasing.  I will peruse various websites for things I may want to buy.  I have to be serious though to actually buy.  I usually just look at the stuff.  I go to certain sites looking at stuff and checking the prices.  I try to be careful not to get caught up or upset about what I can't afford to buy. 

I think it is important to remember there is a difference between wanting something and needing it. For instance, I need furniture for my home. I want Ethan Allen furniture. But, I can't really afford that so I don't have it. I need food to eat. I want to eat out a lot. See, I don't need to eat out and pay more for food, I just want to . I am not perfect at this and get needs and wants confused but I try to be aware. Oh, and my house has cute enough furniture and I have good healthy food to eat so it isn't like I suffer. 

I love to shop for other people.  I think my second job would be a personal shopper but with a twist.  I wouldn't take a list and pick it up for you.  Again, I hate to shop.  But you tell me you are looking to buy and I hunt it down on the net.  Or even better you show me what you are thinking of and I tell you yea or nay.  I love the excitement of trying to figure out your taste or getting someone to think in a different direction.  That isn't my goal but sometimes people aren't sure about what they are really looking for or they have an idea just not fully developed.  That is when I love to help out.  I am not saying I know best, I just want to think that I do.

So, despite childhood trauma I have persevered, overcome, climbed out of the shopping Hell of my formative years.  I hide the scars, smile to hide the anguish and just say "Charge it!"