Shopping

There's something about writing that provides a relief. I've read many self help books in my life, and often, one of the methods suggested for improving ones self is to write a journal. I've tried that a few times, but I've always stopped early, because I feel kind of dumb, like I'm talking to myself. And yet, I have found that writing does provide some kind of mental outlet. It's just that in the past, I've never gotten past the feeling dumb part.

Now there's "Blogging", and somehow it is significantly different than "Journaling", at least to me. That's because I can post my writing on a web site for anyone to read, even though I don't expect any great number of people to read any of what I will write here. However, I expect I will avoid the self defeating idea that I'm just talking to myself, although, in essence, that is pretty much what I'm doing.

It's Christmas time, and like many men, I can't stand shopping. I do like the happy spirit most people exhibit this time of year, and I do like the decorations and Christmas music, but I don't like buying things.
I'm a logical thinker, and I suspect that every time I prepare to purchase a product there is some kind of mental process going on in my subconscious comparing the value of the product to the value of the money it will cost and to the value of other products and services that the same amount of money will buy. This logically then leads to other logical paths, because the value of the product has to be determined by comparing it to some kind of goodness or badness scale, and it’s difficult to do that for yourself, not to mention that you must now do it for others. I have a vision of my brain at times like this, with lights blinking and sirens blasting - WARNING - DANGER!!! THIS BRAIN IS OVERHEATING AND WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN ZERO MINUS 3 MINUTES!!

I was in a department store this past Saturday morning, and there were lines everywhere. I saw a display of an item I wanted, but I couldn't find one to take. Then I miraculously located an unoccupied employee, and I asked him, and he directed me to Joe, over there, because Joe had the key to the cabinet. But then when I went over to Joe, he was at a register, and I had to wait in line for him to come free. So I was in the rather ludicrous position of standing in line to ask if they had what I wanted, which, if they did, then I would have to get it, and stand in line again to pay for it.

Oh well, at least I was able to listen to Christmas while I waited. And I did get the item I wanted - it was the last one in the cabinet, and it was even on sale. Unfortunately, I finished maybe only 20% of my shopping on Saturday morning, after fighting the traffic at Mayfair and on the Bluemound strip for about 4 hours. Doing the projection in my head, that means I have 16 hours more to go. Ugh!