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My hero Jacob in Touch of a Rogue has a psychic gift. When he touches metal, he sees visions and gleans information about both the object and its former owners. The ability comes in handy when he decides to help Lady Cambourne find a lost Druid dagger and protect her from the others who are also looking for the magical blade. However, Jacob’s ability is a double edged proposition because he has to pay for the privilege of using it with blinding headaches.
I think that’s fair. If someone has use of a special power, the scales have to balance.
Even so, I wish I had a special gift right now–the gift of shopping.
It has ever been so. My mother is an accomplished shopper. My sisters are rabid bargain hounds. They live to spend the day at the mall, not with any particular item to purchase in mind, but simply wandering in search of something that needs to come home with them. I however, would rather be strapped to a chair, have my eyes taped open and be forced to watch a ‘Dumb and Dumber’ marathon.
I don’t know why the shopping gene skipped a generation in my case. Even without the natural proclivity, I had ample opportunity to acquire the behavior as I was growing up. However, shopping never took with me. I need a list–a target of goods I intend to acquire. Then with ninja-like stealth, I slip into the store I judge most likely to carry them, zero in on the items, extract them, try them on if I simply must, then whip out the credit card and make my get away in as little time as possible.
I can’t bring myself to enjoy the process. It simply must be endured.
Normally it doesn’t bother me that I’m shopping-impaired. Since I work at home, I’m not overly burdened with the need to be fashionable. However, I’m heading to Chicago to attend the Romantic Times Convention next week and I need something to wear besides yoga pants and t-shirts. After checking the closet, I realize I have a choice. Either I plan to streak through the hotel next week, or I must go shopping.
So after I hit the page count today, I’ll don the ninja gear and make a raid on the mall. Wish me luck!
How about you? Do you love to shop? If so, please share why. I’d love to change my mind about this. Or are you like me, really not into the whole retail thing? How do you make it more bearable?
I look forward to seeing you in Chicago! (clothed, LOL) I have become much more of an online shopper lately. I hate wandering around in malls, though I look upon TJ Maxx as the local cathedral just chock-full of spiritual sustenance. Maybe it’s because it stocks such a wide variety of things. I always walk out with something I didn’t know I needed. But shopping in general (don’t even mention grocery stores) is a big turn-off.
I have to try things on because it can look super cute on the rack and super slutty on my . . . er, rack. So the only things I can really buy online are BOOKS!
Ooooh, I love TJ Maxx. I used to hit that store a few times a week. But lately, I can’t stand the shopping and on-line ordering is so great. The only problem being that I learned not all clothing fits the same even if they all state the same size.
So there are times I have no choice. But if you go online Mia and just browse several sites for something that catches your eye you can just go directly to that store and eliminate the store after store searching. Because there’s nothing worse then buying something that doesn’t fit when you get it.
Carol L.
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
You should have seen the poor clerks who helped me this afternoon. They kept trying to give me their little “buyer bucks” and extra coupons for future visits, but I kept telling them to keep them. I don’t expect to do this again till next year!
MIa, this whole post made me laugh. Yep, I lack the shopping gene too. Don’t tell my relatives, but I don’t even like shopping for birthday presents–unless everyone wants books. That’s the one exception to my shopping reluctance: I absolutely love finding the perfect book for someone.
Of course, you can’t wear books to a conference (although that would be pretty cool). So good luck with your clothes shopping this afternoon!
I managed to get walk out with 3 new outfits, so the shopping, while painful, was a shining success. I do it so seldom I’ve forgotten how heinous the music at various stores can be.
But then I’m a self-admitted musical snob. Guess next time in addition to my ninja suit, I’ll need to add ear plugs to my shopping equipment.
Ladies, It’s all about the hunt! To find the perfect thing at a bargain. Of course, that’s not totally true. Sometimes you get caught up in the fever. Bloodlust has nothing on bargain lust. I once found myself buying men’s underwear because it was such a good deal. I wasn’t in a relationship at the time but thought being prepared was a good thing. I’m hoping therapy helps. lol
The reason I learned to surf the ‘net was for the shopping! I buy clothes, but only as a must; books, craft supplies, more books, lots of gifts (for those, etsy.com is fabulous) and now with Pinterest, ideas for all sorts of things. The only thing worse than clothes shopping, Mia, is shoe shopping (I know, to many women that’s un-sayable), but I do that online too. Of course, I live in a small town where shopping is pretty much limited to walmart, so online shopping is truly a blessing. Hope you have good luck with your ninja shopping trip
I’m so with you. In fact, I’d somehow talked myself into the belief that I had two weeks before RT. Now, I must face harsh reality and the mall….lol.
Oh, Mary, won’t you be wearing those fabulous late Victorian dresses this year? I love your period outfits.
Hey Mia-….wearing my vicotrians is cheating, going to the fabric store is FUN! I was thinking of bringing one of my 1550′s dresses this year.