shopping for appreciation



i love to shop. some people don't realize this cause i wear the same clothes day in and day out. i actually have tried to wear the same outfit each day of the week (mondays the blue shirt, tuesdays the red one... that died before it got started!) BUT, buying clothes isn't what i call shopping. find yourself in a store, suddenly that's all that you have to compare, the store's selection. for example you can't look up all manufacturers of green button up shirts with a pocket on the left breast and ivory buttons. to compare quality, design, features, then price and make a decision on which one you want to purchase. you just browse and see what's there. you like it you buy it, if not, then no.



i like shopping. digging. researching and making excel spreadsheets with comparisons of different products, their features, upsides and downsides, what would fit my needs. people hear shopping, they think of clothes. but i spend a few hrs shopping for clothes, heck sometimes just a few mins. i want some socks, i just up and get some socks! simple as that... but when i shop, i spend weeks. sometimes months.



i didn't realize how much i like to shop till i noticed someone else shopping. des was looking for a new bike. she had never owned one before and was so excited to finally get one. a pink beach cruiser. it's been weeks, she knows all the brands, the different styles. she's learned the sizes, features like hand brakes, fenders, aluminum vs steel, foam handlebars vs rubber grips, etc... and once she finds what she wants at the price she wants her purchase will be done and satisfaction will be maximum.



i did the same thing with my phone. it took me about 2-3 weeks. and i was on the websites every day. looking for a new phone, new plan, rebates, deals, user opinions, anything. i just didn't want to get something on a whim and then be all upset that i spent my money on some piece of crap.



now i'm happy. i got the phone i want:





man i love shopping!