Shopping and Timing
Unlike most men I know, I actually like shopping, but like most men I know, I am a focused shopper; go in, buy it, leave.
Like most women I know, my wife likes shopping. Like most women I know, she is a ‘look at this’ ‘look at that’ ‘oh wait this is on sale’ ‘I could use those too’ shopper.
We went shopping today. Together, for a change.
The whole plan: 1) Planet Fitness (we might join), 2) the first mall (Ritz Camera, Macy’s and Barnes & Noble) and 3) the second mall (Michaels, Staples and Pet Smart).
Sounds like 90 minutes to me, including travel time.
The reality: Planet Fitness took 30 minutes of touring and conversation (we might join next week, but didn’t today). The first mall took two hours; dropping off old film at Ritz lasted 30 minutes because we talked to the guy at the counter about cameras and lawyers; Macy’s included the planned purchase of a tie and stockings plus a leisurely stroll through departments selling shirts, purses and shoes, ‘look at that, can you believe paisley is popular again’; Barnes & Noble was a book freak’s picnic because we both love books and instead of just getting the one book each we planned on, we each checked out with an armload of them; and we also stopped at a jewelry store, Dairy Queen and four or five booths of a farmer exhibit in the mall. The second mall ate up another two hours because Michaels included conversations about framing projects, Staples included chatting with the counter person about the contents of the package and the birthday present’s recipient and the clerk’s ‘mother have a birthday on the same day and yes the economy is pretty bad,’ Pet Smart included an explanation of a certain finch’s coloring and the pros and cons of various dog food brands.
Oh, the ride home included a stop for carry-out food from a Vietnamese restaurant one exit out of our way.
Total time: five hours. Total monetary expenditure: much more than I planned.
Like most women I know, my wife likes shopping. Like most women I know, she is a ‘look at this’ ‘look at that’ ‘oh wait this is on sale’ ‘I could use those too’ shopper.
We went shopping today. Together, for a change.
The whole plan: 1) Planet Fitness (we might join), 2) the first mall (Ritz Camera, Macy’s and Barnes & Noble) and 3) the second mall (Michaels, Staples and Pet Smart).
Sounds like 90 minutes to me, including travel time.
The reality: Planet Fitness took 30 minutes of touring and conversation (we might join next week, but didn’t today). The first mall took two hours; dropping off old film at Ritz lasted 30 minutes because we talked to the guy at the counter about cameras and lawyers; Macy’s included the planned purchase of a tie and stockings plus a leisurely stroll through departments selling shirts, purses and shoes, ‘look at that, can you believe paisley is popular again’; Barnes & Noble was a book freak’s picnic because we both love books and instead of just getting the one book each we planned on, we each checked out with an armload of them; and we also stopped at a jewelry store, Dairy Queen and four or five booths of a farmer exhibit in the mall. The second mall ate up another two hours because Michaels included conversations about framing projects, Staples included chatting with the counter person about the contents of the package and the birthday present’s recipient and the clerk’s ‘mother have a birthday on the same day and yes the economy is pretty bad,’ Pet Smart included an explanation of a certain finch’s coloring and the pros and cons of various dog food brands.
Oh, the ride home included a stop for carry-out food from a Vietnamese restaurant one exit out of our way.
Total time: five hours. Total monetary expenditure: much more than I planned.
Comments
It is good to see you and on your new blog here. I need to change your link. What's with the change?
:)