shopaholic

Whew, it's been a busy week. Five states and back again, uh, jiggity-jig? I realized that I don't like taking pictures at weddings because I don't like taking pictures of people. Anyway, on to the post.

I've got the itch to shop again. This happens once every, oh, couple months or so. Usually it takes a while to get it out of my system, and then another bit while I recuperate and don't want to shop. There are generally some relapses during this time, during which I feel very productive, usually leading up to another bout of shopping. This time, it was back-to-school shopping that did it. I had a long shopping list for my classes, and now I can't seem to stop.

I have a number of very expensive hobbies, and some that aren't as expensive. Shopping is one of them, which just makes it worse. Banana Republic is having their fall sale (I learned from my email this morning). Photography is expensive, and I'd still like to get a fast prime and some sort of tripod because I like doing lowlight stuff. Knitting projects require specific yarn, and I'd like to get more (although I should really use the yarn I have). Baking requires the right equipment, most of which I didn't have. Entertaining myself requires a good chunk of cash, too. I've bought five books in the past week, and have a short list of more I'd like, including, appropriately, the latest Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. I've still got a regular subscription to audible.com, and their September sale is getting difficult to resist. There are actually movies I've been looking forward to coming out this month and next (finally!), so I want to go watch movies again. New TV on DVD box sets I don't have the patience to Netflix. A couple new video game releases in the past few weeks I'd like... I realize that I'm totally buying (sorry!) into the whole consumer marketing thing, but bear with me here.

I think part of it is that feeling of productivity I get when I buy things on my list. It's like being able to tick off another item on the checklist, or any list, slowly gets things done. I mean, I have my share of shopping lists on the Stickies on my Dashboard, but they mostly serve as reminders to buy things way in the future or essentials for my classes or recipes or whatever.

It's not necessarily just buying things on the list, though. It's the process of researching them, or not researching them, or agonizing over things on my wishlist, or keeping them on a big long wishlist in the sky. Just because I feel like buying them right now doesn't mean I actually will, it's more of a running tally or refreshing of the wishlist as new products and things are released. I guess it's more just trying to keep up with this consumer culture I live in and finding out more about my own tastes and styles while doing it.