Different kind of joy

"I think this is women's version of porn..." my cousin leaned in and whispered to my ear. He said this as his wife darted from section to section at Macy's in the accessories floor. We had been shopping for hours and she hadn't stopped once. I could certainly smell the familiar aroma of addiction in the air. Some of the smell was coming from me.

Shopping has always been a big part of my life. Is that a female thing? Or is that just me? From middle school I knew the joy of finding a bargain at Nordstrom Rack. The thrill of the hunt, the allure of red sale signs, the pounding of my heart when I see the signs "Store closing everything must go" or "70% off"; these are all things have kept my addiction alive and thriving. I love shopping and I love a bargain. It brings me joy. Yes it may be temporary and shallow, but it's still joy none the less. Shopping has been a way for me to bond with my mom. It was a way for me to bond with my brother (we had a system and a pattern at the mall at one point). It was a way for me to enjoy vacations, relieve stress and escape reality.

My cousins from Ottowa Canada are here at my parent's house visiting for two weeks. My cousin Jay is a big shopper. My mom and I have tamed over the years, but every now and then the beast gets awakened. Jay has woken that beast. We came home today with bags of stuff (I don't know what really, just a lot of it) and tomorrow we hit the outlet mall in Tulalip. I'll probably let my cousin and her family do the lions share of shopping since my bank account has not adjusted to my addiction.

It's been fun for a couple days, but this shopping spree has a very short shelf life. At least it was fun while it lasted.