Shopping and Dropping

Impulse buys. 

We all have them.

I had one the other day.  I’m getting into John LeCarre novels lately, and there’s one with a great cover illustration at Barnes & Noble that I’ve had my eye on for a while (my major gives me full license to judge books by their cover, and I'm loving the graphic style that Matt Taylor brought to the series).  Every time I walked by it, flipped through the pages, thumbed that coveted cover, I would rationalize my way out of buying it.

…I could get it at the library if I’m so keen to read it…

…If I love the cover so much I can just google it and print it out…

…There are other things, more important uses for $15…

Why did I cave this week?

Let’s just say I had a bad day.  Something I was gunning for fell through, throwing off my schedule and my mood in a major way. 

What to do?

I didn’t want to drown my sorrow in food that I’d have to run off later. 

I didn’t have time to go to the gym and work out the frustration.

I had twenty minutes to kill before picking up B. from class and as the car was coming up on Barnes,  on an impulse I turned into the parking lot. 

The next thing I knew I was back in the parking lot on page 4.

B. was tickled to see I had “actually bought something” for myself. 

Every once in a while, she’ll get a little something for herself after payday as a treat, but I, the pathological sourpuss, won’t bite on such occasions.  She buys on positive impulses – when she’s in a good mood.  Normal, right? 

But when I’m off work, blissfully enjoying my weekend, my wallet seems to clam up. When I’m feeling great, I want to go swim or hike or do something that usually doesn’t require much cash.  The  proper impetus to crack open my bank account seems to be a really sour mood. 

Why am I this way?   

Is it a guy thing?  Maybe dudes are more prone to buy when we’re feeling low, and women shop more when they’re loving life:

Women shop until they drop.

Men shop because they drop.

Maybe…

I’m keeping the book, regardless.

What was your last impulse buy?

What did you get?  Why did you get it?

S