Not A Post About Nothing

**Warning: Actual post with actual real life stuff.  Feel free to skip, it's pretty short anyway.

I’ve been going through an existential crisis lately.  (I don't like the term Quarter-life crisis (QLC), but I guess that's kind of what it is.) What do I really want to be when I grow up? Should I look for a new job now? How and when am I going to travel? Will I get better at yoga? I hate school debt!  I kind of got pulled into the American idea of a life path.  Finish high school--go to college--get a job.  I never really took the time to figure out what my passion is (I still don't know, but I've been working on trying new things!(I guess it's more baking than anything, though. (Now I want cupcakes.)))


I’m slowly figuring things out. I’ve been reading blogs like The Simple Dollar, Stratejoy, and I’ve just found another one called Zen Habits (linked by @doniree on the twitter). And like any of the other blogs I read and comment on regularly, I take from them what works for me and my life and apply them.  Sometimes it's a way to save money or a homemade gift or new recipe, sometimes it's shoes.

There are times when I read other blogs and I think “I want that. Why not me?” . It’s easy to forget that I’m just reading snippets of someone else’s life, not what necessarily goes into a normal day for them. That's what Molly posted about on Stratejoy yesterday.  I think it's a good thing to keep in mind.

Life Lessons: Mall Edition

Here are some things that I have learned whilst shopping at the ginormous mall in my area.  I'm mostly sure that these don't only apply to me, but to you as well.

1. The thing you just bought on Saturday will be on sale for a lot cheaper come Monday.  (This means YOU Bath & Body Works.  Scent Bugs for HALF THE PRICE I JUST PAID....jerks...Of course, it could just be an online deal...then you'd have to pay for shipping.  So really, I don't think they're jerks and my room smells like heaven and puppies and clean sheets and I love Bath & Body Works.)

 

2.  You won't be able to find the boots/shirt/dress you want/need when you're actually looking for it--it took me like a year to find brown flat calf-high boots that I'm in love with (thanks, Kimmie K)

 

3.  You can divide the cost of something (shoes, DVDs, etc) by the number of times that you use it and you get it's real value.  I'm pretty sure my iPod owes me money by now.

 

4.  Never EVER make eye contact with the people working at the kiosks.  They just want to massage your hands, straighten your hair, or sell you a super stretchy leash for the dog you don't have.  And they always have an accent--it's to get you into your trap.  Just say "No, thank you" and high-tail it outta there, otherwise they'll follow you with those cell phone covers.

 

5. People walk slower on the weekends. True story.  I forgot how annoyed I get with slow walkers.  And is it necessary for you to roam left to right as you're walking so I can't pass you?  I think not...people need to be more considerate.

 

6. Mall shopping will make you miss the simplicity that is Target.  Target has it all.  I go to Target that's 15 minutes away waaayyy more than I go to the mall that's 3 minutes away.  Unless I'm just looking for clothes or shoes.  (PS... Am I the only one that can't spend less than $25 at Target in any given trip?)

7.  You can find awesome stuff on clearance if you have the patience to look.  Just try to go during the workweek or else the racks will be a mess and you'll want to punch the teeny-boppers that are in your store in the face.  And usually they frown upon that in public.