Tuesday, January 17, 2006

shopping

i don't exactly enjoy shopping.

just because i'm a woman doesn't mean i have to enjoy shopping ok. it's especially frustrating when i've got a pretty good idea what i want to bring home after a walk round the ol' shopping mall, and i return empty-handed.

also, because i don't look like kate moss, it's terrible being in the changing room trying on outfit after outfit and finding out that nothing looks nice on me because the cutting at the shoulders is too small (malaysia is hell for broad-shouldered women), the perfect jeans are cut so low that my less-than-discreet tummy bulge looks even more indiscreet, or the last pair of killer heels i found at bargain price is one size too small.

other than that, i don't like spending more than 3 hours shopping, a sentiment i share with my sister.

going shopping with her is the best.

we hop into the mall at 1030am, 1100am at the latest, while the air is still stale and the air-conditioners have only just started cranking up. we work the shops, going into each one systematically, only picking out the items we need, try them out, show them to each other, and leave once we're done.

the only disadvantage of shopping this way instead of taking our time to browse through everything other than the discount racks (i'm thrifty) is that every shopping trip either yields enough clothes and accessories for the rest of the year, or absolutely nothing. zilch. nada.

it's even worse when shopping for presents.

first of all, i'm a weird person who feels that the better i know someone, the harder it is to shop for them. it should be easier right? well, no it isn't.

for example, my friend lili loves ducks. so most of the stuff i've gotten her are duck-related. however, i get stressed about what kind of ducks she likes, whether she'll actually use that duck-related item, if the duck is a rational gift to give, the possibility she might not want something duck-related, etc.

secondly, i prefer giving gifts that are either unusual or very useful. in the past i have given friends shower caps, toothbrush holders, wooden bookmarks with their names carved on them (love those, can't find them anymore)...all of which took alot of time and energy to find.

it's a pain to shop!

...

having said that, i went shopping for gifts with some friends today. we spent 4 hours at the mall and only bought pressies for two people, and a pair of shoes. i didn't manage to get anything for myself at all.

we left the mall with wallets considerably lighter and feet considerably more painful.

but it was the most enjoyable shopping trip i've had in a long long time!

*note: exams are over! i have a two-month break! woohoo!

lishun at 9:57 AM

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