The other day Paige went berserk when she had to rummage through 5 Provo stores to locate advent calendars. I felt her pain since I frequently end up on a goose chase. But all this practice has given me an odd sense of mission: If I need a certain brand, a special size or a specific color, I've become adept at detective work in retailing!
As a consumer I can be relentless. I will search high and low until I find the exact widget!
This special skill set comes at a price! While the end result is awesome, the process can be incredibly maddening!
Sometimes I refuse to settle for anything but the exact thing, no variations acceptable! If I am looking for "it" (imagine any host of possible wants/needs) and I find "it" but not in the size, the color, or the style of my preference, I do not like to compromise! I can compromise in a relationship much faster than I will as a consumer! I will call every store in the chain (or the US), search online for hours, pretty much whatever it takes!
Whether this honing skill with shopping is an asset or character flaw is a bit of a conundrum. I generally end up getting what I want. Or, I save money by doing without if I can't get it exactly as I want. And, while those are good things, I can definitely drive myself crazy along the way!
