My Real Life

We all have them.   

You know it’s bad for you, but you just can’t help yourself.

That one thing that is your total weakness.  No matter how in control you are, it is the one thing that causes you to lose control.

Are you thinking about yours?

Well, today, I gave into mine.

I went…

to Target.

Oh, Target, how I love thee.

The most interesting thing about my addiction to Target is that I really hate shopping.  I mean, really hate shopping.  I’ll do just about anything not to have to go shopping.  Malls, ick.  Department stores, ick.

But Target?  Yum…

There isn’t a single thing in Target that I don’t want to buy.  I could rationalize the need to buy every single thing on the shelves in that store.  Can I get an Amen?

I actually haven’t been to Target in months and months.

This was a conscious decision.  

Yet, last night at Dinner and Sports Night, my friend, Sharon, had her twin boys in their jammies and they were wearing these cute coats.  She told me that she bought them at Target for $7 each.  Then, we talked about Target in general and found that we share this addiction.

Maybe we should start a recovery program.

Ever since my conversation with Sharon, last night, I’ve been thinking about Target.  It’s been calling to me.

“Amy…” it whispers.  “I miss you…you’ve been neglecting me…come shop!”

So, today I gave in.

I had a reason…I needed to buy a birthday gift, so I went with a goal in mind.  Because, if you don’t have a shopping goal, you’ll be tempted to buy everything.  And that would be bad.

So, after piano lessons this morning, Monkey Girl and I got in the van and headed to Target.

It was like seeing an old friend after a long absence.  So familiar, so comfortable.

Monkey Girl and I were really in control.  We went right back to the toys and found the gift and put it in the cart.

But, you see, the toy department is in the back of the store, and now we have to walk back up toward the register.

And pass things.

Things that were calling me.

So, then I remembered that I had promised to get Monkey Girl a new stylus for her Nintendo DS because hers got lost in Real Man’s truck and we can’t find it.

The DS accessories were right across the aisle from the Wii games.  I’ve been reading up on Wii Fit Plus, and oh, guess what?  It was right there.

Then I remembered that I am hosting the holiday party for my team (about 30+ people) at work and I was in charge of the paper products.  So, I picked those up.

While walking to the greeting cards to buy the birthday card, we passed the art stuff.  Monkey Girl has filled up her sketch pad, so I thought she needed a new one.  She thought she needed two, one for home and one for school.  Ooh, and I saw some neat art pens that would be great for her to draw with.

But, then, we were passing the books and there was a cute Phineas and Ferb Christmas book, which I just knew the boys would love.  Oh, and in the same aisle were some PC games and Monkey Girl was eyeing up a typing game.  It’s educational.

On the endcap of that aisle were cheap, cheap movies and there was a Veggie Tales Christmas movie…they’ve got good morals and the kids love them.

The boys section had cute bathrobes and Monkey in the Middle has outgrown his, as has Monkey Girl, so I found two cute robes for them.

Monkey in the Middle has also outgrown his footie pajamas and NO ONE has footie pajamas like Target.

I knew I had to leave.  I knew I had to break the spell and get out of there immediately.

And I almost did.

I was almost free.

But as I walked to the checkout counters, it kept calling me back.

“Amy…I saw you looking at them.  You know you want them.  You have to have them.  You won’t be happy unless you buy them.”

I fought it.  I did.  I fought the good fight.

I lost.