Shopping blues

I hate shopping.

Things I would rather do than shop include clean my apartment, go

to the dentist and file my taxes.

That’s why you will definitely not find me at any shopping mall

today, the busiest shopping day of the year.

No, instead, I will be carrying on my usual holiday tradition of

waiting until the very last minute to do my holiday shopping --

Christmas eve.

Knowing I only have one day to pick out the perfect Christmas

presents for friends and family should fill me with a sense of dread.

But such a strict time limit gets my adrenalin pumping, which

comes in handy as I try to outmaneuver all the other procrastinators

to try and find a prime parking space. Since I know I only have few

hours before Christmas Eve dinner, I have to be strategic and limit

my time in each store.

No lollygagging to ooh and aah at the holiday window decorations.

No time to lounge around sipping a hot chocolate. I am on a mission.

My favorite places to shop are bookstores where I can stock up on

multiple presents without having to worry what size they are and if

they will fit the recipient. No matter if my mother requested a

sweater. I’m sure she’ll be just as happy with a few CDs.

I’m not exactly sure where my loathing of shopping came from. I

think it started when I was a kid and hated trying on clothes. It

just seemed like such a waste of time to try on five different things

when only one usually ended up fitting.

Even now, that resistance to trying on clothes remains so I end up

buying something that I think will fit and sometimes have to return

later.

I also hate buying clothes in July that you can’t wear until

November because by the time November rolls around, I’m just not so

excited about my purchases anymore.

I usually don’t even go shopping unless I absolutely have to. I

still have a worn-out pair of jeans that I wore in college, and that

was over a decade ago, just because I’m too lazy to buy another pair.

I know I should think of shopping as an enjoyable, cardiovascular

activity especially with the beautiful malls in the Newport-Mesa

area...maybe after football season is over.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.