Shopaholics Everywhere

We are in a recession, a bad one. Who doesn't know that by now? The Man of the House is a CPA. He specializes in the construction industry. He works for a large contracting company and deals with projects all over the east coast. He is seeing the problems with the economy face to face. He is in a "woe is me" mood. He is a wallower. He is stressed out about work, and wants to spend all day wallowing around in it. He has the "it's really bad" head shake down pat. He uses it, watching news reports and listening to the other wallowers.

Until Saturday, I literally hadn't seen him in the daylight since around January 2nd. Every year as soon as we ring in the new year, just like clock work, I am told, "It is tax season and I have to work." And off he goes. He creeps in after bed time, at least I hope that it is him slipping into the bed next to me. He is up and off to work before the rest of us start moving around at 6:15. He took Valentine's Day off to spend time with us and so we did what all girls choose to do on a Saturday, we took him to the mall. #3 needed shorts for Hawaii and #2 needed a dress for Winter Formal. He was in shock at the amount of people there. I guess he expected to have a choice of parking spaces instead of having to wait to even get into the parking lot. When #2 had to wait in line to try on dresses at White House/Black Market, the disbelieving head shakes started. I thought he was going to pop when the dress she chose was full price! Not because she chose THAT one, but because he thinks every store out there should be giving things away. Let me go ahead and apologize to the twenty something blonde who was at the cash register. He really didn't mean it, all of those ugly faces he was making were not really directed at you. It's the economy, it has sucked all of his manners out of him. Out in the mall he counted the shoppers carrying bags as opposed to those that were empty handed. Just so you know, there were more with bags than not (more head shakes).

I tried to explain to him that shopping was therapy and it was good for the economy. Like it was explained in the movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic..... when the world makes us feel bad, we shop to make ourselves feel good. When that good feeling wears off and we start feeling bad again, we go shopping again. There's nothing like a little something new to lift your spirits.

His response: head shakes