Why I may never get my Girl Card

I *heart* it, naturally. I picked it out, but it was a birthday gift from Dad. The one I finally chose is a dark brown bomber jacket with a mouton collar, made by a fantastic outerwear maker out of San Francisco called Golden Bear. I've seen their things at Nordstrom. The one I got feels like it will be with me for a lifetime.

(Now, I will not tell you where I got it, but I will say that I found a really good deal on the jacket and that I would not have paid the full retail price for a jacket, even though I wasn't really paying for it.)

This brings up my motto in life: Get the Good One. It's really easy to find things that are not made very well, and these things are not always cheap, per se. However, if you're willing to go the extra mile in shopping, you won't have to replace the item as often; plus, the item is less likely to give you trouble.

Believe me, I'm not looking to pay more for whatever it is. I'd rather be able to get quality stuff at a reasonable price, but there *is* a difference between The Good One and The Easy One. You learn to look at things like linings, fastenings, paint jobs. Is the base material of a good quality, or is it going to fall apart after a year because it's made of particle board?

There are some things in which quality isn't quite as important--snack food, for instance. In food, your own personal preference is much more important than quality. (You might prefer Chips Ahoy to homemade chocolate chip cookies, and I did profess to like Big Red, didn't I?)

Personal preference is another important factor, because you're not going to use an item that you don't like. However, I will still try to buy things that last because here's my dirty little secret: I hate to shop. I'd be just as happy if I never had to enter a shopping mall. I like to look at things, but I hate to compare them. Shopping smart takes time and energy; it is not fun, in my opinion.

I suppose that what I mean is that shopping is not fun for the impatient or particular. I like having things, but I keep wishing things would just magically appear on my doorstep--even better, in the place in my house where they belong.

As long as I'm dreaming, may as well dream big.

before - after