Retail Therapy Apologetics

I can recall a conversation with a friend during my college years where she told me about a hard day that she'd had. Somewhere between the topics of boyfriend break-up, dead-end job, and blubbering about her problems to her parents, she mentioned that her dad gave her his credit card and told her to go shopping at Nordies to feel better. (Blair, if you're reading this, that means "Nordstrom". And not "Nordstrom(s)" with an 's' like you always say.) I was baffled, confused, and a smidgen jealous of my friend. I could no more imagine my dad giving me his credit card for a little "retail therapy" than him putting on a too-too and joining a ballet class with me. Since then I've always thought that kind of shopping nonsense was just that...nonsense. Until recently.

Today I experienced the science of retail therapy. I was having a little bit of a crummy day. A combination of my stomach feeling like my ovaries were eating my intestines, a near overdose on Tylenol, and my mind turning to mush after a few hours of mindless television. And so, at six o'clock I decided to hop in the car and do a little retail therapy. One hour later, I returned home with four bamboo placemats, four lime green cloth napkins from World Market for $9, and new eyeshadow that was on sale for half off. Although it wasn't my Daddy's bank account that took the hit, I'm feeling neither guilty nor snobbish and much much more chipper. I've contributed to the betterment of the current economy by spending a bit of my hard earned dough and my guests for dinner this Sunday will surely enjoy wiping their mouths with
poka dots rather than scratchy paper napkins.

And so retail therapy works, my friends. Provided that:
a) you buy something so cheap that you don't feel guilty about the splurge
b) it's not food and
c) it makes you or your house feel prettier

So go out a find a good deal. Throw some more money into our broken economy and experience your own delight from a little retail therapy.