This wasn't as easy as it seemed I assure you. First of all, it's so mundane, that I actually kept forgetting to do it. Then there's the talking to a complete stranger aspect of it... it gives me anxiety just thinking about it!
Anyways, last night I'm paying for my gas (we can talk about how Wall Street and the oil companies are raping us with their gas prices another day) and it strikes me - "I can actually cross something off my list right now!" So, I get 2 lottery tickets. And as I'm walking away from the register, I notice the lady behind me is this sweet middle-aged indian woman, a plain Jane (in the nicest way possible), just another person in the line - the perfect recipient.
So I muster up all my courage (because I know I'm about to look crazy) and I say "This is going to sound crazy... but here, this is for you and I hope you win." She looks at me like I'm crazy - of course... and I walked out... what a rush! I don't know if it was the good deed or the fact that everyone was looking at me like I had 8 eyes, but I felt great! Like, what if she wins!?!? I could've just paid her kids university tuition, or helped out with the household expenses or paid for her daughters wedding! I felt sooooo good.
Before I could drive off though, she ran out of the gas station and up to my car to ask me how she could contact me if she wins. I told her I didn't want her to contact me, I just wanted her to do something good for someone else if she won, and she told me I was the nicest person she ever met... So that felt nice. She got into her mini-van and I noticed the young children inside, and at that point I really truly prayed that she was holding the winning ticket.
Anyways, if she does win... that's amazing... really, really amazing. And I hope that she pays it forward and does something nice for someone else. I can only hope that that small gesture has some type of impact on hers or someone else's life - profound or not, some type of impact would be nice. The idea that I could've started a chain reaction of good deeds and selfless acts really makes me smile. The only thing I regret is... not getting the Extra. I don't even want to think about it. I cheaped out on the extra dollar and could have potentially cost her millions of dollars... Oh how I hope that's not the case! I would hate for my momentary lapse in judgement (a.k.a. my cheap-ness) to result in her missing out on a life-changing event.
Anyways, aside from the personal satisfaction I gained from actually doing it, crossing it off the list is just as satisfying, so here it goes... #3 "Give a lottery ticket to a complete stranger (and don't check the numbers)
'Til next time my little misfits... behave and be safe! xoxo
Thought I forgot about you? Not really... There's been a significant change in my personal life in the last few months which has kept me pretty distracted (in a good way). I wanted to enrich my life with these new experiences, and this new "distraction", while it wasn't on my list, has certainly enriched my life, so I can't beat myself up for not updating the blog. I'm back on the wagon though, so here we go.
#38 - No shopping for 2 months!
You guys should actually be grateful I didn't blog about this real-time because it got pretty ugly at times. From January 6th, 2011 through April 6th, 2011 I DID NOT SHOP! Yup, I exceeded my timeframe and didn't shop for 3 whole months. I limited my expenses to necessary car repairs & maintenance (which included 1 oil change, countless gas refills, 1 tow, 1 tire explosion/replacement, 2 new windshield wipers because the old ones were down to the metal, and the official removal of the belly pan because it half fell off at 120 km/hr on Highway 15 and started sparking up the road), food, alcohol, only necessary toiletries (specifically deoderant, toothpaste, soap and make-up remover - all of which are socially required) and a coffee machine because my old one broke, and if you've ever met me without at least 2 cups of coffee in me, you know why that was a must.
So what did I learn from the experience? Lots. I learned I actually do have self-control - which those closest to me didn't think was possible when it came to shopping. I learned I spend too much money on things I don't need. There is no need for 10 white shirts that all look the same, or 11 pairs of jeans that I barely wear, and do I actually need 8 pairs of black leggings? I learned that my attitude towards shopping (and money for that matter) was "It's my money that I work hard for, so I'll do what I please with it", it was almost an attitude of spite - towards what? I don't know. I do work hard for my money, and I should do what I please with it, but it's also important to be REASONABLE (a word that I would never have combined in the same thought or same sentence as "shopping").
The reality of the matter is that I really do love clothes... and shoes... and make-up... and perfume... and purses and jewelery/accessories, and not shopping at all is unrealistic for me on a go-forward basis. I like to look good, because when I think I look good, I feel better about myself, and when I feel better about myself I'm simply more pleasant to be around - there just have to be limits to my extravanganzas. First of all, every shopping trip doesn't have to be an extravaganza (believe it or not!). Second, I don't need to shop 2 to 3 times a week. And third, I should think about my purchases before actually buying them (like trying stuff on would be a good start, or making sure I'm not buying something for 1 outfit or 1 occasion). All in all, I'm glad I did, but let me tell you, I hit up Zara and H&M first thing Saturday morning and it felt great!
For effect, I tried to create an image of all the tags from the stuff I'd purchased on January 5th (my last shopping day, which was just a regular Wednesday, after all my boxing shopping had been done and after I'd received everything I wanted for Christmas) and an image of the much fewer tags from Saturday's return to the shopping world, but it's not working! So I'll have to work out the kinks and geet back to you on that.
