100 in the New Year!!

I knew I picked my nick for a reason. In what must be the slowest century in the history of bloglandia, I've hit my hundredth post after 4 years. Not being one for milestones, I didnt think that I would make a separate post out of it. But, sheer lack of inspiration and a compulsion to post something in January has me logged into the dashboard this evening.

Not much has been happening over the past few days. The sheer commercialism of the trailing months of the year always hits me hard and I have to expend enormous amounts of self-control not to give into the retail glut fest occurring all around me. I have slowly been converting myself to online shopping and that hasnt helped at all, since now instead of a single store I have multitudes available literally under my finger tips.

So far, today, I have convinced myself that I did not need a new flat-iron and have to repeat the mantra several times a day that I DO NOT NEED new boots. Every night, I go to bed thrilled with the amount of money I've saved due to sheer impulse control.

I also apply a trick I read on a fashion blog- basically put the item in your cart but sleep on it. If you are still thinking about it a few days later, then buy it since it's obvious that you are going to love the item. I have been religiously following this philosophy, but there's always a spanner in the works somewhere.

I didnt account for high-end items that suddenly become available at prices too good to be true. Of course they sold out in minutes, forget waiting an entire day for them. The ones that got away were the bag and the pair of shoes alongside and I have been scouring ebay hoping they popup sometime. Someone please tell me how ugly they are and how I should not lose sleep over having them in my closet. Please.

Anyway, my experience is that the retail mania slips away over the next few months so I should be more rational and less sale-finger happy in the next post. Which brings me to the question- do you shop online? If so, do you budget your spending or use tricks like the one above? And if items do get away, what do you do- hunt relentlessly for them or count it as money well saved?

Otherwise, we have been having lovely weather for January, this weekend was a warm and toasty 35F. B celebrated by whipping up these delicious, summery (because we love to live in denial) grapefruit juleps from this exhaustive cocktail book.
I thought it was a fitting way to end a post on the new year. And to thank all of you , my readers, for being so encouraging with reading and commenting on this space. I hope to be more regular this year (see how carefully I didnt word it as a resolution). Cheers to you all!


10 comments:

Sraikh said...

Hmm.. I havent shopped online in a while now. I love leaving things in my cart on amazon and checking them later and somehow magically hoping prices have dropped

I havent stepped into a retail store for some time now... I have been reallly proud of that...

and yay on 100th post!

And that book looks yummy..I am going to see whether its availabe in the library and if its good, will order it on half.com. It will be a good book to prop open on a easel on my barcart..

WhatsInAName said...

Heyyyyyyy CP
Congo on the ton and there are people slower than you ;)
And that bag and that boot is outright ugly * crossing my fingers* ;)
Please do post more often. Happy century and wish you many more

Bouncing-Bubble said...

Miss Papaya..congrats on hitting 100 :) and wish u many many more.. and seriously, the bag doesn't look great to me.. but the shoes? sigh!
i don't shop online much, only those that aren't available instore i buy online..

samir said...

Congratulations on the century.
I cannot say much about the beauty of the bag & the shoes; but as a good citizen of the world economy you should always spend (to pull it out its funk.) (LOL)
I have not tried any of your online buying tricks, although I (and mostly my family) shop for many things online.
My favorite is of course Wine (including wine futures), books, airline/Hotel vacation bookings; and of course education (for my children).

couchpapaya said...

Sraikh - Oh you are my thrifting and fitness guru! The thrift stores around here were pretty picked over these past few months, I have to figure out some of the wealthier suburbs to go to. Also, somehow I managed to find a consignment store for designer wear. Drool!! Most items cost more than I would pay for new but they are so pretty. Must. Stop. Shopping. Online/Window doesnt matter :( As for the book, it does have some pretty pics (for display purposes), but we love the recipes. Most of them have been winners so far.

WIAN - Heh, thanks. I just realised I counted wrong, it's actually 5 years since I started this blog. I defy anyone to beat that!!

Smita said...

Congrats for the century dear :) May you post more often :)

My online shopping is thankfully limited to Books only and that alone has shock value :D but honestly speaking I don't like buying this stuff online!!! Bags I need to see and footwear am sure wud never fit me :D btw did u realise that u r behaving like Becky??? hehehehe!!!

I have been controlling my shopping spree but am sure that any day my patience will run short and u wud find me in a mall buried under my shopping ;-)

couchpapaya said...

Bubbles - Thanks! I love anything tie-dye so have been admiring that bag for over a year and a half now. It was too expensive for me, and suddenly the price reduced. Then I asked some people and got the same response, no one else liked it too much so I thought I was weird. But, it was sold out within an hour of going on sale. That means people did find it attractive and now I want it again :( But, if I had to pick one it would definitely be the shoes. I dont think I can match too many outfits to that blue. Ok will stop the sob story now ....

Samir - Thanks! Must ask your family if you give them the same advice :) Ohh wine shopping online, I have not done it for so long I must do it again. The funny thing is when we were in Utah, we'd look at wine online and moan about how we werent allowed to buy (you cant ship alcohol to Utah) and once we moved out we promptly forgot about it. Such is life. Or my attention span.

couchpapaya said...

Smita - Thank you!! As for the Becky behaviour, I know :( I'm pretty unlucky with clothes shopping online so I never do that, but have yet to be disappointed with any shoes/bags purchase. Probably because I love everything lol. Hey, I thought your resolution was to shop more?? Do so lady, let me live vicariously :) Btw, for me books dont count as things I have to budget for, they're necessities !!!

Ava said...

Congrats ! May your blog go forth and multiply. I wish the technology advances enough to allow you to blog 'direct from thoughts'. Ahem.. n edit too.

I usually shop for books online, and dont buy anything too expensive.

The shoes do look awesome.. sorry ! The bag too.. sorry !

couchpapaya said...

Avdi - Thanks!! As for the direct from thought thing, I dont know, my thoughts are often scrambled and incoherent!! I'm almost reconciled to the loss of those items :(

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