-SIX-

A confession taken at Bar Guernika in Boise, Idaho (the confessor wished to remain anonymous but we can say he is a red-headed shifty-looking type who eats a lot of pretzels when drinking):

I shopped!--(sobs uncontrollably for a couple of minutes and regains composure)--

This makes me a total hypocrite, but I want to be honest about it. I thought I was all high and mighty on the blog talking about how I wouldn't be shopping no matter what the circumstances were. I even referred to those who do fall for this commercial crap "shopping fools". Let me back up a bit.

The day after Thanksgiving I was all about the family togetherness and rejoicing in the many things in this life that bring us joy that are not related to material possessions.

But, THEN!

My cousin Trent and I went to Hollywood video--(begins to sob again, but interviewer belts him)--
OW!
(confessor is urged to get to the point)

OK, so I was doing really well. We were there to rent a movie and my cousin was going to pay and I wouldn't have spent money but then I saw the sale rack. You know they do this just so they can snag people--!
(confessor is again urged to get to the point when the interviewer gets up to leave)
No, wait! Just wait! I'll tell you, OK?
(interviewer sits down)

The sale rack had new DVDs; I have to reiterate this: they were NEW! The deal was that you buy 2 movies for $9.99 a piece and then you get a 3rd for free. I looked at this proclamation with a healthy amount of skepticism thinking they might have one movie I'd want, maybe even two, but not three no way no how!

They had three movies I wanted, I caved like something that caves easily (short on metaphors and analogies today) and my moral high ground was squelched by copies of "This is Spinal Tap", "The Terminator", and "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" in immaculate condition.
(after a lengthy pause where the confessor tries to smoke a cigarette--"taken by the mood", he says--but coughs after the first drag and hurriedly snuffs it out in the ash tray when the interviewer excuses himself to the restroom)

I guess I feel OK, you know? I gave in to commercialism but I didn't have to tell anybody, did I? I could have gone on letting people think that I wasn't one of them, but I am a shopping fool.

I will wait to buy my copy of "Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter" until there is less suffering in the world.

-IT-

I've been watching:

-The Harry and Sam Dialogues (Stage Coach Theatre--Boise-dwellers only...)
-Army of Darkness: Evil Dead 3
-The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
-Kolchak the Night Stalker Double Feature (two pilot films that led to the '70s Darren McGavin series

I've been listening to:

-Lecturing college professors

I've been reading:

-Your Three-Year-Old: Friend or Enemy by Louise Bates Ames, PHD and Frances L. Ilg M.D.
-Toilet Trained for Yale: Adventures is 21st Century Parenting by Ralph Schoenstein