On Sunday things began to heat up at my house.  The humidity is getting higher along with the already high temperatures and my swamp cooler was getting bogged down.  It looked like what people told me (swamp cooler only good until end of June) was true.  Still, I was not ready yet to switch my ventilation from swamp cooler to AC.  I decided to hold out another day or so and see what happened.

At 87 degrees and 50% humidity in my house I decided to find a cool place to go to.  I googled “Indoor Malls” and found one at Cactus Ave. and Tatum Blvd.  I jumped in my car and was on my way.

As you might ascertain by my need to do an internet search, I don’t frequent malls or shopping centers.  As I walked through the mall, I remembered a time when I did go shopping and had “important” things to buy.  While I appreciated the beautiful things the whole idea of buying seemed almost foreign to me.  I had no desire.

I left the mall and noticed a Dollar Store across the street.  Just this week I had seen a video about how to mount posters on foam board purchased from the Dollar Store.  I expected the “Book Signing” poster I ordered to come later this week and I was in need of some foam board.  I made a line to the store.

Immediately as I entered the store I found myself in front of a large display of glow sticks and wands.  I saw that packs of 5 bracelets were $1.  As I was wanting to have things to give away at my book signings I considered the possibility.  Then I noticed they had tubes of 15 bracelets for the same price.  This seemed odd.  I engaged the clerk and we marveled at the price.  What a good deal!  I couldn’t decide how many to get, so I postponed my decision while I walked around the store shopping.

Then my introspective awareness kicked in and I began to think it through.  I seem to have a thing for things that light up in the dark.  You would not believe how many times I’ve been tempted by glow sticks and had to go through this same process.

First, I know nothing about how they are made, but they are plastic with some chemical inside.  Their manufacturing cannot be good for the environment.  Second, they only last one night and then there is a plastic coated chemical waste to dispose of.  That cannot be good for the environment.  Third, the fact that they would bring me pleasure is not even true.  I don’t even get pleasure out of things like that anymore.  I just think I might – and even that thought is just a weak fleeting idea.

When I got to the register the clerk questioned my lack of glow sticks.  I explained that I thought it through and decided purchasing them didn’t line up with my values.  I didn’t mention that I had to resist the temptation to get the glow in the dark snake that expands to 600 times it’s size when put in water or the pack of five glow in the dark lizards.  Nor did I mention how I wasn’t buying for “a friend”, the lovely pig dog toy that oinked just like a pig when squeezed.

It is amazing to me how strong the temptation to purchase glowy things is.  The voice that says it will make me happy and it is so inexpensive is very strong!  I feel like an adult inside of me is denying a child.  Yet, all I have to do is remember what it was like to throw away (or give to the thrift store) the last impulse buy and there is no question I don’t want it in my life.

Now, I don’t want you to think that my whole life is no fun.  I did purchase a new toothbrush to replace my old tired one.  And it smiles all the time!

I got a three pack for $1 while the old one (a fancy replacement head for an electric toothbrush that broke) was more like $18.  I am especially excited that the old one and the new one are self standing!

And, I still might go back for the snake…  it might be a good companion to my dinosaur.  (Purchased the last time I went to the dollar store.)