Monday, April 07, 2008

Dire situation

My little sister and I both got an allowance growing up. It was my parent's way change the Saturday morning mandatory house cleaning from cruel child slavery to a way to teach us the importance of a dollar. My parents are very big on "teaching" moments.

Anyway, after saving our money we'd get to go shopping.

Maggie would go into the store, see something she liked, buy it and walk out happy and fulfilled. She's so lucky.

I, on the hand farthest from that mentality possible, did not. I would take my money, clutch it tightly in my hot sweaty little hand and walk up and down every aisle. I would agonize over every treat, every doll, every game. I never fell head over heels for anything. I always looked at the toy I couldn't get it if I decided to get this dool and lament. Nothing was ever a done deal for me. Even when I left the store with something I was annoyed and disappointed that I coudln't get something else.

This inability to commit to a purchase remained with me as I grew up. I remember my first large clothing purchase (brown suede coat from Nordstrom). My mom went with me and had to practically FORCE me to buy the dumb thing. I was simultaneously thrilled to have the coolest jacket in the whole high school and annoyed that I couldn't get that pair of jeans too.


Now I am met with a serious dilemma. The ear doctor and I NEED to buy a new sofa. It has come to the point where it isn't a frivolous purchase, but a serious requirement if we are going to spend any time at all sitting in our house. We've been looking for months to find a sofa we both like. However, every single one we've seen has left me feeling like I'm going to have to compromise. And, if I'm going to compromise part of me just wants to get some crappy cheap thing that I really don't like and get it over with. How do you people pick something like that and not second guess?!?!?






If you think I'm having a hard time committing to a sofa you should see the internal conflict I'm experiencing over this potential puppy situation. Grrrr

5 comments:

k said...

why don't you pick out a couple that you'd be okay with and the let the ear doctor make the final decision?

i'm sure you'll grow to love it.

Courtney said...

I am the SAME WAY!!! Buying a new comforter or curtains or pretty much ANYthing house related is all but impossible for me. I typically buy and return at least 6 times. Kyle LOVES it. (Not.)

TLA said...

I am having the same dilemma. I am super picky about the way a sofa looks, but I would like it to be comfortable as well. Not an easy task! I live in a small condo, so I dont have the luxury of a more formal "living room" that is for style and a more casual "gathering room" thats warm and comfortable...I have to squish it all into an 11x18 room!

And they are so expensive! Im talking in the $2k range...but it helps me to think of major purchases like this on a per-use basis. If I divide the cost by 10 years. thats $200/year/365 days = $0.55/day to sit on a sofa in my home and be comfortable, so I can live with that.

Im oddly cheap in weird ways. I tend to spend money on things I can justify, things I use a lot or that are higher quality vs quantity. I will spend $ on towels, sheets and the like over hip, trendy outfits, but thats just me.

Im in love with the Petrie sofa from Crate and Barrel right now. Id love to see what you finally decide on!

Holly said...

I used to work For Norwalk The Furniture Idea and you can custom design your sofa there. over 100 frames and 1000 fabrics.. there designing website is www.sofastyler.com

It might be worth a shot.

Katie said...

Tanya,

I love the Petrie too, but I think it's really stiff and I worry it might look kind of 2008 trendy and dated in about 5 years.