I'm Not a Guy

Shalom,

I hate shopping. I really really hate shopping.

Here are some reasons:

1) I seldom buy things. Thus "going shopping" is actually me standing still while others look at things.

2) Even when I buy things, I never like to take more than 10 minutes. Once I went shoe shopping and I made a decision AND purchased in 7 minutes. Ha-Cha!

3) When I am browsing, I get mad at myself for shopping. Its a vicious cycle like that.

4) I don't like being surrounded by consumerism. Does that make me a dumb hippy? Dang.

5) I don't really even like spending money. And when I do want to spend money, I somehow never have enough! What's up wit dat?!

Today I went to the St. Laurent street fair (La Frenesie de La Main!) and perused the boulevard. For me, the excitement of the street fair (La Frenesie!) is just the very concept of it. I love the fact that a major city can shut down a street it openly admits is the main street just because...well, its summer! I love walking through the throngs of people, the hordes of excited consumers. I love the little special things that come out, like mango-on-a-stick, like funky indie t-shirt vendors, like a beach volleyball tournament in a converted parking lot, like the oddly Being John Malkovitch-like puppet show (it was eerily cool). I don't purchase things, I just walk, observe, experience...I breathe deep and just take it all in.

I was with others though. We started at Mont-Royal and strolled down at a leisurely pace. As more and more stores crowded the sidewalk the pace slowed. By Avenue Des Pins I had lost all my patience.

I don't want to sound like a "guy", but I can't stand the act of shopping. Actually, I think its becoming quite trendy for guys to enjoy shopping. Whether it be for some bootylicious bling, or for the sheer metrosexual fun of it, shopping seems to be the in thing across the gender spectrum.

And, as I often find myself, I am not on that damned gender spectrum.