Thursday, May 15, 2008

It's Platonic

Meaning, of course, in the spirit of Plato. American application: consumption.

I don't like to shop. I don't like to buy things, to spend money, to have lots to choose from. (Though I enjoy going shopping, if I'm just going to look; retail therapy is a different process.) I used to get mad at our marketing guy for describing products as 'Perfect for [everybody]... ideal for [every purpose].' Even so, something deep inside still believes that such things exist. That if I keep looking I can find the one thing I could buy and it would always be exactly right, so right that I would not need to buy more. Among my life purposes - not major ones, but minor ones - are quests for:

... The perfect pair of sandals. I once owned a pair and managed to make them last almost 10 years, but eventually they fell to pieces. I've never been able to find their replacement: the sandals that look great on me, are super comfortable, go with everything, never wear out.

... the jeans of my dreams. Requirements, ditto.

... The ultimate purse/bag/satchel/tote, one that's the right size and just right for every occasion. Yeah, right. I keep forgetting we live in a fallen world. [Such things may exist in fiction, of course, especially fantasy: Hermione Granger picked up the perfect bag in book 7.]

What about you? What is your quest?

3 comments:

Megan Noel said...

i am still looking for the perfect chocolate. sometimes i find it, but then i eat it and have to start over. next you come out we should take mom on the chocolate factory tour. (the essential chocolate company in fremont.) it comes with samples!

Barb said...

The perfect floor cleaning system - mop, bucket, vacuum, swiffer wet jet...none satisfy me. I know it's really a matter of rolling up my sleeves and breaking a sweat but I just never see clean floors, at least not as clean as I desire and then in a few hours there muddied. Never satisfied and I think I never will be

Marti said...

Meg - too funny! We'll have to continue that quest for the perfect chocolate. Mom and Jennie are both amazed I still have some mint Frangos left from my Christmas stash, but it's because I'd hate to see my most-perfect chocolate collection completely gone. So I eat just one at a time.

B - perfect, clean floors? With kids at home? Well, I suppose you can try enlisting them to be part of the solution instead of the problem but that probably means lowering your standards, huh?

I'm feeling better about my quest for perfect sandals... as summer weather begins, I remember that except when traveling overseas and/or being outside a lot, I really don't like the whole bare-leg, sandal thing. 'Round here, summer means air conditioning, and I am always cold! So, perhaps I will stop looking at shoe ads and be satisfied with my not-so-summery wardrobe.