Thrift Shopping 101

No, this isn't going to be a difficult course, take note of the number, but please pay attention. Thrift shopping is a broke girls retail therapy. It's relatively cheap, mostly accessible and easy, if you follow some basic rules. So here goes:(in no particular order)

1. Go before you go. Most thrift stores don't have public restrooms, enough said?
2. If and whenever possible, leave children, of all ages, at home. There are way too many distractions for the younger ones and the older ones will just get bored. Most importantly, aren't they part of the reason you need therapy in the first place?
3. Follow the flow of traffic-do we need signs? You can accomplish this either way you choose. Starting at the opposite end, the end where there's not already a pack of people, is the one that works best for me-The search aka rack protocol
4. Have a strategy, what are you looking for? It might be best to head to that section first. Stopping in the middle of a packed aisle because something caught your eye causes a traffic jam and basically pisses people off.
5. Go early if you can. Cashiers are likely to be more friendly and plentiful at the beginning of the day than towards the end.
6. Remember where you are. There are no sales clerks to offer assistance nor to tell you if something looks good. Frankly, they might not know and definitely don't care-no commissions here.
7. Keep track of what you are spending. A no brainer right? Having to put something back at a thrift store? And it just adds to the stress you're trying to reduce to begin with.
8. Know the policies. Returns or exchanges-yes, there is a difference.

OK, there are other key points, like knowing whether or not there is a dressing room...if I can't find the size I usually don't buy. Dry clean only, stays right where it is, the cost of dry cleaning tends to be more than whatever it is you are buying, make sense?
With practice your therapy session should go smoothly, making everyone a bit calmer, and eliminating the need for a what's up piece!

Neighborhood Watch

Perhaps in this section of the urban jungle they should be called the Porch Patrol. All day, all night, every day. Sitting in front of their rented space, watching-what? No one says, then again no one has asked. Holding court? Maybe I don't really want to know. Thing is, as far as I can tell, no one works. This has become their employment-an obligation of sorts, keeping tabs on all the activity in the neighborhood. Nice concept, I guess. It just doesn't seem to be doing anything useful anyway.
This past weekend there was a string of car break ins, mine included. Punch out the lock, rummage through, grab whatever they thought might be worth something. So where were those gathered on the porch? Were they watching then, in the wee hours of morning? No. I had to make the discovery of the violation later, a hole where my driver side lock should have been. Contents of the glove compartment tossed about. Needless to say I was just a bit angry. After all I had just become the victim of a crime. And the police never even came out. All handled by phone. Something new, convenient? Who was suppose to catch these vandals? Pay for my new lock? Something-anything!
Calmer now, days later, they are still out there-holding court in their own private kingdom. Did I really expect them to notice who could have done this? Of course not, not really. At least they did know I hadn't been singled out. Something I guess.
So our neighborhood watch continues to do as they will always do, keeping watch and saying nothing of any real importance.
What's up?