This blog is one of those advice blogs. Not one where you (worried in MN) write me with your problems and I give you advice - but one where I write about my problems and others give me advice. But I just want you to know that this isn't a sympathy blog. I don't expect you to feel sorry for me because of my huge problems. You don't need to get me a card or anything. I am just looking for advice. And besides, most likely you suffer from the same problems. Be assured, there are many of us out there. Or maybe you don't even know about it. Better to find out now and take care of it than to let it compound, like I have. This problem is one that I have been suffering from for about 6 years or so. I don't remember the first time it happened. And although I have always been aware of it, until now I have never thought about searching for a solution.
I think it is a problem that affects many college age students as well as recent graduates. When I go grocery shopping, I follow a simple shopping pattern and, over the years, it has become a habit. I walk up and down every single food aisle in the store. I look at every different product. If something looks good I buy it. The problem isn't with the food, it's with other shoppers who do the same thing. So maybe I'm in Costco and there are 20 aisles for me to go through. I am going through each one. Back and forth, while some other person does the same thing. Except...they are going the opposite direction. This means that I have to pass them one time for every aisle. Big deal. But if there only happen to be a few people in the entire store then I am sure you can see how this is weird. I know what you're thinking. Just say "hi" and you have a new friend, yaaay! Well it doesn't always work like that. Sometimes you say "hi" and they just glare at you like you're retarded. And then the problem enters the second stage. You have to walk by them again in about 60 seconds and then again until you have both covered every aisle in the stupid store. Do you greet them again as a way to show that their badassness didn't faze you? That would of course be my advice to someone who has the same problem. But easier said than done. All I know is that fleeing the aisle ranks or reversing course is shopping treason for all I'm concerned. Do you stare at some product and pretend that you are adding up the carbs as they pass by again? And again? And again? And what about cuddly couples? They always appear to feel obligated to break their embrace and get back to shopping. And I always feel like I'm crashing someone's party. Oh, here's Mark again...
So other than the options I've already discussed, I can only think of one more really. And that's not saying anything at all. Of course, walking by someone 20 times in a store, making eye contact, and then looking away without saying anything also seems rude. So...avoid eye contact? That's how I lived for the first 19 years of my life and it sucked.
So, for those of you suffering from this same problem, please feel free to post your thoughts. You can remain anonymous if you wish.
Unless of course there is some universal walking direction that everyone already knows and I have been walking the wrong way all my life (that may explain a lot of things). If that's the case, I'll feel pretty stupid. It would explain the occasional odd looks I get. And my friends would be huge jerks.
3 comments:
Sorry man, I'm the type that knows exactly what to get, then I only go down the relevant isles.
Your system would ruin me - I'd get way too much stuff, therefore making me poor. I'd also buy way too much junkfood, making me fat.
So its easiest for me to have a pre-thought-out plan of attack.
Mark, you make some excellent points. However, I like to be less organized in my shopping. I hit every aisle, but in random order. Thus, although the problem may occur a few times in one shopping experience, it prevents a great deal of akwardness. Since I enter the store with this in my mind, I think others can see it in my eyes: "oh, this is the kind of guy who isn't bound by aisle numbers." I think this is the best situation, although if you do do numerical aisle progression, and what you're talking about happens, you're kinda screwed.
Chris, you just gave me a great idea. I could go every other aisle, and then on the way back, hit the ones i skipped. And if i see someone everytime we are probably meant for eachother...or someone is trying to kill me.
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