Friday, November 04, 2005

How do they do it? An intergalactic mystery


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Originally uploaded by agfanclub.
I like to shop. I don't mind admitting that and, I'm sure to many people anyway, this is hardly a revelation.

But tomorrow I'm heading out early to the IKEA store at Shaumburg here in Illinois - and I am freaking out.

Word has it that the store extends over about 4 floors. My head aches at the idea of it. How do people shop there and not combust?

I have my special list of absolute 'must-haves'. For instance, I know I want a bed and mattress; bedside table; and a chest of drawers. If I don't get those things by tomorrow afternoon, my new room is going to look rather spartan indeed.

I've been on the website, I've perused the store's online range. But I also know that there are MILLIONS of extra items that the website doesn't feature. And faced with multi-storey temptation, I have no idea how I'm going to get through it.

I am assured that there is a cafe somewhere onsite, so I can always stop and mentally re-group. But I just have to be disciplined. No straying from my task, and no leapfrogging over my budget.

Fortunately my work chum is coming with me, and she knows that I'm mentally fraying at the edges at the thought of tomorrow's shopping trip. A seasoned but sensible shopper herself, Melissa has promised to keep me sane (or sedated) for the whole day. And the extra bonus is that she has even offered to help set up whatever furniture I buy.

So I suppose it all sounds rather promising, doesn't it? Time will tell. If my next post comes from a correctional facility or a mental institution, you know that things have not gone to plan.

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