Is buying a book = shopping?

*smirking*

SOME FRIENDS of mine began to ask, “Anita, what did you buy this week? How’s the 365 Days Without Shopping going?”

Friends, proudly telling, Anita did NOT buy anything this (past) week the last stuff she bought was a Swatch (for her daddy) at the Schipol airport — it was on Sunday before she waved the Netherlands goodbye (yep, duty free ).

I did NOT buy anything this week, for real! Well, or almost for real. I bought two comic books on Thursday, tho.

And that, leads me to my very important question: is buying [comic] books shopping?

My editor advised me to firstly define: shopping. She said it is better to not go so harsh toward myself, I should still appreciate myself and the works I’ve done. I am still allowed to reward myself with something fancy (as long as not a weekly reward!).

“Also, make some plans on how many times you could go to cinema or having pricey dinner-outs with friends, things like that,” she added.

Hum, undecided, YET.

I want to go very very strict with this resolution, really. But well, of course I cannot skip movies, concerts, CDs, books, DVDs, good food. Well, okay, I better set some definitions and shopping-diet lists by now.

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Five days prior “365 Days without Shopping”

/sighing

One of my biggest resolutions this year (after celebrating my 27th birthday to be exact) is to really STOP shopping for 365 days, yep, a total year! No, I am not crazy or being impossible.

Although I should say, just like you, some of my friends think that this notion is simply too ambitious — recalling my records on how I couldn’t control my desires to shop and shop and shop till drop. Some even commenting that I should not have treated myself too hard on this.

I listened to and thanked them so much for their supports however, I have another idea on how this resolution of mine will be accomplished. I have a confidence that I will not shop for 360 and 5 days! Honestly, I am tired of spending half of my salary every month just three days after I actually receive it (yeah, for real!).

So, after reading Reh Atemalem’s blog about her diet, which is very very inspiring (were you inspired by Julie and Julia Re?), I decided to make the same blog. Of course, not about diet, but about “shopping diet.”

I have promised myself that I will start my shopping diet when I get back home, next Monday. At the moment I am still in the Netherlands, and I should admit that it is very very hard to not shop once you hit Amsterdam the last two stuff I bought from H & M were: a beach hat and a beach wear I bought them last week for a good deal: like… 8 euro for each? CHEAPY right?! *see the pic on the left side!

But well… if I should list stuff I have bought during my three-weeks visit to the Netherlands (now is the last week and am planning to shop again this Saturday), I am afraid I have spent too much?

I have bought Van Gogh’s The Bedroom (replica), Van Gogh’s book and pen from the Museum, Rembrandt’s bag, ethnic bag, two leather bags (brown and black), a cute grey bag (wait are they FIVE bags already? F!), two sweaters, one trousers, one skirt, a cute fedora hat, two orange hats for the Queen’s Day (damn! why did I buy two of them?!), headband, a coat and… I dunno what else? A book from Louvre and many many postcards of course (for myself).

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