Tuesday, August 2, 2011

I Can Resist Everything Except Temptation

Last week, while commenting on a blog, I insinuated that I was showing some restraint regarding the acquisition of new notebooks. Nay, 'twas not so. I just had not been out shopping in a while. When I leave home I spend money, some of it rather foolishly. So, I try to go with a list in my little traveling notebook. You know, the kind that are small, spiral-bound and could fit in a pocket or a purse. Sometimes, I even look at it while shopping. But then, I get side-tracked and the next thing I know something has found its way into my hand basket just when I thought I might get away scot-free. I suppose I should note here that notebooks are my weakness. Okay, okay, One of my weaknesses.

A few days ago, I went to check out the new grocery section at the Target store. I was very pleasantly surprised and so I justified my purchases because, well, it was food.  There was just one problem. Those fools put the paper goods section right next to the grocery aisles and there they were, at the end of an aisle where I could not miss them nor walk away without at least taking a look-see at the pretty covers. A gal can look, can't she?

Well, sure enough, three of them hopped in my basket and would not take no for an answer. They rationalized this by being clearly marked as eco-friendly. To wit: "greenroom" was their name, "made with paper containing 60-70% recycled fiber and printed with non-toxic soy-based ink." And only $2.00 each. As the Borg said to Captain Picard (wasn't he the sexiest thing?), "Resistance is futile."  This would not be the first time that statement has ricocheted through my feverish, infiltrated mind. Russell Wright dinnerware may or may not play a role here.

Anyway, a few minutes later I'm at the checkout and happy as can be with my little basket of temptations. Food and notebooks. Life's essentials.



 "I can resist everything except temptation."
~ Oscar Wilde, from Lady Windermere's Fan











My borderline bragging concerning restraint occurred at Alan Burnett's newsfromnowhere1948.blogspot.com

28 comments:

  1. But they're so pretty!
    I don't know how it happened but I had forgotten all about The Borg. Go figure.

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  2. Now that's a pretty tame temptation, Teresa. And they are PRETTY! You deserve them, they knew that, so they placed themselves right in your line of sight. Clever of them. :-)

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  3. I love your colors, coat of many, especially on black.
    ! also am tempted by notebooks.
    I am glad I can read your handwriting. I'm not sure about interpreting it but it is kind of sexy and feminine. All I require of handwriting is that it is legible. That's why I prefer typing. So now I collect fonts.
    Thank you for your illuminating blogging!

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  4. Hello Teresa:
    These very pretty, and doubtless useful, little notebooks seem to us to be a very small indulgence and are things which we are sure you will make good use of and which, on balance, are doing little, if anything, to harm either man, woman, or the environment.

    Consider it another way, you are contributing to an economy which is faltering and needs this kind of support.

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  5. Notebooks for me are a useful tool because it keeps me on track to getting just what's on the list in the notebook, or what's got to be done each day...chores...home repairs. I love your notebooks...and I'll have to check it out at Target since mine tend to be the boring solid color type. I can see why you couldn't resist them.

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  6. Notebooks and little boxes! I love them! But mostly notebooks, and not all my notebooks are pretty like yours, Teresa. They are just plain notebooks, and I start writing in them and many will never be full of notes. I have stacks of notebooks here behind me in a bookcase, and it takes me hours to find the things I want. Like the other night I looked for notes about a book by Luis Bunuel, where he wrote about Dali and Picasso and Lorca. And that was your fault, Teresa! LOL! But I found it!
    Cheers to your notebooks!
    Grethe ´)

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  7. Little things like this are important. These are a tool and there is one on the puter table filled with stuff. There was another before that one plus other forms of notes.

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  8. Your notebooks are so pretty. Makes me feel like running over to Target. With such attractive covers, maybe I would get to work on my writing!

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  9. LINDA, yes,, pretty they are. Irresistible.

    Never forget the Borg. :)



    DJAN, Weren't they clever? They knew I was on my way.... and my resistance was down.



    MICHAEL AND HANNE, Welcome! I'm so glad you're here! And thank you for your generous remarks.



    JANE AND LANCE, Yes, that sounds good. I'm doing my part to help an ailing economy. Ailing is too light a term, though. It's in need of some CPR.



    KARENA, These might be the prettiest I've owned. I usually have plain old notebooks, with an occasional upgrade. These have sort of a '60's vibe I couldn't resist.



    Grethe, Oooh, little boxes, too. Yes, yes. My notebooks are rarely full, either, before I simply must have a new one - all those blank pages beckoning... I'm so glad I'm responsible for the search for your Bunuel notes. I'll gladly take the fall! I'm also glad you found them... :) Buddy sends a nose hug!



    ONE FLY, I can't imagine being at the computer without one. Gotta keep those ideas flowing! It's these little things that make life feel better, especially now.



    Linda M, Get thee over to Target!
    Warning: they also have portfolios in these and a couple of other designs. They even feel good in my hands. Have fun!

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  10. I now feel immensely, totally, and completely better. You bought the notebooks, so, now I won't have to. ha! I do the same sort of thing, Teresa. Now that I'm a granny, I can't resist little dresses and shoes and puzzles and, the hardest to resist, books!

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  11. Penny, So you see, I understood completely your addiction to books you shared the other day. And, Target also has way too many little girls dresses. I don't even have a grandchild yet and I can see a future addiction waiting to happen.

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  12. Ah, but that's a very mild and pleasant form of lavishness.

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  13. Maybe they should have shopping carts with guard rails so all those extra can't jump in for the free ride to the checkout. I too, have that problem and I'm sooo innocent.
    Manzanita@Wannabuyaduck

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  14. Yes I'm liking those colors on the notebooks.

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  15. This is the time of year they make a lot of this stuff cheap. I grabbed a few boxes of colored pencils and got home only to find I had three boxes from last year still.i didn't see the tiny notepads, I may have to go back. HA!

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  16. MONTUCKY, yes, it seems mild.... :)



    MANZANITA, Innocent until Proven guilty. And what's that thing about a jury of my peers? :)



    LINDA, I can see those wheels turning from here.



    STEVE, These notebooks are regular size, but they probably have the mini ones I keep in my purse, too. I had to show some restraint....

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  17. I truly truly truly understand the notebook obsession thing. For I have lots on the go ~ 9 at the moment ~ and 19 new ones waiting to be used. All those pretty colors and styles and textures ~ so irresistible!

    sigh.....

    How could those pretty notebooks not help but to pop into your basket. ;)
    xo Catherine

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  18. I,m The Same With Pens! Maybe We Could Swap?

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  19. CATHERINE,I seem to recall seeing some of your own vast collection. I'm just an amateur compared to you! :)



    TONY, Oh yes, pens, too. Six notebooks for that Waterman?

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  20. I don't go to the grocery store anymore. I used to go to the big box ones with my wife and I always stopped and looked at the notebooks. I always bought spiral bound ones. I still have some larger ones with the spiral at the top - I thought they were cool and I was only about 55. I also got started buying small ones that fit the palm of my hand. I can't tell you how many of those I filled up in one year but more than one. I usually use my notebooks like a daily journal - not a diary. The latest acquisition was two journals. $39.00 for the biggest, clothbound, record book and $24.95 for the smaller one bound in leather. It will take me several years to fill the cloth bound record book. Not sure I like it now. I prefer the spiral bound notebooks and may switch again, back to one of them.

    I am the same way about pens. It was fountain pens for years. Expensive ones too. The last solid gold Parker I had (the "Presidential") I sold on e-bay for $800.00 US Dollars but that was when gold was still $36.00 an ounce. Now, it would be $1500 an ounce and that pen would be enough to retire on.

    At the moment I am going through giveaway pens the druggies leave at the doctor's office. I used to ask if they has any extra pens and they would pull out a handful.

    So I am learning to like ball pens again.

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  21. Hi Abe, I splurged on a Moleskin journal a few years ago, but now am back to the spiral bound.

    Yes, that gold pen sounds like it would have been a good investment. Right now, I'm writing with a simple Bic Pro+, medium point, and it feels pretty good. I have a couple that are basically just for looking at. :)

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  22. I like mold skin notebooks best of all...:-)

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  23. Paul, You had me skeered there for a minute.

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  24. Can we just admit we are sisters now? I nodded throughout this entire post! OF COURSE, you needed these notebooks!

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  25. Hey Sister! I was nodding as I read your comment. I knew you'd understand.

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  26. Hmm, I have looked at those notebooks and also was taken with their claims to greenness. Didn't happen to buy them that day. But last week we went into the Target at Brainerd to buy a USB cord, and a bag of Doritos jumped into our cart. There was just no stopping them.

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  27. Nancy, Those snack foods have a mind of their own. BTW: Same Target. :)

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