Tuesday 23 March 2004

Wish lists and anal retentivity

Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday ... first things first, the PUMS finally got away, for their few days' break down south.  I can't fucking believe they've gone.  Sheesh, the drama and squawking and general indecisiveness ... yow.  The boy and I feel quite weak by proxy.  Miscellaneous gods save us if the ever DO make the Europe trip. 

Tuxedo had a job interview Monday afternoon with Company A that went very well - he felt very positive about the whole experience, so big pats on backs all round.  The great thing, as mentioned yesterday, is that it was for a higher-level position with higher salary than the jobs he's been getting put forward for/going for lately (he's a senior systems developer and had  even applied for support/helpdesk positions).  Then, when we got home there was a message for him, from a Company B, calling for an interview the very next morning.  So this morning we trotted into town, he fronted up to the interview while I drank a leisurely cup of coffee and visited D*mocks.  We both had good times; the interview was extremely promising with the panel being most impressed; I understand the words "why on earth haven't you been snapped up yet (because of skills/experience/knowledge set)?" were mentioned, which was a great boost to his by-now somewhat dented professional ego.  And again the position was for a much higher level and salary than past applications, so he was very happy and while not wanting to jinx things, I think he's in with a chance ... oh wouldn't it be luverly?

I spent some gift money on books - wheeee! I got The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay (Michael Chabon), a replacement copy of High Tide in Tucson (Barbara Kingsolver), Oryx and Crake (Margaret Atwood - been waiting for the paperback) and some nice escapism in Angels by Marian Keyes.  I also picked up a replacement copy of Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible for Mum because she lent it out to someone and didn't record to whom and that bad bad person has buggered off with it (me, I keep a check-out book and tend to be library-strict).  So that's a few titles crossed off my wish list.  I was mightily tempted by David Attenborough's Life on Air and Lois Lowry's The Giver too ... maybe next time.  I was pleased because I usually have zero luck in D*mocks or A&R and there I was with a choice!  Too cool.

We did a little more shopping - exciting things like toiletries and socks, drooled over camping gear and groovy sandal-shoes in MainPeak, and popped into Sands&McDougall (mmm stationery...).  I dragged Tuxedo into House™ where I made pathetic whimpering sounds over Magimix food processors and KitchenAid mixers - neither of which I actually want mind you (the next cooking-related purchases are going to be a couple of bits of Le Creuset and an upgraded model of my Braun Multiquick) but are so groovy one really doesn't have a choice but to whimper, does one?  Ahhhh, kitchen porn and office porn, my downfall. 

Then home - via the interminable winding stop-start pleasepleaseJulesdon'tthrowup bus trip - for a late afternoon nap and a yummy dinner with a nice white wine followed by a walk with the dog (having carefully locked Abigail in so she wouldn't follow us - not going through that again - long story, will tell one of these days) ... ohhh the bliss of having the place to ourselves and some peace and quiet.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Hi, my name is Jules and I have a serious case of anal retentivity (okay already, so I know its really anal retentiveness, but it should damn well BE a word.  Meh). 

I am a compulsive list-maker; spiral-bound notebooks full of carefully categorised shopping lists, to-do lists, needs vs wants lists, minutely detailed inventories of house contents, books, CDs, and DVDs (by genre, title, author/artist).  Tuxedo thinks I am insane and has teased me mercilessly about this quirk since we first moved in together.  He has come round to the fact that having a shopping list for groceries etc is a good idea, though. 

However ... I also keep extensive exhaustive cross-referenced wish lists.  So um add being mercantile to my list of crimes.  My current main wish list is a several columns-wide table, fourteen pages long - landscape format (nb: the books wish list is separate and cross-referenced). With images.  The categories - so far - are as follows:-;

·  Personal - Tuxedo (Clothes, Information Technology, Special Gift Ideas); Jules (Cat-a friend for Abi, Clothes, Make-Up/Skincare, Special Gift Ideas)

·  House and Home - White Goods; Small Electrical/Technology; Furniture/Homeware; Cookware and Dinnerware (House and Home is by far the largest section ranging from fridges to new sheets to Dyson vacuum cleaners to cutlery to John Rochas for Waterford crystal champagne flutes)

·  CDs - Tuxedo; Jules

·  DVDs - Tuxedo; Jules

·  Toys and Games - Tuxedo (PC Games); Jules (Breyer Model Horses) (shutupshutupshutup)

So you see, I have a problem.  Why do I do this, can someone answer me that?  I have this overwhelming need to record all needs and wants from pigs-might-fly items to pastry brushes, to keep said list current and updated, items are even priced, for feck's sake.  Am I really so fucking materialistic and acquisitive?  I hate the thought ... or is it my way of recording my hopes and dreams for how I want Tux and I to live?  Is it a relatively harmless way of soothing my furious acquisitive heart, as opposed to going on a bender with a credit card?  Maybe even being decisive, or at the least, assisting the eventual decision-making process:  I research which fridges and vacuum cleaners are the best and meet requirements and are within our price range, so when we get our own place we will spend zero time fussing and fuming? 

Is it - and I suspect this is a clincher - a reaction to the PUMS' indecisiveness, total lack of organisation, endless discussion and debate over the most trivial purchase or action and oh sweet jaysis the debate over Buying a New Car/Which Car has been going on for ten months now -

Yeah.  I think that's it.  I'll blame my parents for this one.

It should be said that my wish lists for Tuxedo and I have been DAMN useful when it comes to birthdays, Christmas and other occasions when significant much-lusted after surprise gifts are called for ...

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

On Rediscovering Adolescence;

Cost of electricity per day:                                      $0.01

Surround sound speaker system:                               $300.00

Driving Mum insane with Massive Attack:                    Priceless

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞