Views of life through a different angle

Well Crickets some of you know yours truly as a spendthrift however (and this may come as a shock to you all) this is not so, no indeed not. In fact I can be downright miserly when the occasion calls for it (refer back to the two mortgages and Raman Noodle episodes of my life not too long back in my past). I came to find out a new facet about my personality which is that I can indeed stare longingly with drool running down my chin at a scrumptious butter soft leather purse that’s practically singing for me to take it home and actually not pull out a credit card and yell in triumph “charge it!” like Wilma and Betty from the Flintstones. Go figure huh?

But those days, I am relieved to say, is over (those says being Raman Noodles and two mortgages). One would think that the trials and tribulations of my recent past would have taught me the worth of money, and in certain ways it has and in others, not at all. For instance, (this is an example how being poor has taught me restraint) I was swishing down F street towards the firm feeling pretty darn good about myself from a quick jaunt to Macy’s (where a good example of restraint is evident since I did not have a red plastic bag dangling from my fingertips) when I stopped short at a hawkers stand who was selling the most beautiful of canary yellow soft as a new babies skin leather bag. My heart stuttered, adrenaline rushed through my veins and I think I may have blacked out for a moment. Once regular breathing had resumed I asked the man in my most haughty of voice, “How much is this?” while taking a second to caress Gorgeous (which is how I like to fondly refer to the bag as). The man said in a fairly uninterested voice (how dare he be uninterested in my blatant yet unobvious interest in his wares?!?!) “$35.00”

At this point Crickets my American side shut down and my Desi side reared it’s ugly head (the side of me that would never pass up the chance to haggle like a fishmongers wife) as I gapped at the man as if he had lost his mind. “$35.00 for that!” I pulled forth the well rehearsed “I think you’re crazy but clearly you can’t be that crazy all the while thinking that I’m so interested and wish you weren’t crazy” look. It didn’t work. The man stuck to his guns and said in a clipped tone “$35.00 is the last price.”

There is no such thing in my world, as many of you who has accompanied me to shopping expeditions in Hong Kong, South Asia or even Ross can attest too. Bargaining is a part of my soul, it is a part of my very being. But so is pride, so I threw him a ‘well fuck you’ look and flounced away not purchasing said Gorgeous. Oh the pain friends, the pain (I believe a lone tear slid unchecked down my cheek).

So as you can see, I do know the meaning of restraint and am actually quite cost conscious. If I’m interested in purchasing a big ticketed item (who am I kidding, even a small one for that matter), you will often find me pouring over circulars, clicking through website after website, link after link (aptly exhibiting my fine research skills) and harassing friends or hapless passer-byers who may know somewhere that I can get the desired item for less.

Now after almost 8 months of patient contemplating, planning and agony I purchased for myself last night my first ever DSLR Camera. My heart skips a beat just thinking about the fact that even as I am busy banging out this post there are hands somewhere lovingly pulling together and preparing my camera to be shipped into my loving and waiting arms. The fact that I won’t probably get it till next week is being repressed in my psyche for it would make the upcoming weekend agony and I would loose all interest in it and wish it were over just so that the brown lovely package could show up at my front door on Monday. No I shall be an adult and wait for my Precious One (which will henceforth be the name for my camera) and then…well let me just warn you Crickets, if you don’t have a Facebook account you best get one cause your picture will be taken and you will be displayed in my albums section of my Facebook (*ahem AR*).

Yes indeedy, I believe this new relationship (with said Olympus Evolt 510 DSLR) will begin a most lovely phase of my life where I imagine roaming aimlessly around our nations Capital clicking away to nirvana. I imagine me hanging off lampposts, laying on my back, perched up on railings and crouched in uncomfortable positions just to shoot the perfect picture that will bring forth multitudes of gasps, ooh’s and aah’s. I can see Precious One and myself strolling about looking carefree as others stare in jealousy of the perfect harmony that will be our relationship. I imagine a house full of scrumptious black and white pictures shot by me using Precious One displaying proudly my subtle genius for photography. And not only will Precious One bring my joy, She (for all things competent and wonderful are always a She) will bring forth a new consciousness, She will force me to see life in a whole new angle (hence the title of this blog entry though it did bloody well take me long enough to get to the point).

Now that I’ve gone on endlessly about Precious One, my ass better get in gear and actually work.

Ciao for now Crickets!

Update: I got an email (at 1pm) from the company which will be shipping Precious One and can you believe this malarkey, they need VERBAL confirmation in order to actually drop Her into cargo. WTF…HELLO??? AND to add insult to injury the blighters close at 2pm (est). 2pm? Um, who the hell works only to 2pm except those slugging home from a graveyard shift (which would be one mighty long ass graveyard shift I think)? Shit this is frustrating but I shall remain Zen, I will remain calm…OHM damn it, OHM.