Confessions of an M&S shareholder

Categories: news-from-depressionland

Tags: therapy, shopping

Date: 21 September 2007 16:36:53

Therapist phoned me earlier this week and said she wouldn't be seeing me today because she's got the therapist flu (well, that's my term actually). I was going to use the time to get to to a Pilates class I can't normally get to, but somehow it wasn't as easy to get out of bed as it is when I have someone waiting for me. So I got up late and elected for retail therapy instead.

I have shopped, yea verily I have shopped, and now I am dropping. I didn't need the clothes, but I had these M & S vouchers... anyway, one new outfit for the autumn is not unreasonable (I'll just forget about the mail order fairtrade clothes I was going to order as well - for a few days). I did need the kitchen stuff (one always needs kitchen stuff) and the vests and slippers for son, and anyway, shopping for others doesn't have any carbon footprint, does it? (er...). Unfortunately the slippers didn't fit, and neither, he now tells me, do his trainers for PE which were brand new a year ago but have never been worn since he wasn't at school. Which means the football boots, also brand new, won't fit either. Bum. Now I have to do shopping with him to get the right sizes, and that's not half as much fun as shopping alone.

At least the absence of therapist has given me more time to think about whether I want to give up on therapy with her; and the answer is looking increasingly likely to be Yes. I just don't get on with the psychodynamic approach, it's so doctrinaire, and actually I don't think I need therapy at all (who needs therapy when you've got shopping?), I just need someone to talk to regularly. And that's what friends are for, aren't they? Besides which, saving money on therapy means I have more for lovely lovely clothes.. Am I addicted? Probably.

Yes, m'lord, I know I need to cultivate a simpler lifestyle and get rid of loads of unnecessary clutter. That's next month's project - honestly.