This is the problem with having clients in a mall...

Since most of my accounts are embedded in surburbia, I spend a lot of time in strip and shopping malls. And since I seem to have some sort of uncanny ability to be perpetually early, I often have time to kill. So needless to say, having two clients located in a mall with a Banana Republic, Anthropologie, and Saks Fifth Avenue is somewhat... dangerous.

Take this afternoon, for instance.

A series of events - crashing computer that must be replaced, kinda slow January sales, various bridal showers for a stepsister on the horizon, and buying a plane ticket to Italy (!) - have caused me to instate Operation Spend No Money. Operation Spend No Money is actually not as bad as it sounds because it forces me to get creative, and really does end up better in the long run. Instead of meeting a friend for drinks, I'll meet a friend for a power walk. Instead of catching up over brunch, I'll catch up with someone over American Idol. Clipping coupons isn't dorky - it's resourceful. Operation Spend No Money even justifies those evenings where I relish in doing absolutely nothing. So what if I'm being lazy and spending a Saturday night at home on the couch eating leftover chilli and watching the same DVD's I've had for years? I'm saving money right now. It makes sloth feel practically productive.

But this afternoon I was scheduled to do a staff training for servers at Brio Tuscan Grille, so I headed to the mall around 4:00. "I'll just duck into Banana Republic really quickly," I told myself. "Maybe they'll have a dress I can wear to my stepsister's wedding in April." (Another not-my-fault expense on the horizon. I'm not bitter, though.)

Ten minutes later I was in a dressing room with four tops and one dress that is perfect for work and matches my favorite brown boots beautifully. Fifteen minutes later, I had finally succombed to the pressure and applied for that BR credit card they've been hounding me about for years.

Damnit! Why am I such a sucker for President's Day deals that save you 20%? Why was that dress soooo much more appealing at $80 than $100? Why did I have to buy a cute shirt too? And am I really obligated to buy two shower gifts and a wedding present?

Humph. So much for Operation Spend No Money. Today my mission was unsuccessful. But at least I'll be able to show off my legs in my new dress.