Have you ever heard of the "Ikea Effect"? Well, let me try and explain it to you.
This past Friday I was shopping in a local antique place that has four floors stuffed with "treasures". It was so much fun to look at all the things that were for sale. Only problem is, after going through the first two floors, my eyes started to dart from item to item, and I wasn't able to focus on anything. Everything became a blur and I knew it was time to leave. The "Ikea Effect" had begun.
This syndrome was first noted in our family at the local Ikea store, and thus the name "Ikea Effect". When Ikea first opened near here a few years ago, we ventured forth to check it out as we had heard a lot about the store, but had never been in one.
It was amazing! And cheap! It was so much fun, for the first floor. And then, we all became overwhelmed with the sheer number of items and started to wander in a zombie-like state. In fact, we had to consult our map (which should have been a warning to us) in order to find our way out. We couldn't even remember ten things we had seen between us at the store!
There are other places that can bring on the "Ikea Effect". Large craft stores, large quilt stores in New Hampshire, Disneyworld, and flea markets can all bring on the symptoms.
Perhaps it is because I have late onset attention deficit disorder. But I wanted to warn others in order to save them from embarrassment.
If you have felt the symptoms of "The Ikea Effect" please comment below and we can join forces to find a way to cure this unusual problem.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Day Gone Wrong
Yup, today was a day gone wrong. I should have known from the moment I opened my eyes. My broken crown tooth was hurting and I got up late. I went downstairs and found a big puddle outside the catbox. There was a sinkful of dishes needing to be loaded in the dishwasher.
After loading laundry into the washer, my daughter and I put an exercise DVD into the player and began to do the wretched thing. A few minutes into it, our ancient old dog decided to have some sort of seizure where he ran around at 100 miles per hour all the while bumping into the walls and anything else in his way.
So we had to stop the video and I had to hold the dog so he wouldn't hurt himself. Twenty minutes later he lay down and went to sleep, thank goodness, poor thing. I then tried to gulp down some breakfast and begin some sort of homeschool.
Next came a quick lunch and then a trip to our local Registry of Motor Vehicles. You see, I happened to notice on Monday that my license had expired three weeks ago on my birthday. Now, I did try to renew it that very afternoon, but when I went in, there was a huge crowd and they were all holding the same renewal paper I had. So, I thought, I'll try again tomorrow.
So, I had planned to be there this morning, but the doggie incident kind of scrapped my plans. Anyway, I arrived at the RMV at 1:45 and saw that I had 20 people in front of me after looking at my paper with my number to be served. Only I hadn't noticed that there was an I in front of 172. And that there was also an A172, D172, etc.
So, I took a seat on the hard wooden bench and got ready to wait. At that time, I recalled how I had gulped down a large glass of iced tea at lunch before arriving at the RMV. Big mistake. No bathrooms. Finally, after exactly one hour, I made my way to the window, looked in the vision machine, took my picture, signed away and paid my $50 and then left that place as quick as I could.
On the way home later, we stopped to vote in the primary. It was my daughter's first time voting and we were both excited about that. Until we got to the table and found that she was not on the voter list even though she registered this past summer. So that meant that all the elderly ladies working the polls had to figure out what happened. Not to mention that they couldn't find my name either, but that was due to the fact that our itty bitty town had been split into two precincts, and both were voting from the same elementary school gym. Does that make sense?
So, finally, I voted, and then my daughter finished all her paperwork to allow her to actually vote. I even took a picture of her outside next to the "vote here" sign.
And now, after reading my post, I feel a little sheepish calling it a "day gone wrong". It ended up being an all right day and one we probably won't forget for a while.
I'm sure you've had days like this! Please share yours by commenting below. I'd love to hear your stories!
After loading laundry into the washer, my daughter and I put an exercise DVD into the player and began to do the wretched thing. A few minutes into it, our ancient old dog decided to have some sort of seizure where he ran around at 100 miles per hour all the while bumping into the walls and anything else in his way.
So we had to stop the video and I had to hold the dog so he wouldn't hurt himself. Twenty minutes later he lay down and went to sleep, thank goodness, poor thing. I then tried to gulp down some breakfast and begin some sort of homeschool.
Next came a quick lunch and then a trip to our local Registry of Motor Vehicles. You see, I happened to notice on Monday that my license had expired three weeks ago on my birthday. Now, I did try to renew it that very afternoon, but when I went in, there was a huge crowd and they were all holding the same renewal paper I had. So, I thought, I'll try again tomorrow.
So, I had planned to be there this morning, but the doggie incident kind of scrapped my plans. Anyway, I arrived at the RMV at 1:45 and saw that I had 20 people in front of me after looking at my paper with my number to be served. Only I hadn't noticed that there was an I in front of 172. And that there was also an A172, D172, etc.
So, I took a seat on the hard wooden bench and got ready to wait. At that time, I recalled how I had gulped down a large glass of iced tea at lunch before arriving at the RMV. Big mistake. No bathrooms. Finally, after exactly one hour, I made my way to the window, looked in the vision machine, took my picture, signed away and paid my $50 and then left that place as quick as I could.
On the way home later, we stopped to vote in the primary. It was my daughter's first time voting and we were both excited about that. Until we got to the table and found that she was not on the voter list even though she registered this past summer. So that meant that all the elderly ladies working the polls had to figure out what happened. Not to mention that they couldn't find my name either, but that was due to the fact that our itty bitty town had been split into two precincts, and both were voting from the same elementary school gym. Does that make sense?
So, finally, I voted, and then my daughter finished all her paperwork to allow her to actually vote. I even took a picture of her outside next to the "vote here" sign.
And now, after reading my post, I feel a little sheepish calling it a "day gone wrong". It ended up being an all right day and one we probably won't forget for a while.
I'm sure you've had days like this! Please share yours by commenting below. I'd love to hear your stories!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Why Is Everyone So Angry?
Yesterday, I witnessed an upsetting incident at our local McDonald's Drive-Thru at lunchtime.
There are two entrances to the drive-thru that merge into one, with traffic coming off the highway for one entrance and traffic coming through the shopping plaza for the other. We were coming through the plaza and when we entered the line, heard a car beeping its horn over and over. In looking to see who it was, we saw a man in a small car trying to squeeze in front of the vehicle right ahead of me. He was beeping his horn and yelling out his window at the driver.
She (the vehicle in front of me) continued forward to the order microphone. This made the man very upset. He jumped out of his car and was gesturing and yelling loudly at the other driver, saying she cut him in line and then he kept jumping in and out of his car and yelling even more.
I'm not sure what he wanted her to do, as there is no way out of the drive-thru once you've entered, but he proceeded to try and back up and drive over the curbing through the landscaping. He must have thought better of it, because he jumped back in his car and moved forward to order. After ordering, he again jumped out of his car and was yelling at the lady as she was paying at the window.
Now, I must say, I was ready to dial 911 and said so to the employee at the ordering microphone, but he said it had been taken care of, I guess meaning that the manager of the restaurant had called the police.
I, as well as the woman being harassed, had children in the car which made the whole scenario even more traumatizing, as we didn't know what the man would do next. I really wanted to get out of there, but there was no way to escape.
The police did arrive, but only after the angry man had left the area.
It was frightening to behold the anger the man displayed just because he had to wait one more car to order his lunch. It just seems that these days, there are a lot more angry, impatient people out there, especially on the road and when waiting in line.
Whatever happened to manners or just being kind or gallant? Is it because everyone is overdosing on caffeine, turbocharging and energy drinks? And nowadays, you never know if that angry person will become violent, instead of just verbally abusive. It really scares me as I wonder where it will all end.
So, if you recognize this happening where you are, too, please let me know. And if you know someone like this, maybe you can gently encourage them to handle their anger in a better way.
God bless!
There are two entrances to the drive-thru that merge into one, with traffic coming off the highway for one entrance and traffic coming through the shopping plaza for the other. We were coming through the plaza and when we entered the line, heard a car beeping its horn over and over. In looking to see who it was, we saw a man in a small car trying to squeeze in front of the vehicle right ahead of me. He was beeping his horn and yelling out his window at the driver.
She (the vehicle in front of me) continued forward to the order microphone. This made the man very upset. He jumped out of his car and was gesturing and yelling loudly at the other driver, saying she cut him in line and then he kept jumping in and out of his car and yelling even more.
I'm not sure what he wanted her to do, as there is no way out of the drive-thru once you've entered, but he proceeded to try and back up and drive over the curbing through the landscaping. He must have thought better of it, because he jumped back in his car and moved forward to order. After ordering, he again jumped out of his car and was yelling at the lady as she was paying at the window.
Now, I must say, I was ready to dial 911 and said so to the employee at the ordering microphone, but he said it had been taken care of, I guess meaning that the manager of the restaurant had called the police.
I, as well as the woman being harassed, had children in the car which made the whole scenario even more traumatizing, as we didn't know what the man would do next. I really wanted to get out of there, but there was no way to escape.
The police did arrive, but only after the angry man had left the area.
It was frightening to behold the anger the man displayed just because he had to wait one more car to order his lunch. It just seems that these days, there are a lot more angry, impatient people out there, especially on the road and when waiting in line.
Whatever happened to manners or just being kind or gallant? Is it because everyone is overdosing on caffeine, turbocharging and energy drinks? And nowadays, you never know if that angry person will become violent, instead of just verbally abusive. It really scares me as I wonder where it will all end.
So, if you recognize this happening where you are, too, please let me know. And if you know someone like this, maybe you can gently encourage them to handle their anger in a better way.
God bless!
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