My mom, when she was alive, coveted office products. She collected them. My stepfather will never ever ever have to buy any type of office product again.
"You know for as much as your mom cleared out everything else and avoided clutter," he said once, "what we all didn't realize was that her 'thing' was office products. She hoarded office products!"
The other day I took the kids to Michael's. I had a few small things I wanted to buy, but one of the main reasons was guilt. I felt guilty with respect to Skadi because AB and I get sucked into these games of Fortune Street with Leif and Skadi doesn't care to play Wii at all. So she plays by herself, or draws, or whatever. It isn't like she complains about it, but I felt the need to give her some kits and some other fun things to do for those one or two evenings when AB and I give in and play Wii with Leif.
We were wandering the aisles of Michaels when it struck Skadi.
There in the clearance bin was a PINK tape dispenser.
And the child went nuts. Yes NUTS!
"MOM!! I HAVE TO GET THIS! A PINK TAPE DISPENSER!" She squealed at the top of her little lungs. I was wondering what other shoppers thought about my daughter's freak out over this pink tape dispenser?
She grabbed it and held it fondly.
Then she HUGGED the tape dispenser. Seriously. She HUGGED it.
I immediately saw my mom's influence on my daughter. Is this office products addiction genetic?
I agreed that she could get the most fabulous pink tape dispenser that she was cradling in her arms.
We went home and I stuck it on the counter that bugs me in the kitchen. I have this "desk" in my kitchen that since the day we moved in has become a landing space for everything and serves no real actual purpose. When people state they want a desk in their kitchen, I cringe. I want the actual counter space as kitchen prep area instead.
Anyways, I put the tape dispenser on the counter. And yes, she has used it routinely.
The other day one of her friends came over for a playdate. The two giggly little girls were wandering around the house when they made their way through the kitchen.
"Oooooh!" Kait squealed, "I LOVE your tape dispenser!"
"Isn't it fabulous?" Skadi squealed back. (The girls are in the squealing phase.) She picked it up, "you can hold it if you want!"
Kait takes it and turns it over in her hands and declares it "cool". Then they put it down and wander off to go giggle and squeal about something else.
I think I am missing something here. But it may be the best $1.50 I have ever spent.
