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The Last Paper Catalogs
Sep. 5th, 2012 03:17 pmI used to really like getting paper catalogs. I liked looking at historic Sears catalogs (oooh, a diamond ring for $5!). I loved catalogs from used bookstores. I had a basket in my bathroom for years where I kept the most current of a half dozen or so clothing catalogs -- a new one came in and an old one went out and guests always had something to look at.
All that was before shopping online became Normal (I blame myself. No. Really. I was an early perpetrator of online catalogs). There was a period of time when juggling a baby and reading material was tricky enough (and I was sleep deprived enough) that magazines and catalogs re-entered my life, but while I tandem breastfed children separated in age by 3 years (for 9 months), and weaned the second one at 3 years of age, even that period of time has ended. By over a year now.
Now, catalogs arrive in the mail box and land in the recycling bin without ever entering the house proper (at least they do when I pick up the mail). Today, however, I broke the habit: I brought what was clearly the beginning of the holiday season catalogs inside and picked up the phone. The first catalog had me on caller ID. The second catalog told me they were getting a lot of calls like this. I'm keeping the American Girls catalog, because my walking partner likes them, and honestly, I'm not yet to the point that I can say no to the very occasional Legos catalogs. (Legos!) I expect I'll be making many more phone calls like this over the next few months.
Have you already made these calls? Do you still look at paper catalogs? Or am I, as always, the second rank sheep, surrounded by the bulk of the herd . . .
All that was before shopping online became Normal (I blame myself. No. Really. I was an early perpetrator of online catalogs). There was a period of time when juggling a baby and reading material was tricky enough (and I was sleep deprived enough) that magazines and catalogs re-entered my life, but while I tandem breastfed children separated in age by 3 years (for 9 months), and weaned the second one at 3 years of age, even that period of time has ended. By over a year now.
Now, catalogs arrive in the mail box and land in the recycling bin without ever entering the house proper (at least they do when I pick up the mail). Today, however, I broke the habit: I brought what was clearly the beginning of the holiday season catalogs inside and picked up the phone. The first catalog had me on caller ID. The second catalog told me they were getting a lot of calls like this. I'm keeping the American Girls catalog, because my walking partner likes them, and honestly, I'm not yet to the point that I can say no to the very occasional Legos catalogs. (Legos!) I expect I'll be making many more phone calls like this over the next few months.
Have you already made these calls? Do you still look at paper catalogs? Or am I, as always, the second rank sheep, surrounded by the bulk of the herd . . .