Hat’s off to Captain Picard’s Journal for posting this question!

Either from birth, or somehow genetically imprinted on all of humanity, people are inexorably driven to mindless consumerism. We just can’t seem to resist going into the latest or greatest shops, even if just to browse and graze like so many sheep. You can’t even say that one sex is more susceptible than the other; men and women are equally guilty, if only for different reasons and tastes.

With that in mind, I’ll give you fellow readers the lowdown on my favorite shops. I think the emphasis here is only on the brick-and-mortar kind and not the online kind. (Maybe I’ll talk about my favorite online shops in a separate post…)

First, I love any “gadget” stores. Electronic stores, like Best Buy and the now-defunct Comp USA (oh how I miss thee), are awesome for getting the latest and greatest grown-up toys. For other gadgets and accessorizing, I’ll take a trip to an Apple Store or some other Apple-authorized seller (like MacMedia in Peoria, AZ.). In the Apple Stores, it’s a bonus to play with the newest computers they have to offer! Like my wife when it comes to her love for Hot Topic stores, I’m content to spend a couple of hours just browsing. Especially if the store, like Best Buy, had a decent music selection! Also, gadget stores can include those specialty “edu-tainment” stores like Zany Brainey or similar stores. Those places sometimes have good puzzle selections!

Second, I enjoy going to bookstores. Barnes & Noble and Borders are two of the best ones that come to mind. (I think I overheard that they merged!) I don’t get to visit these as often; I usually go alone because Christine automatically falls asleep as soon as she puts one foot in a bookstore. One time, I almost got kicked out of one because I was reading for several hours without buying anything yet. I don’t read like I used to… Online reading is slowly taking the place of the printed word, but I loves me a good piece of sci-fi book, nonetheless.

Lastly, since I sometimes still play around with a guitar (and keyboards), I love to browse around an instrument shop. If only to keep up with some of the advancements in guitars and sound effects and other related gadgets. That reminds me… I’d like to save up next for a new keyboard. Time to start shopping around, eh? (With tech being what it is, I might just settle for something inexpensive like this thingie here!).

So, if any of you are interested in commenting, please do so and tell me what YOUR favorite shops are! C’mon, don’t be shy…

Cheers!

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 31st, 2008 at 12:28 pm and is filed under Personal Thoughts, Q & A. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.