Counseling

I see a counselor, what a surprize! She is concerned that I could end up throwing my whole life away over shoplifting if I get caught. I'm going to make sure I don't get caught. I need to stop, but it's so hard. I might end up lying to her about it so that she gets off my back, but then that defeats the whole purpose. You shouldn't lie to your counselor.

Snagged a Bag

I went to the mall because traffic was really bad. Well, not that I need much of an excuse. I found a cute bag that I really like. I bought it. Not without switching tags for a lower price, but I did buy it. I also bought two shirts. However, I stole 2 plus a scarf. I really like the bag.

Jail--The Musical

It seems like a great idea since they make a musical out of everything. I ended up watching a little bit of a live camera TV show called jail. They arrested a guy for not shoplifting, but burglary. He didn't understand since he had lost all of his money in Vegas and really wanted this TV that was only worth $268. Burglary is a felony. Wow!! I don't think that would happen with clothing. They didn't say anything about breaking and entering, but definitely burglary. I don't understand either.

From what I saw, from having been fingerprinted for work and seeing it all first hand, it really made me think about what I'm risking. I'm risking alot. Not only that, apparently I'm also risking it being a very public affair. Not only might you end up injail, you might end up on TV. That's not the way I would want to be famous. Wow. Something to seriously think about.

Suddenly I Did

I went to the store to pick up a dress that I had bought pre-sale. It was less now, so k I also tried on some jeans, but they were a little bit tight. I bought them anyway because they didn't have my exact size. I can always order from online. I looked around the store and I really thought I was done. I reallydidn't feel like shoplifting. ANd then suddenly I did when I saw two cute silk shirts. Lo and behold, they didn't have security tags.

If it doesn't have a tag, it's going in my bag.

Then I went to petites and I found some cute shirts there too. I bought two shirts, I lifted two more shirts. It seems fair if you ask me. But you didn't ask.

Bought: $217.89

Lifted: $115.00

I feel bad, but not that bad.

Just When I Thought It Was Safe....

Here we go again. I didn't meant to do it. It's just that I went to the store to take advantage of a couple of coupons for a free bra. I needed a strapless bra to go with a dress I bought and a shirt I lifted.

I also switched tags to make a return, returned a ring I had worn and decided I didn't like, and returned a pair of shoes I didn't think I would ever wear.

Then as I was trying on lingerie, I couldn't resist taking some panties that didn't have security tags--especially when one of them was a pair of DKNY panties that I thought were really cute.

I am going to be doing some online shopping from now on so that I don't do this. Maybe by the time I go back to a store I will be cured. The other thing I'm thinking about doing is shopping with a friend so that I don't do anything bad.

Liberating to Just Shop

It feels so liberating to go shopping and just shop. I was SHOPPING. Not shoplifting today. I tried on jeans, I tried on shoes. I THOUGHT about stuff, but I was really actively searching for jeans. Also, it helped that everything had a security tag. I needed to get alterations done, but ran out of time with the jeans. Gosh, jeans can be such a pain!

Yesterday was a little bit different of a story. I went to an outlet store for a department store. I found a cute Theory top for only $24.00 andthought about buying it since it was about 90% off. I didn't really need it and I was trying to meet up with my friends. I spent too much time shopping and was late. I didn't buy the shirt, but I didn't steal it either because it had a security tag.

I did, however, make off with two Oscar de la Renta scarves. He's my favorite designer for scarves. I should have just bought them, but the line was taking too long. Plus they were already in my purse from when I was tryingstuffon in the dressing room. I feel a little bit quilty. There is one person who knows about myhabit and I have been promising her I will stop. It's hard.

Now that i think about it, I wasn't so innocent today either since I returned something with a switched tag. But that's the lesser of the evils I engage in. I don't think they would cart you off for that, they just don't let you return the items.

Why I'm Angry

I hurt myself--it was an accident. I've been getting hurt accidentally alot lately. So, I went shopping. Again, I had the intention of returning one item and not doing anything but that. I just felt like shopping. I've been trying to find a pair of jeans that fits and I finally did.

I bought:
$19.97 Jeans Originally ($69.00)
$22.97 Bra ($52.00)
$ 9.97 Undies ($25.00)
$ 3.97 Undies ($10.00)
$19.97 Robe ($78.00)
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$56.88 from ($165.00) That's about 60% off.

My sticky fingers also found:
$19.97 Shirt ($78.00)
$14.97 Nightie ($58.00)
$24.97 Sweater ($48.00)
$17.97 Bra ($46.00)
$19.97 Bra ($84.00)
$ 6.97 Undies ($18.00)
$ 9.97 Undies ($28.00)
$ 9.97 Undies ($26.00)
------------------------
$124.71 from ($786.00) About 85% off if I had actually bought those things.

The items were all quite small and fit neatly in purse, pocket and shopping bag.
If I had taken those things at original prices and been caught, that would have catapulted me into grand theft over petty theft. The truth is that once something is out of season, it loses value extremely quickly. They send things to last chance stores for next to nothing when they don't sell at the discount stores.

I think I should just swear off shopping, start giving some of this stuff back by leaving bags of stuff in the store or just give it away to some charity to somehow redeem my bad habit. If I ever got caught both my friends and relatives would either disown me or tear their hair out and cry WHY, WHY, WHY when you have so much money in the bank?

I don't really know.
I don't even really want this stuff and my closet is packed.

Something New to Feel Bad About

I really don't know why I took anything from the store at all this last time. Everything was very reasonably priced. What is the point of lifting a silk shirt that only costs $10?? I have to ask myself this.

This weekend's take included:
$ 14.97 Silk tank Originally ($58.00)
$ 24.97 DKNY jeans t shirt ($49.00)
$ 64.97 Eileen Fisher dress ($248.00)
$ 14.97 Ralph Lauren shirt ($59.50)
-----------------------------------------
$119.90 Sale price, originally ($414.50)
in other words, if I had paid for everything, it would have still been a real steal. 70% off!

I bought stuff, too.
Velvet silk shirt
Rain jacket
AGB silk shirt that I plan to return because it was too small.

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I returned something. I didn't return the jeans I bought, I decided I like them. I left a pair of shoes that I had lifted and never worn, so I'm not all bad.
But I had to make some room in my bag.
So maybe I really AM all bad.

I'm trying to stop and I'm trying to figure out why I'm trying to self destruct somehow. It's not the only dumb thing I have done lately. If I got caught it would ruin my career.

I Slipped

Old habits die hard. I went shopping today--not really. I was just supposed to pay my bill. But then I saw so many pretty things to try on. Something I swiped was a size too small and I finally saw the right size. It didn't have a tag.

I pulled my usual thing of gathering up lots of items to try on and slipping into the dressing room. I did find something I would have to buy. And then I slipped the shirt into my rather small purse.

I was upset about something. It was nagging me terribly that I have to look for another job, I'm sick and I really don't want to go to work anymore. I'm taking another day off. Maybe an extra day will settle me.

At least I only took ONE thing.

No Lifting

I have had two noteable shopping experiences this week where I actually didn't shoplift. I'm proud of myself.

I went to the bookstore last Sunday and actually bought books. How cool! I felt GOOD. I felt light and airy. I didn't have to worry or pretend like I wasn't worried about anything.

Then I went shopping with a friend and bought some jeans and some undies. I probably shouldn't have because I was shopping with a guy friend of mine. It was kind of embarrassing, but not really.
Petty: How do you like these Betsy Johnson's?
Friend: Wow. You're going to be wearing those?
Petty: Maybe. You can wonder about it the next time we hang out.
Friend: Yeah, just because we're friends doesn't mean you aren't hot.
Petty: I bought some French lingerie, too.
Friend: How about we have crazy monkey sex?
Petty: How about let's not and say we didn't.

I forgot that shopping with a friend can be fun. Usually I go shopping alone so I can do secret things. I thought about slipping something into my bag or a pair of undies, but just didn't want to have that on my conscience at the time.