Shopping is like Hunting

I don't know if it was Rabbit Season or Duck Season or Deer Season, but I hunted for about five years for three specific things: A Job, a Shoppe Space, and/or a home. My bipolar attitude of "find your own joy" had me hunting in every town I could get to from Florida to Georgia to Alabama to the Carolinas to Virginia even all the way to New Jersey. The mind is a terrible thing to waste, and when fear and pride are an individual's leaders, time and money get wasted on fruitless searches like a machine gun spraying bullet ammo aimlessly. I may have lost my tank and machine gun, but from those five years of hunting, I think I got two out of three. No job, but home is good and the shoppe space online is sufficient. I'll not buy another tank or machine gun for Duck Season, Rabbit Season or Deer Season. I've decided to give those up like vegetarians and Hindus give up Cow. I still have credit cards and some cash to go shopping with and the internet is still showing me lots of great "targets" of acquisition, so I'll just shoot for cans when I can.

The five year hunt was exhausting --- still two out of three "ain't bad". What was my Elmer Fudd-like obsession about? Why was I so disappointed that I could not find my "dream home" or really cool space for me to set up my "art gallery"? I don't know now. The past year without a car has changed my perspective a lot from two or three or four years ago. Staying home and getting a closer look at what I have instead of what I want, changed me from an Elmer Fudd type to a Tweety Bird type. I'm not exactly "caged" as I do enjoy the liberty of taking a cab or bus or train to wherever I wish to go, but I do my new "hunting" online instead of spending a fortune on gas, car insurance, and car repairs.

My latest shopping "hunt" was quite successful. I scored a very nice set of garden lights that have enhanced the beauty of my garden at night. I still miss the "mark" at times --- like two weeks ago I shot for a solar powered light fixture and it was the cheapest most unusable piece of junk that I could never have imagined. Waste happens, but it's definitely NOT my intention or aim. I guess every hunter (or shopper) has to learn to not count the wasted bullet ammo.

For now, counting my inventory is also a new perspective of "the hunt" or any pursuit of happiness. My online shoppe may not be as "exciting" as the idea of a "real" shoppe in some strip plaza or mall, but I'm revamping my product line and my brand which is kind of like a "hunter" getting new equipment or remembering that there was unused equipment in the artillery cabinet.

Home as a "target" was pretty ridiculous since the home where I am is actually very, very satisfying to me. I suppose it was the invasion of roaches and gnats (which are now gone) and the divorce chapter of my life that had me running around like a Elmer Fudd with his head chopped off. I didn't know if I was looking for a duck, a rabbit, a deer, or just my mind. One thing for sure, I definitely don't recommend being an "Elmer Fudd" type.

I do recommend counting inventory, being grateful for what one has, applauding yourself for your talents and gifts, and supporting those around you who are on similar treks or have similar kindness and perspectives to join forces with.

If you've been like me, hunting for years without accomplishing the vision that you set out for, then like me you ought to take some time to reshape your perspective on "the hunt" or the pursuit of happiness.

Sometimes the "target" is right in your own backyard.