Mall victory!

The Phactor has done it!  Christmas shopping is all done, and no expense was spared.  A dinner party and other festivities have been planned and provisioned.  And in the process a significant victory has been achieved;TPP never set foot within a shopping mall, and this for someone who cannot get going on the holiday season until academic semesters are history is significant because no small amount of procrastination is involved as well.  Firstly, local stores in the small commerical district of our city are supported first.  Second, then to find the items to please all the women in my life, TPP seeks stores that are not part of a mall.  While online shopping has a great fan in Mrs. Phactor, a busy woman, TPP hasn't done much online shopping except for some hard to find plants.  Malls are like the casinos of shopping, they are designed to keep you shopping with nothing what so ever to distract you from this task.  With the particular mental disorder that this represents, TPP really does not like to shop, and when shopping is necessary it is done as quickly as possible, unless, of course, the location is a nursery or greenhouse.  It's like trying to dine pleasantly by yourself; it just can't be done.  And rather than enjoying your meal in a leisurely fashion, you find yourself hurrying to finish.  Little temptation exists for me in malls because there just aren't very many things sold in malls that are desired, however in this case the shopping was not for myself.  One thing to note is that sales clerks and other store personnel have been very pleasant this year.  How nice.  Does that come with advancing age?  Maybe sales have been good.  Now hopefully, TPP's effort will be rewarded by the happiness of the giftees.