"Hello, my name is Christy. And I'm addicted to buying school supplies."
I wish that I were kidding.
School supplies shopping is so fun for me, because I love finding new, awesome pens for writing, and cute little pencil sharpeners to stash away for when they inevitably disappear throughout the school year from my daughter's backpack. Ditto for crayons, markers and colored pencils...those all seem to just walk away from the desk at regular intervals, don't they?
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy my child likes to share with her classmates. Very happy. But the thought of scarcity of replacement items in our home appears to be a trigger point for my sanity, as does paying full price later in the school year for items that go on serious sale this time of year. And so?
We now have a bit of a sale school supplies stockpile.
And not just for us, but also for my daughter's teacher next year as well. I like to help stock up the classroom, too, so her teacher doesn't have to do it out of pocket on her own.
Of course, I tend to do this every year, but why? It is as though the start of the school year every single year turns me into a pencil hoarder. It's all neatly tucked away in our large green bin, sure, but is this normal?
Even before we had The Peanut, I would peruse the school supplies sales and pick up new composition books (college ruled, thank you very much) and favorite pens (Uni-Ball Vision Elite Micro-Point in Blue/Black ink if at all possible) and any number of other fun items that caught my fancy. I love the smell of office supply stores -- all the paper and ink makes me happy. (So perhaps the fact that I'm going to be a school librarian this year isn't exactly that far off where I ought to be after all, eh? LOL)
All this to say, anyone else get that giddy feeling as they walk through the door at Staples? Have to suppress a squeal of happiness upon finding a 50-pack of colored pencils on sale for $3.99 or notebook paper packs at 3 for $1?
Do brightly colored post-it flags make your pulse race? I think mine did the other day while looking at some, but it also might have been the extra cup of coffee I had that morning, so I can't be scientifically certain.
Tell me I'm not alone in this...
(Photo via mattdoucette.)
6 comments:
You are not alone at all! My favorite stress reliever in this small town is wandering through our Office Depot. Also, when I travel, I always look for unique office supplies...usually at an independent, locally owned store. There are still a few of them around. How many people look through their desks to remember their travels?
I've been this way since I was anticipating kindergarten. Thanks for posting about this Christy. Your mutual appreciation for school supplies (and I love them all!) makes me feel less unusual.
Hey Christy, I have forwarded the link to this post and the previous one to my daughter the teacher. She teaches technology so I'm not sure she needs donated supplies, but I thought she'd enjoy anyway.
I haven't been here in awhile. Did you post pics of your new "grown out" hair lately?
We miss you at FDL. Wish you were still there whipping us into action!
"Normal?"
It is wise.
Is it "typical"?
No.
Christy, it is wonderful to discover that you are still sharing your wisdom and warm humanity with all of the world.
You are much missed, at a certain other place.
I wish that when Barack Obama received a letter from a young lad relating the fact that his school had no paper or pencils, that the President had reacted as you do, to the desperate need of school supplies for the schools.
We do as you do, both the in-home build-up of disappearing pencils, pens, erasers and what-not and as well send daughter's teachers "supplies" on a regular basis, at the beginning of the school year and at regular intervals throughout that year, boes of tissues being especially in demand.
Christy, I wish you, peanut, and MrRedd the very best of everything.
DW
Jane -- same with me on the kindergarten anticipation. There is something truly magical about finding a new notebook, pages crisp and clean and ready for writing, isn't there? :)
Molly -- I haven't posted a picture lately. Will do that soon. Here was the last one from back in February:
http://homecelebration.blogspot.com/2011/02/going-graycefully-stage-two.html
I'm a LOT grayer now, I can tell you, but it looks pretty good, if I do say so myself.
Heya DW, I wish that everyone would pitch in a bit more in their local schools. Even if it is just volunteering to read once a month to the kiddos at story time in the library or in a classroom, that's a huge thing that allows a teacher to get a few papers graded or things ready for the next lesson. Time can be just as helpful as monetary donations, ya know?
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