Belated New Years...

Ah, yes, so the long awaited New Year's Resolution.

I only really have one resolution this year. And it's a weird one. I'm not planning to lose weight. I'm not going to obsess about working out. Nope. None of that this year.

My resolution is completely based on my past blog post. (I'm sorry. I will post more of the comments. It's just going to take a while. I have 269 to look through and I haven't turned on my computer in almost two weeks.)

I want to be clear. I did PAY for the apple juice, in case you wondering. And, apparently, a lot of cynics out there assumed that I did not pay for the apple juice. Which kind of hurt. I mean, why do people assume the worst?

Of course I paid for it. Anything my child breaks, I will pay for (I do not take her into china shops for this reason.) However, I will not be shopping in that store again. It was just the way they handled it.

I told another friend about the incident as we walked by the store a week later. I told her I couldn't go in. I was taking a stand, even though she needed to by some Advil.

"They are strange in there," she said. "They always look at you as soon as you walk in as if you're going to steal something."

It was quite interesting to me to read what people thought of customer service. Some thought that I shouldn't have to pay for it - considering I was buying many other items (I didn't end up buying anything but the apple juice.)

I lean too towards customer service. For example, I bought a crap load of Starbucks gift certificates for people for Christmas and while doing so I also ordered a grande non-fat latte. The barista said, "It's on the house."

This is why Starbucks is good with customer service. It was a nice thing to do, totally unnecessary, but completely nice. I will go back to Starbucks.

Once, at Whole Foods, I was buying mini-go yogurts. One of the lids on one of the six yogurts was slightly bashed in. I didn't care. But the dude gave the whole thing to me for free. That's good customer service. It makes me want to go back.

But even more interesting than paying for something versus good customer service it was completely interesting to see how upset some people were that I DIDN'T USE A CART!

Shoot me! I didn't use a cart!

I'm the type of person who believes I can carry everything I need in my two hands (aside from a big grocery shop.)

And even after a big grocery shop, with twelve bags in my trunk, I still believe that I can carry them into my door with ONE TRIP.

And, you know what? I can.

It ain't easy. My arms are usually bruised and the mark on my arms from carrying the bags leave red marks for hours.

But...still...I'm a ONE TRIP kind of gal.

I've always been like that. My mother always used to say, "Make two trips!" And I'd be like, "No. I can do it in one. Trust me."

I'm not lazy. I'm just a person who likes things done efficiently, even if that means my arms are bruised. If I can do something in one trip. I'm going to do it in one trip.

So, my New Year's resolution is to use a damn cart from now on when I go shopping, even if I'm buying a bottle of shampoo. That's it. Interesting huh?

It was also interesting for me to read that some mother's out there don't feed their children in the grocery store while they shop. It may be wrong. But I don't know. I do it all the time. If my child wants a cracker while we're shopping, I will open a box and give her one.

It keeps The Dictator happy, while I can shop for groceries peacefully. And, in case you were wondering, of COURSE I pay for it. What's the difference if she eats a cracker while we're at the check out counter or if we're on the other side. It's going to be paid for.

Other than that, it's been a nice break. We spent a week in Scottsdale with the family. And I took The Dictator to Mexico (again - I'm over my stomach issues.)

I almost cried when I saw that the Dictator can almost swim by herself now. Such joy.

I wish all of you good health and happiness in 2008. And, I promise, I'll use a cart.