April 2, 2020 - 202 - "True Confessions: Amazon Made Me a Hoarder"

A Delicate Balance

     Like most people, I want to have enough of household supplies.  I want to have what I need when I need it.  But I don't want to have to store a bunch of stuff.  I want to have enough...and no more.

     This might be too touchy a topic to discuss at the moment.   I wasn't worried about toilet paper...but our last purchase from Costco is finally starting to get low, and the last few times Michael's gone out looking to replenish the supplies...there haven't been any.  I just tried ordering a standard size pack from Instacart delivery.  No dice. 

   Michael's  now planning a super early-morning run to Costco.  

    But, toilet paper aside;  I'm talking about accidentally buying stuff - and far more than necessary.  (Like those t.p. hoarders...but on accident.)

Too Much of a Good Thing\

     In our living room we have a cool light we bought at Ikea about 10 years ago (15?!  ...where does the time go?!).  Each of the five paper lights has a round bulb with a candelabra base.  I periodically order a 2 pack from Amazon to have on hand.  

    Recently a bulb went out and I looked in the plastic bin, I keep specialty lightbulbs in, for a replacement.  

    None in there.

    Huh...that's weird...usually when I use one I put the wrapper on my desk and order some more.  Guess I forgot.  So I took the dead bulb upstairs to remind me to order more.  I noticed they had the option of a 12 pack.  Great!  I won't have to deal with this again anytime soon.  These things last forever...that should be a lifetime supply!

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

     Before the new bulbs arrived...two more bulbs burnt out!  "Thank heavens I ordered those new bulbs!", I thought.

    So then the new bulbs arrived.  I replaced the 3 burnt-out lights...and carefully arranged the other 9 bulbs so they'd fit in the 'box of bulbs' we now had as backups.

   Yay!  I am soooo organized.  My bases are covered light-bulb wise.  Life is good.

Oh...Huh.  I Feel Dumb

     Just as I was shutting the door on this little household dilemma, and the cabinet, I saw a box I hadn't noticed before...

    Apparently...the last time I ran out of bulbs, I'd seen the Amazon 12 pack option as well.  

    And ordered them.

   So now...for real, for sure...we're covered for these weird little bulbs.  For a very, very, long time, if not forever.

But I Like My Lessons To Be Repeated

     Not learning a lesson the first time is a theme I'm only just now noticing in my life.  That's why I went through almost the identical scenario as explained above...with a 500 pack of 4" x 6" notecards.

Life's Necessities   We may not have toilet paper...but, by golly, we've now got 21 light bulbs...for a lamp that will surely break sometime soon.  And a couple of thousand 4" x 6" notecards.  

---

   Amazon, really, I feel like you know my buying habits better than I do.  Do me a solid next time and remind me: 

     You already have a lifetime supply of this item!
     DO NOT BUY AGAIN!!

  ---

"We are not cisterns made for hoarding, we are channels made for sharing."

-Billy Graham

---