FridayFive questions of the week

1. Do you like to shop? Why or why not?

Well, I love shopping for books, but for other things... not really. I mean, if I see something I like, I suppose I enjoy purchasing it, but the whole process of "going shopping", spending hours looking at store windows and trying on things, that's not something I like much.

2. What was the last thing you purchased?

I don't know the word in English, it's a bottle for cooking oil, with a spout that releases the oil drop by drop. I'd been looking for a nice glass one for some time, and the other day I was waiting for a friend outside her office, which is right on a square where there was a flea market that day. The stall nearest to me had the exact thing I was looking for, so I bought it.

3. Do you prefer shopping online or at an actual store? Why?

Depends for what product. Online you usually have a much wider selection and you don't have to move from your house, while in an actual store you can touch the product and try it on if necessary, plus you don't have to wait for delivery.

So, for things like books, I prefer shopping online, especially because bookstores here carry a very narrow selection of English-language romance novels. With amazon.com having things like the "Look inside" feature, the only thing that is better in a physical bookstore is the smell of books, but oh well.

For other things, I think I prefer physical stores, but well I can't really compare because customs officials here have made it almost impossible for one to buy anything but books from abroad, and there are very few local stores that sell online. In fact, the only one I buy from is the supermarket I've always used.

4. Did you get an allowance as a child? How much was it?

Not really, it's not something usually done here. I used to get a certain fixed amount of money every day for school (to buy lunch, bus fare, etc), but for other things I just asked my parents.

5. What was the last thing you regret purchasing?

A book, actually, because it turns out it was one I already owned. I hate those generic, impossible to remember, romance titles!