Shopper-tainment

Whatever happened to the simpler times?

It seems almost EVERYTHING anymore has the Emeril effect - it's kicked up a notch. Intensified. Take your job. Take driving. Take shopping. Please.

But seriously... you can't just drive anymore. You have to drive while you're mentally planning a Christmas get-together for your Sunday School class, dialing your sister to make sure you've got the right size Christmas clothing for your niece and nephew, applying lipstick and sticking your tongue out (that's if you're a Christian) at the rude people.

Ditto for shopping. You can't just run in and get something anymore. You have to be accosted by clerks - unless you actually need the help, in which case there's not a sales assistant this side of Peoria. You have to weave yourself in and out of the temporary booths set up only this time of year to trip you up... try to shut out the elevator music mingled with the choral group mingled with the high school band that are all performing at different locations without taking a mall's unique acoustics into affect...

Whatever happened to just running in and getting a few things? I'm worn out and it's only December 17th.