Lost my shopping jones

Something weird is happening. I've been a regular indulger in retail therapy—street fairs, Filene's—but suddenly I can't seem to take it to the cash register or press the "Complete Transaction" key. I see the word sale, and get hungry. And I try it on or picture myself in whatever it is, and it's exhilarating. And I reach into my wallet for my credit card ... and I can't seem to seal the deal. It's like being anorectic—only in a good way.

It's also like breaking an addiction. I remember when I quit smoking almost 30 years ago and when I went on the wagon three years ago, and it feels like that. At first, it felt as though I was being deprived of a reward, but then it felt liberating. I was no longer tied down to a habit. And that's what all this stuff is, just a habit.