CoCo,
I am a 5 and dime girl. Yes, it's true. I rarely ever had more than 75 cents all together and loved to browse Woolworths. When I was 12-13 I loved to buy new shades of nail polish. (Still do - right now my toenails are a lovely shade of Kelly green - fun!)
When I was 18-23 (pioneering) I loved to treat myself to eating at the counter - hamburgers, malts, chocolate pie, mashed potatoes and gravy. Such indulgence! And I was so skinny!
Always loved fresh, stacked high pads of notebook paper, rows of pens and pencils - the author Erica Jung also loves shopping for new paper and pens -
Oh the orgies in stationery stores!
The love of printer ' s ink & think new pads!
I remember getting the thick newspaper-grade tablets with the Indian head on the cover - loved them at first when they were fresh, but then in time they seemed cheap and shabby.
Now I shop at the 99 cent store on occasion - I still love a bargain - get my readers and (some for friends who don't have access to 99cents), sunglasses, reams of napkins that I use as Kleenex, really good produce, novelties for the grandkids, and just the fun of browsing.
I do remember personalizing your "Big Pink" eraser in school was a significant passage.