if this week was to be summarized in a single word, it would be "splurge".

in no less than 4 separate occasions have i let my shopaholic side loose, wasting both my own and my parents' money in various purchases. i'll be coming into the next week with 3 new pairs of pants, a shirt, a jacket, 2 belts, and a few other accessories. it might seem a bit excessive (and i gather it really is), but i can't be blamed entirely for the spenditure. it's just been the result of several coincidental yet nicely-placed events, all of which had to converge on this very week.

1st, my dad went away to geneva on business. this may not seem so significant, but without the lingering presence of my father weighing down on my every financial move, the impulse buyer in me has had time to breathe and stretch, with it grabbing a few items along the way.

2nd, the arrival of a much-overdue check. grade release issues and red tape have delayed my scholarship support long enough. the check i received this week is the first of many installments due to me. even if i haven't cashed it in yet, just knowing that i have spare cash lying around somewhere releases most spending inhibitions (particularly the miser side in me).

next, the culmination of a month-long sale at robinsons place. of course, the sale signs and bargain bins will still be there long after the sale has officially ended, but i am not one to let shirts and pants at 50% off pass me by.

lastly, several weekend shopping sprees courtesy of my mom. in the middle of last week, she invited me to go to divisoria on saturday and greenhills on sunday. and of course, who am i to say no? in fact, i haven't even been to divisoria before. we went this morning, and i can say that 8 hours of pure bargain madness haven't worn me out in the least. actually, we were quite confined in a single mall in the divi area, so we didn't really go to the nitty-gritty parts of it, but it was a learning experience just as well. i couldn't get myself to buy too much since i had already splurged during the week, but tomorrow's trip to greenhills might turn out differently.

near the end of this long yet productive week, i have come across some material truths about myself. first, my style is again starting to shift, as it did during the start of my freshman year. i am now regressing to proper-fitting shirts as opposed to my slim-fitting fad (but i'm still willing to flaunt my stuff, wahaha), and now my pants are getting the slim treatment. and another, i'm not so brand-conscious. visiting divi has opened my eyes to the wonder and cheapness of unbranded stuff. random korean labels scattered throughout the tiangge are of real quality, and at less than half the retail price elsewhere. fake wallets may carry the brand name illicitly, but do justice to the product.

hehe, i think i may really be growing up.