Yesterday, Kelly and I joined friends who had free passes to shop at the new Ikea store in Tampa before it opens to the public. It was our my first time in one of those stores, and it was every bit the harrowing shopping marathon I'd heard it was. For a store that boasts so frequently about how efficient everything is, having you proceed through the store in one long winding line for four hours sure doesn't feel that way, but every store has ways of getting you to buy more than you came for and Ikea has come up with a unique one.

Our friends bought quite a bit, but Kelly and I didn't spend money other than lunch in the cafeteria. I want to say that I'm proud of our self-restraint in holding back, but the real reason is that virtually nothing in that store appealed to us. I have friends with this design sense and there's nothing wrong with it, but personally, we were turned off by the tacky patterns and single bolds colors, and the flat boxy shapes, and modular look to everything. Kelly objects to the modernity and the feeling that everything in the store will be out of style in ten years; me, I just don't care for the look of it at all. I want to get into interior decorating and spruce up my home, and if I liked Ikea's style then I'd be all over their cheap prices and mix & match philosophy; I'd be in heaven in that store. I think that explains it for the people who do like it. Until we get some more money, it's back to Target for us.


Three Replies to Det är inte så farligt

Jackie Mason | May 4, 2009
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Kelly Lee | May 7, 2009
"Our first time"? I've been to them before. It's hot gay man watchin time!

Scott Hardie | May 7, 2009
That store has got to be difficult for employees to get across too, even if they know all the shortcuts. If you work on the first floor and the far opposite corner from the cafeteria and you get a fifteen minute break, how many minutes will you really have to relax?


Logical Operator

The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »

The Wedding

Kelly and I wed on March 15, an event that we've been looking forward to for a very long time. Despite keeping the wedding modest and casual, it still involved a great deal of planning and anxiety, occupying my attention for the last few months. (Kelly was in charge of her outfit; I planned everything else, with her approval at each stage.) Go »

What We Kept

One winter in the mid-1970s, my grandfather Donald was hospitalized with a serious infection in his foot. Being diabetic, he went out of his way for years to avoid any infections or other hazards, but his luck had run out. On Christmas Day, he was informed by the doctors that they would have to amputate his foot the next morning. Go »

Day 86

The diet continues, but I haven't lost as much as I would like by now. Four pant sizes is something to be proud of, but three of them were lost in January, so you can understand my frustration. I've wound up taking a fourth meal most days, bringing me to ~1200 calories, and so far I've had a lot of trouble going back down to three. Go »

OK Glass

Last weekend, Kelly and I drove up to St. Petersburg with friends to see Ira Glass present a one-man stage show explaining how he makes This American Life on the radio. I had no prior familiarity with his work, having not heard the radio show unlike the fans that I went with, but I think it's long past time that I started listening to the celebrated series online. Go »

Halloween Party 2006

Last night I had the privilege to attend a Halloween party thrown by Miah (Jeremiah) Poisson and his fiancée Ines Sarante, which doubled as Miah's birthday party. My thanks to the hosts! I had a great time. Go »

Gigantism

Thanks to a friend who couldn't use them, I scored They Might Be Giants tickets to replace the broken Valentines gift that I originally bought for Kelly. We took in the show last night with two other friends who happened to be going, Nathan and Raquel, and it was a great time. Most of my concerts have been metal, so I'm used to screaming and head-banging, and I didn't exactly know how to get into the music, especially since I was the least familiar with the TMBG catalog. Go »