The cereal aisle freaks *me* out, and I've never been out of the country. Too. many. choices.

Our wee tiny neighborhood grocery store (probably a little smaller, square footage-wise, than a Trader Joes) closed at the beginning of the year, and our only other options are Big! Huge! Fuckoff! Grocery Conglomerates where you can buy not only a steak but the $400 gas grill to cook it on.

I *loathe* shopping there. I used to love grocery shopping, and the giant stores freak my shit out.

In the mid '90s, I saw a group of visiting Russian nuclear plant employees go into severe culture shock in a Toys R Us in Virginia. One said, "I was going to get my daughter a doll, but there are so many."

And, while I very much realize that not all people with ADD are like this, the excessive amount of choices makes Tim's brain short-circuit. As much as I hate shopping at the Megastore, if I go by myself I can get in and out in 45 minutes, while it take at least 90 minutes if we go together. (I will not tell you how long it takes him by himself.)

There are a number of large stores I can't do, but I don't think it has anything to do with the Third World. Shopping is such a fucking bother, period. But you should see the rest of my family go at it. They're champs. Visits anywhere are an orgy of acquisition--but however comfortable my sister might be in Best Buy, she would really rather be in a massive Thai market.

And, similarly, I can handle a foreign language suq better than I can handle Costco.

The weird thing is -- I have no problem with Target. I cannot explain my brain. Perhaps one day science will be able to.

Target is HEAVEN, that's why.

True 'dat.

a foreign language suq

I've never seen it spelled that way! I think my brother generally spells it souk.

I've never seen it spelled that way! I think my brother generally spells it souk.

Too many round of Words With Friends and cramped quarters with a Q in hand. Normally I'd spell it souk too.

I am so making a note for future Scrabble purposes.