Wal-Mart.

I'm insane. This isn't a question, it's a fact. Insanity abounds inside me. And now that I'm pregnant, well, it's just out of control. Generally, I reserve the true moments of crazy and unleash them only on telemarketers, anyone answering a customer service call (US Cellular breeds a particular brand of moron), and commercial business in general. This could explain my undying hatred of Wal-Mart.

I'm sure most of you know the story, so I won't bore you with the details, but suffice to say, Wal-Mart and I have parted ways. There was some cranky old cashier who made a dumb off-handed comment, I flailed about a bit, there might have been some cat litter chucked across the front of the store... and then I made the pledge. I call it my Wal-Mart ban where-in I swore a solemn oath not to shop at Wal-Mart for 1 year. If you know my small town and the lack of store choices, you would realize what an undertaking it was. But, alas, I made it and I actually loved every minute. Each time I would buy from a farmers' market, or a local merchant I felt a little swell of pride for my principles and a pinch of disdain for the corporate monster in blue.

My year actually passed quickly and my buying habits completely changed. Believe it or not, I even saved money. But now, the hard part. I pledged to myself I wouldn't shop at Wal-Mart for 1 year, realizing that swearing it off completely would be impossible. However, I didn't account for the time after my year's sentence was served. Wal-Mart is now such a demon in my head that I can't shop there. It's been a year and a half and I just can't cross the threshold. I tried once... got as far as the parking lot before I began to sweat and palpitate and had to turn tail and run for my car. This wouldn't be much of an issue except for one little detail.

They have a crib. A crib I LOOOOOOOVVVVEEEEE. I found it online and it's $100 less than anywhere else I've seen it. It even has free shipping, with one little catch. I have to have it shipped to the store. So what do you think, readers, can I do it? Can I actually place the order, feed the blue beast, walk all the way to the BACK of the store and pick up my item? I just don't know if I have it in me.