Losing sense of direction
This might start on the road already (trying to locate the mall in the first place). Or at the entrance (there are so many entrance gates). Or in the parking lot/building/basement (whichever is more confusing). And the climax (drumroll, please): not being able to find one's car when finished shopping (even if one manages to find the parking area, all floors look similar... and lots of cars look similar, too... just look at all those silver Toyota Avanza)
Losing control: over one's budget, or one's diet plan
"I'm just going to buy that black cardigan. I promise."... "Okay. Got it... wait... ooh, it comes in grey, too! And that one will go great with my new white top."... "Okay. I'm gonna buy the grey... and the red, too. And the black shorts to go with it... and the necklace. Ooh, perfect outfit for the next arisan with the girls!"... "And to celebrate this fabulous shopping, I'll go grab two scoops at Gelato Bar... I'll just go to the gym tomorrow and workout longer than usual... if I can wake up in the morning, that is... ooh, look at those gorgeous strappy sandals!!!" (got the picture?)
Losing one's personal belongings (e.g. wallet, mobile phone)
Sometimes due to carelessness (putting mobile phone in outer compartment of rucksack, or in an unzipped handbag), sometimes due to semi-hypnotized state of mind (caused by "buy one get one free" or "50% discount"-delirium), sometimes due to mere stupidity (displaying one's Nokia E90 or N95 on a table at a crowded foodcourt, beckoning, "Hey, hey, come and grab my phone! I promise I won't look!"), sometimes it's just one's luck. Combined with some kind of "death defying act" by a Harry Houdini or David Blaine wannabe, who manages to fish someone's wallet/phone out of his/her handbag/pocket.
Losing patience
This applies mostly to men... who have to wait or roam around aimlessly while their spouse/girlfriend/ friend/sister shop excitedly. Browsing stores, trying on clothes/shoes, bargaining prices, mixing and matching outfits, and shopping some more (and forgetting about spouse/boyfriend/friend/brother completely)
In MY case: Plaza Semanggi, 4 August 2008, in broad daylight, losing my mobile phone, obviously just my luck. I remember still having the cute little Nokia thing in the mobile phone compartment INSIDE my handbag the whole time (or so I thought). The next thing I knew, it was gone. Was in the car when I realized it. Retraced every place I visited, to no avail. It vanished into thin air. I guess someone took "Street Magic" too seriously, and practiced it on people at shopping malls, turning it into "Shopping Mall Theft Magic". I was so tempted to cast an evil spell or a terrible curse on whoever stole my phone (like one of the sisters in "Charmed") but I remembered that I don't have any magic powers whatsoever... so, nevermind.
I'll just have to buy a new phone, then.
And yes, this is a RANT. Thanks for bearing with me.
