Guilty pleasures part 1

Ever had one of those days where you feel you have achieved nothing? I have, today, got up at a reasonable time and made it to the gym for dance aerobics class, then went to the library to get books for holiday, but after lunch I can't think what I must have spent the afternoon doing. I pulled some moss up from my lawn, had a bath, and did a bit of vacuuming, but surely that's not enough to take up the whole day? What I did not do however, was indulge in one of my favourite shameful timewasting guilty pleasures, which is watching TV shopping channels. You know, like QVC and price-drop TV (where you can purchase both of the "delightful" dolls pictured here for the bargain price of £11.82 plus postage).

There are several reasons why I love TV shopping. Firstly, it's shopping, which is reason enough, but in addition, it presents all those products that you never knew you could live without (those creepy dolls, again). It's strangely hypnotic, watching the presenters enthusing for ages about the finer points of a "wood-effect old-tyme radio" or an "aurora beaurealis encrusted fairy penguin pin", trying to convince me to call and hand over my credit card details. I have in fact bought a few things off of QVC over the years, if you are selective there are a few bargains to be had. I've got a few pieces of jewellery which are more unusual than what you can get on the high street and have had some good comments when I've worn them, and a pink glitter lava lamp which has lasted several years. I'm not interested in the standard clothing and homeware hours, the shows I like are the special jewellery ranges where there is a high chance of seeing tasteless gaudy tat, the Butler and Wilson shows as the presenter is fabulously camp, and some of the clothing ranges where you can buy horrid applique patchwork coats that make you look like a Peruvian llama farmer (fine if you are a Peruvian llama farmer, but not if you are a suburban housewife). I'm the sort of person that, when I go shopping with friends, is a bad influence because if they ask me if they should get something, I will always say yes if it is nice, so maybe I should try and get a job presenting on a shopping channel, I'm sure I could talk people into buying stuff!