Kathy's comment in the WOC thread "If anyone who thinks growing orchids
*isn't* an addiction hasn't answered the Call of the Vendors." made me think of my efforts to battle addictions.I bought only one new orchid in 2007, which is huge progress considering that there used to be a time when I would _need_ to buy orchids every month, and I couldn't ever buy just one at a time (had to be two or three or four). Alas, when visiting a relative the other weekend I started to persuade her that next time we visit I will buy her an orchid, she seemed reluctant, not wanting the additional burden of having to take care of it, but I tried to press the case that an orchid wouldn't be any burden at all (one orchid isn't, but whoever stops at one? I did not tell her that.). And just this evening I was just thinking that if the miltaniopsis reflowers again this year, I will have to buy more of those, and how I have been neglecting to visit Al's Orchid Greenhouse, and after all that is not very polite to Al who does not deserve that. So I fear I may be heading for a relapse. :-(
I have just begun trying to get myself off of caffeine. So far, not very successfully. I don't think I will be able to go a year with only one coffee (shudder), so far I seem to be having trouble with one coffee per day. I poured myself a second mug as soon as I got into the office yesterday on autopilot, and as soon as the mug was full, I noticed, but by then it was too late, couldn't waste a perfectly good mug of coffee by pouring it out after all, could I? And then today, the major tantrum/meltdown of my two-year old at the shopping mall made me drink a second cup later in the day (just had to). When we got home the watering of orchids soothed my nerves, and it did not seem like a burden after all, and surely another one or two wouldn't make any noticeable difference in the watering burden, right?
So I guess orchid addiction is easier to hold in check than caffeine addiction, or maybe not? Is orchid addiction just a form of shopoholism? Or maybe orchids give out some undetectable but irresistible addictive substance that sinks in through our pores, and reprograms our DNA to whisper "Buy more orchids. Buy more orchids. Buy more orchids."
Joanna