From the editor

From the editor
Retail therapy

By Alison Embrey Medina, Executive Editor
April 01, 2009

Everyone needs a little retail therapy. No, not the “I had a bad day so I’m going to drop $200 at the mall” variety. But the “I work in the retail industry and I need to vent” assortment. One day industry experts are telling us to expect the worst, and a week later the National Retail Federation (NRF) reports retail sales have beaten expectations for two straight months. The headlines, quite frankly, are dizzying.

Perhaps we can steal a page from our adolescent days and pay tribute to retail in the most “this is how I feel today” way possible: the Mad Lib. With these age-old frustration-breakers, there are always two possibilities, depending on your mood. Opt for the sensible answers that make your story cohesive and practical throughout, or—if you’re more temperamentally motivated like me—spout your mood and personality with whatever quirky, in-the-moment words pop into your head.

Retail has been through a tough run of late, so go on, take a little time to vent. Try again next week, next month—or even next year—and see how much your story changes. You might be surprised.

Click here to download your very own retail Mad Lib.