of politics and handbags

I confess -- I hate shopping as much as I hate picking political candidates. Somehow, you always end up with long debates, too many brands and the same lousy merchandise you bought six years ago packaged in a different color.

But then, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. A friend of mine is getting married this month with an unusual wedding theme, so I need new shoes and a new handbag to go with my new dress. To add to the stress, May 10 elections are coming up and I haven’t even completed my lineup yet. Both events call for change and educated choices. With no time to waste, I’ve gotta go shopping.

One of my favorite shopping partners is my cousin Maya-babes. She has this enviable way of cutting through crap, finding gold in the most unlikely places, and zeroing on the actual value of a particular item.

One time, while deliberating a 3K red handbag in Rustan’s, she taught me this shopping trick. “Think of it this way, darling,” she purrs. “How often do you think you’re going to wear that piece?” About three times a week, maybe. “How long before you get bored with it?” A year? “Okay, that’s 52 weeks times three equals 156. Divide that with the net price.” I take out my calculator. Php 19.25 per wear. Not bad. When put like that, not bad at all. “Voila! There you have it, bag it up.”

Calculating for the political value of each candidate may not be as easy though. After all, the cost of human error in the grand scheme of things remains a mystery.

But through the years, I’ve managed to pick a few lessons here and there that make decision-making or shopping less of a headache. When it comes to clothes, makeup or bags, I’ve learned to ask myself intelligent questions, which I believe, also run parallel when choosing our candidates:

Does it inspire me?
A cute handbag calls for a cuter outfit. No use parading it with your crappy sandals, right? At the very least, the new things we buy should inspire us to look our very best. Just as we need leaders who can motivate us to be better Filipinos, to be the best at what we do given the right resources.

Can it stand under pressure?
In this country, you’ll never know when it gets too hot or wet. Our choice must be strong enough to withstand the elements or be worse for tear. A car brand recently got recalled because it could not perform in ice-cold places. Untested candidates also usually end up in the junkyard.

Does it offer something new?
Let’s face it, we’re creatures of habit. Trust my sister, when left shopping on her own, to buy the same kind of shirt in four different colors. I also have a gay friend who keeps picking the same type of X-men. I had the same hairstyle for 10 years. What we need are new ideas. We need creative leaders who can challenge us to evolve and perhaps think outside the box.

Can I afford it?
Be it as trivial as a handbag or as serious as electing a candidate into office, give it some thought. Remember, whichever choices we make, we always pay the price.


--SunStar Weekend, 08 May 2010