The Scoop on Strangers

I thought I had made a huge mistake. But somehow it all worked out better than I could have imagined...

Two weeks ago, I visited the Indie Craft Parade. It's this amazing exhibition for artists in downtown Greenville, where they can exhibit their goods and the visitors can buy some amazing stuff. They have pottery, paintings, jewelry, blankets, woven goods, chocolates, photographs, metalwork, stuffed animals, vintage clothing, and so many other creative and exciting things. I was enthralled. I actually got to meet an artist who was originally from BJ. During one of my trips to the college during high school, I had seen and LOVED his artwork. It was amazing to meet him and he's bringing more of his work to show at BJ in November!
So, between trying chocolate, getting my picture taken with my favorite 8 yr old, Erica, and admiring all the artwork, I did two things.

First, I gave all my personal information to a complete stranger.
Second, I bought a pretty little handmade flower pin for $10.

If you could choose one decision out of those two to change, which would it be?


hurry and choose! I'm about to tell you which one I would have changed. Don't cheat. You have to decide before you scroll down. I'm using the honor system here. What is your integrity worth? I would have changed...









the second choice! and now you all may sit in bewilderment to wonder about my decision making skills.

Kidding. The flower pin, while cute and interesting, is somehow not my style. I have yet to wear it with anything and I don't even know if it actually matches any of my clothes. It's pinned to my shoe hanger right now, brightening my closet. I didn't plan to pay $10 to brighten my closet. But here's the twist.. you know the personal information I gave to the random stranger? It was actually a drawing for these really cool pendants. I saw them, wanted them, saw they were $30 and immediately tampered the longing for a cool pendant. Until I saw they had this nifty little box where you place a business card (stink. I don't have one) oooooor, your personal information. how much is a pendant worth? I ask myself. Is it worth your email address, mailing address, name, and possibly the chance that you will forever be on a mailing/advertisement list? I ponder. Yes. I filled out my information and handed it over to a complete stranger, and then promptly forgot about it.
That is, I forgot about it until I opened up my P.O. box the other day to an unexpected little package. Oh what joy and what surprise when I opened up my eyes to see my own cool pendant laying there in front of me! I won the drawing! I was screaming with astonishment. I WON THE DRAWING!

So in the end, I may have spent $1o on something that I don't really use, but I got something that costs $30 for nothing! My income statement looks pretty good right now. I like my pendant. I think I will give out my information to strangers more often