the e.s.m.

there are many things literally clothing-related haunting the depths of my brain as august 24th & my entire future loom. but in an effort to post consistently over the next few days, i will preface packing up all of my belongings with an age-old expression that has become an imperative tool in the pre-college shopping extravaganza this summer has been.
first, for some history: it is well known that when my family visit our relatives out west we frequent the extremely large malls & outlets that surround their small, suburban, western towns. there is a wealth of gigantic, clean, air-conditioned buildings in nevada & colorado. twenty-first century consumerism has incentivized their construction alongside the necessity of enticement: where all da humans @ in tha desert? i don't know if these stand-alone structures - literally, not even under the cover of foliage - have succeeded in enticing, but they are usually built next to sites of new condominium/housing developments, which over time will surely produce a population of cheap-home-seeking consumers. the current/long-time residents are the one reeping the benefits, however. such is the case with my maternal extended family. my father's siblings living in new jersey may have the meadowlands complex (more like spacestation), but they don't have the outlet malls.
so, why is this relevant? well, the expression to which i am referring is the e.s.m., or exciting shopping moment. it was invented by my mother, my cousin anna & me after a trip to dsw, the large shoe warehouse that did not arrive on the east coast for some time after its placement in colorado. the term is applicable to all purchases made on items extremely reduced, items that, thanks to coupons & giftcards, are significantly reduced at the register, &, most excitingly, items that are surprisingly cheaper than expected when scanned. how does this relate to college shopping? well, being frugal is a key component of dorm furnishment, and that frugality necessarily dips into overall money-spending of any kind.
my most recent e.s.m.s were a fitted, strong-shouldered black blazer marked down from $70 to $24, rung up for $19, at lord & taylor, two gigantic silver baubles & purchased at macy's, both of which started at $24 & were marked down to $12.00, further reduced at the register to $5.70 a piece.

the fact that the bracelets were purchased at macy's points to another e.s.m. factor. e.s.m.s are frequently found at the most uncommon of places, uncommon here meaning stores in which one rarely purchases anything. hence the application of the term at things like sidewalk sales. the unexpected element contributes to the "exciting" part of the "moment" in question.
herein ends an insight into both my family of girly, bargain-loving shoppers & my lack of interest in anything marked up to full-price.
one last note: the image in which i am sporting a leotard above is a shot of my performance of the single ladies dance at camp a week ago. youtube link to follow.