Chapstick in America

The other day Sam and I were at Target buying all the stuff you buy at Target when you're the parents of two mini-Hooligans. There we were in the "have a cold or prevent a cold" aisle when I noticed the chapstick.Now as you can see, there are at least 30 different choices. Seriously, how many different ways can you do chapsitck? This trend in American retail "over-selection" was plainly obvious when I lived in Spain/Europe. For the most part, your retail needs are still met in specialty shops: you buy meat at the butcher shop, fish at the fish market, fruits and veggies at the stand down the street, chapstick, cough suppresant, toilet paper, etc. at the pharmacy. I only saw one big box store the entire time I was there. It was on the edge of town and there was almost no one there.

Don't get me wrong, I love selection. Somedays you're in the mood for flavored, tinted lip balm and others you just want medicated, get the job done chapstick. I haven't been even close to everywhere, but of the places that I have been, the United States is the only place you can choose between 45 different ice cream options at the grocery store.

Totally unrelated, but interesting point of note: today we took Libby and Moo to the veterinarian for their annual check up. While waiting for the doc I thought, isn't it crazy how pets in the United States get better medical care than billions of humans on this planet? I'm by no means begrudging my sweet furry friends their vet visits, but just noted the irony of the situation.

Ok, so now we're all caught up on canine health care and lip balm selection in America!