When I'm Not at Blockbuster, I Think of Movies To See...It's a Metaphor For Life

AMANDA: When I am not actually at the video store, I can rattle off ten movies I'm desperate to see. But when I'm at Blockbuster, my mind is a blank. Similarly, faced with registering for wedding gifts, the Williams Sonomas and Sur La Tables of the world paralyze me.

I love to cook and I have a beautiful, big new kitchen that has a full-size oven, lots of counter space and a big gas stove. The new kitchen calls for new pots and pans, fine china, and all the many utensils and gadgets that would never have fit in the closet we used to call a kitchen. In theory, registering for these things fills me with great joy and excitement. But in reality, it's a stress-inducing, pressure-filled nightmare.

Yogurt maker? Ice cream maker? Griddle? Creme brulee torch? Miniature heart-shaped molds for making molten chocolate cake? Sorting the useful (spoons, spatulas, cutting boards) from the useful-only-in-my-Martha Stewart-inspired dreams requires disciplined analysis.