Shopping is NOT a recreational activity

Shopping is NOT a recreational activity.  Am I right?  Further, I recently experienced my own personal version of the deepest pits of hell - swimsuit shopping.  I like to swim - laps, a dip in the pool or lake, waterparks.  So I really want to wear something that is for moving and not just sitting on the side.  That means it has to actually stay in place while I move.  In addition, I prefer some coverage.  That's a tall order these days.  As I discussed with a friend - as far as swimsuit styles go, I really should have been born in Victorian times.  The billowy skirts would be annoying, but I can imagine wearing something similar to these suits:

Victoriana Magazine: http://www.victoriana.com/library/Beach/FashionableBathingSuits.htm

Let me be clear - I'm not really concerned with what other people wear when they swim, unless they are my offspring.  If you feel comfortable in your tiny bikini, then that's you.  For my part, I like to be active and somewhat covered up.  There aren't many options in the stores for me.

Good thing my daughter came swimsuit shopping with me, because:
1)  I would have thrown up my arms in defeat and not bought anything without her there to encourage me.
2)  I couldn't have gotten into or out of a couple of the contraptions "so-called swimsuits" by myself.

I was searching for a two-piece tankini style swimsuit with shorts.  The tops, in particular, can be tricky to get on and off.  And they really don't provide much coverage.  It struck me...  We live in a society where it's totally acceptable to walk around publicly at the beach or pool in a swimsuit top with just a tiny triangle of material covering only about one-fourth of each breast.  And yet many people will be outraged if you show just a wee bit of your breast while publicly feeding your baby.  Doesn't make sense...

Now that I have completed my bathing suit rant, I will move on to my public declaration that I do not consider shopping to be a recreational activity.
Recreational activities = biking, making crafts, reading, playing sports or games, watching t.v. or movies, talking to friends, going to the theater or a concert, gardening, etc.
Not a recreational activity = walking around stores/malls when you don't actually need anything

Don't most people (most of us in this country at least) already have TOO-MUCH-STUFF?  We have so much stuff that there are stores that sell stuff to help us organize our other stuff!  And there are numerous books, blogs and websites about organizing, tidying and decluttering.  There are whole businesses and consulting firms built up around helping people manage their stuff.

Last week I shopped at Costco for the first time.  For a shopping-hater like me, the appeal of big box stores is that they have pretty much everything under one roof, so you don't have to go to multiple stores.  The downside is also that they have everything under one roof, a lot of which you don't need.  And they are huge and overwhelming.  This is why I love Aldi.  No frills, just food (and a very small section of random seasonal items).  And because Aldi doesn't provide free bags, they encourage environmental stewardship.  I never forget to bring my reusable bags when I shop there.

There are a few types of shopping venues I sometimes enjoy, even if I don't need anything and am just browsing.  But even these I'll take in small doses:
- bookstores
- art supply & office supply shops
- small unique variety stores (like Fischberger's in Milwaukee)
- marketplaces or handicraft shops in other countries

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What are your thoughts on shopping?