I am now truly a part of Seattle: I own Ikea.

I did not buy retail, either; I bought my Ikea desk via Craigslist. This is not as cool as paying retail, but at least I was able to take up space on Seattle's crowded roadways. And given the sheer amount of Ikea product available through Craigslists — at least one-third of the furniture being offered seems to be from Ikea ‐ I think this is as accepted a means of becoming an Ikean as anything else. It worked for me; I paid $50 for a $60 desk and a $30 add-on unit. This is why we have Craigslist, of course (I hear tell we also have it to simplify the process of procuring cheap sex, but I'm too chicken to ever find out).

And what of the woman who sold me the desk? As we were making arrangements for me to come over and get it, she said she'd be in all day — although she was going to Ikea later in the day.

Ikea: lifestyle statement | addiction