DIY

I have this frequent habit of going to the hardware store, or any store for that matter, and looking for very strange things. This usually happens when I'm working on some bizarre project of mine that involves making something for cheaper than it would cost to buy it. The interesting part is when I have to figure out where in the store my "materials" would be located. This is difficult because I am not usually aware enough to think about what normal people would be using it for, which would help at least put me in the right direction.

Today's project was nylon mesh netting, or whatever you want to call it. They make these things to hang in your car that act as a barrier between the front and back seats. The reason this is important is because my cats like to climb all over me and anything else they can get to, which only seems potentially fatal when one contemplates driving cross-country and having them in the car for 4 days or so. So, long story short I was gonna buy one of these things online, but it was like $20. So I thought, "Maybe I can just find some netting and make my own."

Despite the simplicity of my intentions this seems to be where I went wrong. I wandered around Lowes' for awhile before actually getting a remotely intelligent person I could ask. They don't have it there and no one could really think of anything else it would be used for that would help point me in the right direction. The best the 2 Lowes' associates came up with was for me to try Pier 1 Imports..... I'm not sure why, but apparently they've seen nets there you can hang your stuffed animals in. I'm not sure if they're retarded, but that wouldn't have helped me. Some random passerby was intrigued by my outlandish request and began to brainstorm with us (the Lowe's worker and myself). He suggested I try an automotive store that would carry very similar nets as "cargo nets".

I was pleased, this was a great idea, except.....oh.............. wait for it, The fucking cargo net in the auto store is $25, thus 100% completely fucking eliminating an chance I had at saving money. I guess it's back to the drawing board.