Holiday Gift Giving

I just saw an ad about K-Mart (or some store like that) going back to lay-away this holiday season. In the commercial, there are a few smiling women standing in line with their carts FULL of what looked to me like a whole lot of junk. It seems that at some point, everyone would just say ENOUGH. Not only does our country have enough stuff, many of us have way, way more than enough stuff. I've decided that for the rest of the year (and maybe for the rest of my life) everyone is either going to get a homemade present or a donation to a charity in their honor or a creative service (i.e. hours of babysitting). And this decision is coming from someone (me) who used to love, love, love to buy presents. However, I just don't think I can justify it any longer. So, that is how I am going to attempt to get through the holiday season. The only place I see myself having a hard time following through with this is with the kids that I usually buy for. We'll see how it goes. 

Other Ideas for November

I've been thinking about other things to do in November that are maybe more authentic to me than the way I've spent my time in the past. I have to admit there were years when I braved the mall on the day after Thanksgiving to get a jump-start on my holiday shopping. Now the thought of even entering a mall, especially on the busiest shopping day of the year, makes me almost sick to my stomach. So, I thought that instead I would try to organize a Really, Really Free Market(RRFM) at a park near my house on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The markets are all over now, but the original one was started by Kirsten Brydum in San Francisco. Kirsten was killed last month and the RRFM in San Francisco is working hard, as are a lot of other organizations, to keep her memory and spirit alive. For more information on the original market, you can visit the website at www.reallyreallyfree.org. The idea is fairly simple. On a particular day, everyone who wants to participate can bring stuff they want to give away to the park (or wherever the event is being held). People are free to take whatever they want/think they need/know they will use. No strings attached. No barter or trade necessary. Free. The only catch is that if you bring stuff and no one takes it, then you have to take it with you. No one can leave trash behind. People also can bring blankets, music, food and hang out/socialize. It's getting people together, outside in a way that stands in direct opposition to the consumerism that drives our culture. So I am going to work on making this happen. I will post updates as the time nears. My other idea was to get together the 60 or 70 people who converge on my family's home for Thanksgiving and do a collective donation to some charity, preferably one that supports and/or benefits a Native American organization in some way. I think that we could collect at least $100 or $200 and it might start a tradition that would continue annually. I need to do some work on this idea too, but I thought about it and decided that if I posted it I would be more likely to hold myself accountable for actually making it happen. 

A Really Good Idea

My friend told me about something she is going to try this holiday season and I thought it was an idea worth sharing. It's about being grateful, and the concept is simple. Every day for a month (or longer) you write a note to someone telling them why you are grateful for him/her. I am going to do this in November and I know my biggest challenge will be actually mailing the notes. I've decided to do the following things to make this easier and more fun. First of all, I am going to address and put postage on a bunch of envelopes in advance so that I don't have to root around for addresses, stamps, etc. I am also going to make a bunch of homemade cards in advance (which is also keeping with The Compact and not buying a bunch of new cards) and also use some cards in the stockpile of store-bought cards I keep around "just in case." I am also going to try to actually get together (for a walk, some coffee) with some of the people who are physically close to me but whom I haven't seen in a long time. What better reason to get together than to let someone know how much he/she means to me? 

Pondering Peace

I believe in the possibility of peace. That being said, I wonder how we can have peace in a world with so much inequity, so much greed, so much economic disparity, so much hopelessness. More thoughts on this to come... 

Things I Have Purchased New...

I figured it was time to confess. These are the things I have purchased new since September 1st, complete with my justifications/excuses...

1. Post-It Notes (lots of them)

2. Books for my dissertation research that I couldn't find used

3. A new bicycle pump (because I really, really wanted to ride and couldn't wait to track down a used one)

4. A sauna suit to wear when I work out 

5. A copy of Self magazine (accompanied by a generous helping of ice cream as part of a bad day self-pity party)

6. A nice card to give to the boyfriend as an apology note (closely connected to purchase #5)

So... I still have a long ways to go, but I am feeling good about the small changes I've made and have been inspired by all those who are out there doing amazing things to make this world a better place. 

Answers to your Burning Questions

I know that everyone thinks about what it would be like without the modern convenience of garbage service. Well, maybe everyone doesn't think about this all the time; but for those of us who have this modern convenience that most of the world goes without, the thought of not having our trash (or even recycling) picked up on a bi-weekly basis might make us think about what and how we consume. My friend just moved to 20 beautiful acres in a rural part of the country and does not have garbage service. This is what she had to say. It definitely gives me some food for thought...

"It is interesting how you begin to consider things when you have no trash service. Here is what we do: Separate - paper products (burn pile), food disposal (we also have no garbage disposal, but Mooshoo, our potbelly pig, eats anything and everything), plastics (save for recycle; the corner store recycles every other Monday), what's left (and there is stuff left, sadly) my husband takes to a local business in city limits and sneaks it in with their trash). Needless to say, we rethink what we buy in the way of packaging, food, and everything else. Just interesting life experience."

The Compact

When I was doing some online research a couple of months ago, I came across this blog on something called "The Compact." Started by a group of people in San Francisco, the mission of The Compact is: 1) to go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of U.S. consumer culture to resist global corporatism, and to support local businesses, farms, etc.; 2) to reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash compact-er); 3) to simplify our lives (as in calm-pact). Basically, the group agreed to buy nothing new, except for food, drinks, necessary medications and cleaning products (but not equipment), socks and underwear, and pajamas for children. The group vowed to buy used, borrow, or do without everything else. 

I was really intrigued by the idea, and so I suggested to a friend of mine that we try it for one month. We both decided that September would work, since in August she was relocating permanently and I was traveling and in a state of flux. So, September it was. The first week was easy, especially because in hindsight I realized that I had spent the last week in August stocking up on things that I thought I needed. Is this cheating? Maybe... but I'll try not to judge myself too harshly. So, I was doing really well until, without thinking, I went online and bought my boyfriend a new book. I had been trying to get the book used from this great website called paperbackswap.com. (If you've never heard of it, check it out. Membership is free and you swap books with other members for only the cost of postage, which is under $2.50 per book). Anyway, the site has this little button next to books they don't have available that reads "buy this book new." Without thinking, I clicked on it and redirected myself to Amazon. Come to find out, I already have an account with Amazon that somehow has my credit card information saved and so I bought a new book without even really thinking about it. As soon as I clicked "Confirm purchase," I mumbled some expletive under my breath. I realized I had just unconsciously gone against The Compact. I think this was only on September 7th. 

So, I vowed to do better and was doing well until I was working and managed to highlight (again unconsciously) a book that I had borrowed from a professor. This prompted me to go back on Amazon and purchase the book for her new, since the loaned copy was brand-new when she gave it to me. I guess my weaknesses are books, which is not THAT bad... But as much as I am not going to be too hard on myself, I am also not going to rationalize. 

Other than that, and the fact that if something is needed in the house I send my boyfriend out to get it (again, is this cheating?), I've found the process to be fairly easy. If I choose to continue past September, I am looking forward to the challenge of both the holidays and the fact that I have a number of weddings/baby showers/other events coming up. 

Also, I am wondering where post-its fall. I'm hoping they fall under the "necessary items" category. Because I use them for my book annotations and have become quite addicted recently. Also, if I take up knitting (everyone might be getting a scarf for Christmas), I'm assuming I can buy yarn. I just need to find a good local crafts store and avoid the lure of Michael's.