25 posts tagged “shopping”

because Starbucks does not deliver and as I was walking home on the slippy pavement (I hate that) there was a poster taped to a recycling container.  It advertised a solar powered flashlight.  Think about that for a minute, a solar powered flashlight.  What the fuck? 
So, you know I had to look this up when I got home.   Thankfully, the website was pretty easy to remember.
Sunn-o
It makes more sense if you are looking for a travel flashlight, but for your house in case the power goes out?  Not so much.  And actually, when I travel, I find that a headlamp is far more useful than my lovely little maglight because it's hands-free.  Though the maglight does have the option of doubling as a weapon. 
The story behind it is cool, that their friend got lost in Borneo and would have had a much easier time if he had had a light source, so they came up with this flashlight (not to mention the backpack that would also solar charge your phone and iPod).
I wish this little company all the luck in the world, but while I can see a solar powered flashlight might come in handy in say Sudbury (Sunshine Capital of Ontario), here in Geneva with our days of endless gray, I'm thinking not so useful.  (Today does happen to be a beautiful sunny blue sky day)

unless you know more than enough.” - William Blake

I read this quote in an essay in the Washington Post by Judith Levine.  She and her husband decided to have a year where they bought nothing except the necessities which is an idea that has really been done to death.  A lot of people have done it and written about, though none probably as amusingly as June.  The comments on the WaPo article are more interesting than the piece itself.  A local business owner pointed out that not spending at all, except on necessities can hurt locally owned small businesses.  I think that, as with everything, there is a balance.  I tried, somewhat successfully (please ignore the really pretty Christmas ornaments on my tree that were made in China) to do a 90 day no spend.  And at the same time, over the past few years I have moved more towards the "buy local".  I've gotten fussy about tomatoes and other veggies, I buy terre avenir at the grocery store because I know it comes from somewhere in the canton.  I don't buy out of season fruit (though the plums look really lovely right now).  I don't buy French champagne anymore, I buy a really lovely Swiss made version for about the same price.  So, technically, it's more expensive because it isn't transported as far, but I would rather buy something that supports workers and agriculture in my country of residence.  (except for during the 90 day no spend because alcohol was verboten, champagne is a staple in my house.  Like toilet paper.)  I think that I have a good balance in supporting local enterprises and being careful with my spending. 

I've done my share of excess.  Gluttony is probably my most commonly occurring deadly with sloth coming in pretty close behind.  I don't consider gluttony or excess in terms of only food.  I think we can be excessive in terms of any material good as well as emotionally.   A few years ago, I declared moratoriums on such things as stationery and fabric.  Of course, I found other hobbies that I *had* to accessorize, but not recently.  I've very much been in a use up and don't replace cycle for the past year or so and am much happier for it. 

I have also spent the past few years decluttering.  I'm not done, I think it's a never ending process, but it has helped me be a lot more thoughtful in my purchases.  I did a lot better in Australia than I did in Tanzania in terms of shopping.  I do consider it a touristic obligation to boost local economies that I visit, but I don't think I went overboard as I have done in the past.  I also try not to clutter up other people's abodes with stuff.  I sent a lot of postcards back, but gift-wise, if I bought stuff it was thank yous or Christmas.  Except for my nieces, Christmas has gotten a lot smaller, too.  I like Heifer International and memberships to our National Parks system sort of stuff as gifts.  Utility over clutter is the name of the game.  I don't like a cluttered house and buying something because I can't find the one I already have (I don't think I have actually ever done this, except with tupperware.  Why do boxes multiply, but never lids?) would drive me nuts.   Dust bunnies, on the other hand, are just a natural occurrence that should be accepted for what they are.

yeah, so I totally edited this post.  sue me.  it reads a lot better now.  it still isn't great, but it's better than it was.

I hope.  At least for the moment.  With a little bibliotherapy.  Amazon is my friend.  Amazon.de is my cheap friend.  It's free shipping AND I even get a little discount because I don't have to pay German VAT (Value Added Tax or sales tax).

I started reading the Road a couple of summers ago and never got to finish it, so I got a copy of that.  And the new Philip Rickman and the Raw Shark Texts that was recommended by Lulu on her blog. 

Exhale.  Much better. 

Oh, I have declared my 90 day no spend to be done and dusted.  It wasn't quite 90 days but I did pretty well.  I also haven't used my American Visa in over a month, so that's really something for me to proud of.  :)

I hate Macy's.  Have for years.  I'm not keen on the whole shopping experience to begin with and Macy's always manages to make it excruciating.  But Nordstroms.  Ah, Nordstroms, from the piano player on the main floor to the women's shoe department and the fact that they manage to hide the screaming children somewhere where I am not, Nordstroms manages to make shopping almost a zen experience.
Being born on Halloween, I look at autumn as being divided into specific periods of time.  You have Back to School, Columbus Day, my Birthday, Veteran's Day (though this year, we have Election Day in there) and then, then the Zenith of Autumn, Thanksgiving Day.  Advent usually starts somewhere at the end of November, sometimes the Sunday before Thanksgiving, sometimes after.  Nordstroms, for years, has been the voice of reason and calm in the mad rush up to Christmas by only putting up Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. 
Here in Switzerland, the decorations and Christmas items have been out for over a week already.  Two weeks at Manor, actually.  Normally, I would ignore this, but last year, at the day after Christmas sales, my parents picked up a fake tree for me at Target and I mailed it to myself this summer. (It so would not fit in my suitcase)  It's only four and a half feet tall, and it comes with more lights than my little transformer can handle, but it's my tree.  I don't usually decorate for Christmas.  I always go to my parents, so it seemed a little silly to decorate.  But, I have all these lovely ornaments and stuff for Christmas and this year my mom came over for my birthday.
Here we are, the day after my birthday, and the tree is decorated.  I found some pretty butterfly ornaments at Coop (my favorite insects are actually dragonflies, ladybugs and fireflies, but they didn't have those) and some silver and fuchsia ones because mom couldn't bring over all my ornaments in her suitcase, just some.  I found a Christmas radio station on iTunes, so we've been listening to Christmas songs this afternoon.  She leaves tomorrow and I'll be sad, but I have a tree.  Here's a picture (or there will be as soon as I figure out how to get it right side up):

Christmas tree

I'm not happy about decorating before Thanksgiving, but it meant that I could do it with my mom and it is really pretty.  If I were in the States, I'm sure 97.1 would be starting their all Christmas all the time today and then I would never turn on the radio between now and the 27th of November, but I can enjoy it for this evening. 

Anyone who has been to my house knows that I am a sucker for textiles.  I might be a tad behind in quilting projects (ahem), but I am stocked for whenever the motivation hits.  Hopefully, next week while mom is here.  So, Eolai posted on twitter about Spoonflower which offers, to those particular people who have received an invitation, the opportunity (for a price) to print their own fabric.  Right now it's just quilt weight, but upholstery is next, maybe.  I am waiting for my invite.  I am subscribed to their waiting list.  Oh my gosh.  I have absolutely no idea how to create the file necessary to have my own fabric, but oh my gosh, I'm gonna learn!  No more fussing in this bloody country with stratospherically expensive textiles that aren't quite what I'm looking for, but will have to do because that's what's there (can't even call it an option when there's only one item of a type).  Wow.  Fabric.  

no need to take the song lyrics to the next line. 

I am home with a nasty head cold and fever (21st century chemicals are good) and also resting my leg but not getting caught up on my coursework.  It has been just over two weeks on crutches and let me tell you it sucks rocks.  I will say it again, rephrasing it, I am miserable.  My foot hurts, I am exhausted beyond belief, I am really cranky and eating like you wouldn't believe. And yet, I have friends who schlep my sorry ass all over town to three grocery stores (actually four, but one was closed) and carry every single one of my bags.  And then carry them into my apartment for me.  I have friends who come visit me and carry the dishes and wash them for me.  When I am at school, I have friends who carry my coffee cups up the stairs for me.  And other friends who carry the cups back down. 

There are strangers who give me their seat on the bus or tram, though interestingly enough they are all women, usually between the ages of 15 and 35, though there have been a few older ones in there.  But no men.  I know that being on crutches is a finite time, so I am trying to appreciate the positive aspects of it.  Partly because I am so exhausted that I can cry at a drop of a hat if I dwell on the negatives, but also because there is a reason Broghan calls me Pollyanna.  I do prefer to be cheery and happy.  There are good things that I am seeing and experiencing because of these horrid sticks and so I try to focus on them instead. 

The 90 day no spend is going pretty well, though my mother might argue otherwise.  I did pick up a sweater at H&M yesterday.  I have to fix the button hole, but otherwise it's fine and I got a discount.  My mother has also gone back and forth to Michaels Crafts a couple of times for me, so that she can bring stuff when she comes over. 
I don't spend a lot of money in Geneva.  I just don't.  This sweater is the first clothing item that I have bought in this town since last winter when I bought a wool coat from H&M.  I buy groceries.  And right now, I'm not buying alcohol, so even the grocery bill has been mostly reasonable. 
It's my visa card that I need to stop using.  I'm trying.  I really am.  I have a feeling my eyeglasses will be going on the visa card, though.  I finally made an eye appointment.  I thought it had been four years, but actually it has only been three.  They have a promotion going on of two frames with lenses starting at 2something hundred francs.  I like the promotion from three years ago.  One pair of frames at regular price and then every pair thereafter was something like forty francs including lenses.  The selection wasn't great for the cheaper ones, but as someone who likes glasses, it meant that I could buy three pairs of frames and not feel guilty.  One pair is long gone in New Mexico, the other has been sat on and bent too many times to be re-straightened (I don't think I can even donate them!) and the third is the one designer thing I own and I still love them three years on and will just get the lenses replaced.  Maybe some sunglasses, though. 

cooking rice.  Way too much water today.  Surfing, on the other hand, was much, much better today.  I stood and rode the board almost all the way to the beach.  Definitely improving.  Okay, so getting off the board is pretty graceless, but whatever, I'm getting there. 

My mood/outlook in general is vastly improved today.  Don't know if it was the alleve (I'm almost out, what's the Aussie equivalent?!?!), the sleep, the morning spent OUT of a wetsuit or what, but my muscles feel better and I feel better.  We surfed in a different area, closer to the riptide, so the waves were a lot better than where I had been the past two sessions where the waves would roll you if you looked at them funny. 

I went to the markets in Eumundi this morning.  It's huge and they're only open on Wed and Sat, so I was glad to go.  I found a gorgeous bedcover that the cat will not be allowed within two meters of and some pillow covers.  All finely crafted in India, but hey, a) it's not China and b) say what you will about the cost of labor, but there's no getting around the beauty of the textiles. 

I am going to start the embroidery tonight.  Think of me!

I have had two lovely days in Brisbane and am now heading north to Noosa for my surfing lessons.  <chortle>  It's f'ing freezing here, by the way.  That whole winter thing that I didn't take seriously?  Yeah, ooops.  So, I would have been better off packing my corduroys than my green capris.  But, whatever, I have fluffy socks and extra blankets to put on the bed at night. 

So, Brisbane.  If this is where you're from, why would you ever leave?  It's just the loveliest place.  We walked around downtown yesterday and along the river and through the markets.  They're on water restriction here and I think that when you have to conserve in one area, it makes you a conscientous consumer in other areas as well.  I really appreciated that at the market and even the Wal-Mart type store (Big W), there are so many products that are Australia made.  Okay, so it's a big ass, geographically-isolated continent, but still with its proximity to Southeast Asia, I expected more to be imported.  Instead, so many things I saw from moisturizer and shampoo to clothes are proudly labeled made in Australia.  It's really neat! 

All right, Broghan is driving me north, so we should probably hit the road.  She looks wonderful and I got to see her and her team kick ass at netball last night (interesting game!).  It is just so lovely to see her again.  Yay! I'm in Australia!

I know that I really should have thrown the whole amount on to my credit card as I am *still* trying to get that paid off, but I didn't. 
Instead, I did exactly what the government (who in their infinite wisdom gave me some of their money despite the dire situation of the U.S. economy) hoped I would do.  I bought a dress.  And the garment bag to go with it.  I did buy my dress from Delaware where there is no sales tax, but still I bought a dress.  It's a long, formal gown.  Not that I need one or have the occasion to wear it, but if I were invited to an occasion where I would need to wear one, I would have had to say no.  Long gowns are wicked expensive here even to rent, so there's no way that I would have said yes to such an invitation without already possessing a dress.  And now I have one.  It's long, v-neck, midnight blue; very basic, conservative, goes with everything, blends right in.  Exactly what I was looking for.  So, I will have it altered when I am home so that it fits and then it will hang in my closet until I have a chance to wear it. 
And I was still able to put a chunk on the visa card, too.