I'm still not used to the whole blog phenomenon. I certainly enjoy reading other folks' musings on a variety of topics. I can't say I've been much of a follower for long. I was taken aback the other day when I started telling some sort of hopefully witty anecdote, and was stopped with "Yeah, we saw that on your blog."
Yup. I've become my own re-run.
So as much as I'd like to mine my daily trials and tribulations for blogging material, I need to admit that it's not always spellbinding material. It's sort of novel when I discover who actually reads these pages in the hopes of some entertainment or at least food for thought. When conversations start with "You haven't written anything in a while." I am somewhere between flattered and flustered. But it amps up the pressure a bit, too. Most days I can turn this minor stress into a Motvational Force. Some days, not so much. I've never considered myself a Writer in the big-W sort of way, but still, I get the writer's block and all the benefits therein.
Inappropriate self-disclosure time:
I'm in a piss poor mood. Foul. Clinically: anhedonia, amotivation, mood lability, difficulty concentrating, paucity of thought content. Or, as our dear friend Tim calls it, "A serious case of the fuck-it's." It's late afternoon and the longest I've been out of bed at a stretch has been an hour. I look like the wrung-out washrag hag on the Cymbalta commercial. And that's after a shower.
Sigh.
We all have our days. Today is not one of my best and brightest. No need to worry though. I'll be back to my neurotic baseline in no time.
Meanwhile - I don't feel like shopping, at least. Everything looks wrong and takes too much energy. Economic depression on the local level...
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Shakers: more than simple furniture
It seems that wherever I turn, there's a discussion on the economy, personal responsibility, and how we can find the illusive "enough". I think it's a co-function of my increased awareness and a sign of the times. Plenty to ponder, and good blog fodder.
We're members of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Minneapolis, which is nominally Catholic but serious about social justice and putting faith in action. I can always count on food for thought, and today was remarkable. It touched on about a zillion themes about renewal, values, simplicity and put it in the context of cleaning house, spiritually and emotionally.
What follows is the Shakertown Pledge, which was developed by several spiritual leaders representing various faith tradition.
"Recognizing that the earth and fullness thereof is a gift from our gracious God, and that we are called to cherish, nurture, and provide loving stewardship for the earth's resources; And recognizing that life itself is a gift, and a call to responsibility, joy, and celebration. I make the following declarations:
1. I declare myself to be a world citizen.
2. I commit myself to lead an ecologically sound life.
3. I commit myself to lead a life of creative simplicity and to share my personal wealth with the world's poor.
4. I commit myself to join with others in reshaping institutions in order to bring about a more just global society in which each person has full access to the needed resources for their physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth.
5. I commit myself to occupational accountability, and in so doing, I will seek to avoid the creation of products which cause harm to others.
6. I affirm the gift of my body, and commit myself to its proper nourishment and physical well-being.
7. I commit myself to examine continually my relations with others, and to attempt to relate honestly, morally, and lovingly to those around me.
8. I commit myself to personal renewal through prayer, meditation,and study.
9. I commit myself to responsible participation in a community of faith."
How committed am I? Depends on the day. How would it work if everyone had occupational accountability - how to decide what constitutes harm? Who decides if computers and cars do more harm than good? What about wine? To quote a particularly odious Big Stone County attorney, "How dare you put a value judgement on my value judgement?"
There's a slope slippery enough to lead to sanctimony, and we know that doesn't actually lead to productive dialogue, much less lasting behavioral change. But I'd have to say reminding myself daily of these 9 pledges would be a step in the right direction: more mindfulness, realization of interconnectedness, and being more responsible in day to day decisions. Is it all good? No, but some days it might just be enough.
We're members of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Minneapolis, which is nominally Catholic but serious about social justice and putting faith in action. I can always count on food for thought, and today was remarkable. It touched on about a zillion themes about renewal, values, simplicity and put it in the context of cleaning house, spiritually and emotionally.
What follows is the Shakertown Pledge, which was developed by several spiritual leaders representing various faith tradition.
"Recognizing that the earth and fullness thereof is a gift from our gracious God, and that we are called to cherish, nurture, and provide loving stewardship for the earth's resources; And recognizing that life itself is a gift, and a call to responsibility, joy, and celebration. I make the following declarations:
1. I declare myself to be a world citizen.
2. I commit myself to lead an ecologically sound life.
3. I commit myself to lead a life of creative simplicity and to share my personal wealth with the world's poor.
4. I commit myself to join with others in reshaping institutions in order to bring about a more just global society in which each person has full access to the needed resources for their physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth.
5. I commit myself to occupational accountability, and in so doing, I will seek to avoid the creation of products which cause harm to others.
6. I affirm the gift of my body, and commit myself to its proper nourishment and physical well-being.
7. I commit myself to examine continually my relations with others, and to attempt to relate honestly, morally, and lovingly to those around me.
8. I commit myself to personal renewal through prayer, meditation,and study.
9. I commit myself to responsible participation in a community of faith."
How committed am I? Depends on the day. How would it work if everyone had occupational accountability - how to decide what constitutes harm? Who decides if computers and cars do more harm than good? What about wine? To quote a particularly odious Big Stone County attorney, "How dare you put a value judgement on my value judgement?"
There's a slope slippery enough to lead to sanctimony, and we know that doesn't actually lead to productive dialogue, much less lasting behavioral change. But I'd have to say reminding myself daily of these 9 pledges would be a step in the right direction: more mindfulness, realization of interconnectedness, and being more responsible in day to day decisions. Is it all good? No, but some days it might just be enough.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Now and Zen
Economics, compulsive spending, recycling, minimizing impact on our world - all very heady issues. But I need to break it down to the personal choices and daily struggles just to reinforce the macro issues at the micro level.
I am a consumer. Admittedly so. I just hate the term. This brings to mind PacMan gobbling up resources, never giving back.
If you take it to the extreme, everything we do is consuming something - energy, food, money, toiletries, clothing, all this endless stuff we fill our homes and lives with. I have a habit of overconsuming food, trade paperbacks, wine, and some prescription drugs. I am a glutton - I do not have a recognizable satiety point.
For instance, I just had a bowl of lovely Trader Joe's Pecan Praline Granola. It was fabulous - not too sweet, crunchy and satisfying, lots of fiber. Too bad it was my second giant bowl today. It's an automatic thing - if it's good, then more makes it better. And if I'm emotionally overeating, more makes it all better. And I'll find I'm doing this shortly after I realized I wasn't hungry in the first place. There's a troublesome lack of integrity here - a gap between what I think and how I choose to act. A dis-integration, which is never good for the self-concept.
Here's a link to a thought-provoking article about a couple trying to live well and eat healthfully on the equivalent of a foodstamp budget. Well worth reading!
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-stamp11-2009mar11,0,5424533.story
The author and his wife did 2 months, barely made it under budget, even starting with a well-stocked pantry. But the lesson endures - having bagel sandwiches at a bistro now seems ridiculously decadent. Once made aware of habits that seemed so automatic before, it's nearly impossible to be anything but changed.
I must admit that I do enjoy grocery shopping more now because it is the only guilt-free purchasing I do anymore. And to be honest - it's not always guilt free. I compare prices, look for sales, shudder inwardly at how much a piece of cheese costs now. It seems that I cannot walk out of a grocery store for under $40, even if I'm just picking up a few items. I also have to be aware of my food choices, talking myself out of gooey brownies or that pint of Ben n' Jerry's that no, is not meant to be a single serving. It seems that deprivation in one area encourages indulgences in others... All this mindfulness can be rather tiresome.
I do, however, deliberate for a very long time on what bath soap to choose. It's a permitted indulgence, and I for some reason really really hate Ivory soap, which is the only one Bob ever buys. I don't care if it floats. I'm looking for clean skin, not a freakin' life jacket.
There was a point here, sort of...
(I had to take a brief break to perform CPR on a life-size stuffed penguin.)
By minimizing the options for what I can buy, I am more aware of the choices I make within the category of consumables. Even though they won't be around in my world for more than a shelf-life, I debate more what I want and naturally want less. It's sort of Zen, really. And some days it actually works.
I am a consumer. Admittedly so. I just hate the term. This brings to mind PacMan gobbling up resources, never giving back.
If you take it to the extreme, everything we do is consuming something - energy, food, money, toiletries, clothing, all this endless stuff we fill our homes and lives with. I have a habit of overconsuming food, trade paperbacks, wine, and some prescription drugs. I am a glutton - I do not have a recognizable satiety point.
For instance, I just had a bowl of lovely Trader Joe's Pecan Praline Granola. It was fabulous - not too sweet, crunchy and satisfying, lots of fiber. Too bad it was my second giant bowl today. It's an automatic thing - if it's good, then more makes it better. And if I'm emotionally overeating, more makes it all better. And I'll find I'm doing this shortly after I realized I wasn't hungry in the first place. There's a troublesome lack of integrity here - a gap between what I think and how I choose to act. A dis-integration, which is never good for the self-concept.
Here's a link to a thought-provoking article about a couple trying to live well and eat healthfully on the equivalent of a foodstamp budget. Well worth reading!
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-stamp11-2009mar11,0,5424533.story
The author and his wife did 2 months, barely made it under budget, even starting with a well-stocked pantry. But the lesson endures - having bagel sandwiches at a bistro now seems ridiculously decadent. Once made aware of habits that seemed so automatic before, it's nearly impossible to be anything but changed.
I must admit that I do enjoy grocery shopping more now because it is the only guilt-free purchasing I do anymore. And to be honest - it's not always guilt free. I compare prices, look for sales, shudder inwardly at how much a piece of cheese costs now. It seems that I cannot walk out of a grocery store for under $40, even if I'm just picking up a few items. I also have to be aware of my food choices, talking myself out of gooey brownies or that pint of Ben n' Jerry's that no, is not meant to be a single serving. It seems that deprivation in one area encourages indulgences in others... All this mindfulness can be rather tiresome.
I do, however, deliberate for a very long time on what bath soap to choose. It's a permitted indulgence, and I for some reason really really hate Ivory soap, which is the only one Bob ever buys. I don't care if it floats. I'm looking for clean skin, not a freakin' life jacket.
There was a point here, sort of...
(I had to take a brief break to perform CPR on a life-size stuffed penguin.)
By minimizing the options for what I can buy, I am more aware of the choices I make within the category of consumables. Even though they won't be around in my world for more than a shelf-life, I debate more what I want and naturally want less. It's sort of Zen, really. And some days it actually works.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Admitting it is the first step on the long journey to hell down the road paved with good intentions.
My name is Karen and I am powerless over plastic.
Hi Karen.
This is Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Support Groups. I'd probably fit into a few different ones, actually: Codependent, Emotional Eating, Compulsive Shopping, etc.
Did you hear about the codependent who had a near-death experience?
Her husband's life flashed before her very eyes....
Although I've always been inclined toward twisted humor, my chosen profession hasn't helped. And having children has further eroded that filter between what I think and what I actually blurt out. It ain't pretty.
But I digress...
Yesterday I had planned to take a friend to the Salvation Army and -get this - just not buy anything. Bob and I had yet another discussion about the proliferation of toys - regardless of new/used - is still consumption. And that for as much as I've been getting rid of our belongings, other things were inexorably creeping in to take their place. The accidental emphasis on acquiring things doesn't really mesh with what we'd hoped to teach our children. All true, valid points, I must admit.
X and I needed to clear out of the house for a while, as Nady our cleaning lady was at work. We did a couple of errands, attended a playgroup, generally killing time. I got a phone call from my friend saying she wasn't up to an outing. Faced with a change in plans, I go to default settings i.e. shopping. In my defense, the purpose was to find X some shoes - he is growing out of his sneakers, leaving him with only moon boots or sandals as options. Not quite enough for the hateful weather of March.
We went to Goodwill and struck out. Nothing in his size. Didn't look for anything else. Managed to escape the toy aisle and video shelf unscathed.
I wasn't up to dealing with Savers, which is probably a cop-out. So off to the Salvation Army. First we checked upstairs which has a good used shoe section, but no luck. Downstairs had a bunch of cool shoes, including a pair of Chuck Taylor's with skulls, a full size too big but hey, for $4 I decided I would get them anyway. At first glance the toy shelves seemed to have the same zillion copies of High School Musical Trivia (redundant much?) , and a few other things that weren't too tempting. I was fondling the decorator pillows and lovely quilts, and telling myself a zillion reasons why we didn't need them, when Xavier lets out a screech of triumph. Some dusty back of the bin discovery - a Playmobil firefighting helicopter. That actually squirts water. For $2.
Don't judge me too harshly. It might have been possible to walk away, but my hope in doing so was shot when there were more sets - a fire engine, extra firefighters with all the safety gear, yet another helicopter, and a pirate ship. I may have blacked out. I filled my shopping cart.
It's another attack of Miniature Mania, although this is worse because I never even had access to all the boy-oriented toys. 3 inch tall pirates, with teeny swords? Playmobil rocks. It just does. And at 75% off? Please.
Then I found more Fiskar scissors for the preschool ($1) so we can get rid of the pairs we started with in 1958. And an awesome Schwinn bicycle helmet, in my daughter's size and colors, for $4 - nicer than the one I looked at last year for $20.
Total damage? $42 Guilt: priceless.
We did a ding-dong ditch of 3 of the Playmobil sets at a friend's house. Much better than a flaming bag of dog poo, I reckon. I let X have the helicopter and L her helmet. The pirate ship still founders in the trunk, listing to port. I haven't decided, and more importantly, X hasn't remembered.
Lest I put this all in the category of a small indiscretion, let's review the facts as presented. Even if it's from a thrift store, it's still stuff. Even worse, new stuff. Even at 75% off, I could have saved 100% by walking away. Buying it and giving it away is still buying, consuming, getting a fix, giving in to the high of the bargain hunt. And none of today's purchases met the necessity test.
Let's examine the fact I haven't yet presented but which weighs heavily on all of this.
Our cleaning lady, Natividad Hernandez, tearfully told me yesterday that she is returning (again) to Guatemala to take care of her ailing mother, and she's not sure for how long. Between her own health problems and taking many weeks off for visits, she's missed a lot of work and apparently quit her second job fairly recently. (My Spanish is minimal, as is her English, but we get by. Or at least I thought I understood.) Once she returns from helping her mother die, she'll be going straight to Chicago. To stay with her boyfriend, her stuff is en route already. All because her house got foreclosed and she was literally kicked to the curb this weekend. So I'm filling my house with crap while the woman who cleans it loses her own.
I feel like shit. As is only befitting. And I won't be going shopping for a while.
Hi Karen.
This is Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Support Groups. I'd probably fit into a few different ones, actually: Codependent, Emotional Eating, Compulsive Shopping, etc.
Did you hear about the codependent who had a near-death experience?
Her husband's life flashed before her very eyes....
Although I've always been inclined toward twisted humor, my chosen profession hasn't helped. And having children has further eroded that filter between what I think and what I actually blurt out. It ain't pretty.
But I digress...
Yesterday I had planned to take a friend to the Salvation Army and -get this - just not buy anything. Bob and I had yet another discussion about the proliferation of toys - regardless of new/used - is still consumption. And that for as much as I've been getting rid of our belongings, other things were inexorably creeping in to take their place. The accidental emphasis on acquiring things doesn't really mesh with what we'd hoped to teach our children. All true, valid points, I must admit.
X and I needed to clear out of the house for a while, as Nady our cleaning lady was at work. We did a couple of errands, attended a playgroup, generally killing time. I got a phone call from my friend saying she wasn't up to an outing. Faced with a change in plans, I go to default settings i.e. shopping. In my defense, the purpose was to find X some shoes - he is growing out of his sneakers, leaving him with only moon boots or sandals as options. Not quite enough for the hateful weather of March.
We went to Goodwill and struck out. Nothing in his size. Didn't look for anything else. Managed to escape the toy aisle and video shelf unscathed.
I wasn't up to dealing with Savers, which is probably a cop-out. So off to the Salvation Army. First we checked upstairs which has a good used shoe section, but no luck. Downstairs had a bunch of cool shoes, including a pair of Chuck Taylor's with skulls, a full size too big but hey, for $4 I decided I would get them anyway. At first glance the toy shelves seemed to have the same zillion copies of High School Musical Trivia (redundant much?) , and a few other things that weren't too tempting. I was fondling the decorator pillows and lovely quilts, and telling myself a zillion reasons why we didn't need them, when Xavier lets out a screech of triumph. Some dusty back of the bin discovery - a Playmobil firefighting helicopter. That actually squirts water. For $2.
Don't judge me too harshly. It might have been possible to walk away, but my hope in doing so was shot when there were more sets - a fire engine, extra firefighters with all the safety gear, yet another helicopter, and a pirate ship. I may have blacked out. I filled my shopping cart.
It's another attack of Miniature Mania, although this is worse because I never even had access to all the boy-oriented toys. 3 inch tall pirates, with teeny swords? Playmobil rocks. It just does. And at 75% off? Please.
Then I found more Fiskar scissors for the preschool ($1) so we can get rid of the pairs we started with in 1958. And an awesome Schwinn bicycle helmet, in my daughter's size and colors, for $4 - nicer than the one I looked at last year for $20.
Total damage? $42 Guilt: priceless.
We did a ding-dong ditch of 3 of the Playmobil sets at a friend's house. Much better than a flaming bag of dog poo, I reckon. I let X have the helicopter and L her helmet. The pirate ship still founders in the trunk, listing to port. I haven't decided, and more importantly, X hasn't remembered.
Lest I put this all in the category of a small indiscretion, let's review the facts as presented. Even if it's from a thrift store, it's still stuff. Even worse, new stuff. Even at 75% off, I could have saved 100% by walking away. Buying it and giving it away is still buying, consuming, getting a fix, giving in to the high of the bargain hunt. And none of today's purchases met the necessity test.
Let's examine the fact I haven't yet presented but which weighs heavily on all of this.
Our cleaning lady, Natividad Hernandez, tearfully told me yesterday that she is returning (again) to Guatemala to take care of her ailing mother, and she's not sure for how long. Between her own health problems and taking many weeks off for visits, she's missed a lot of work and apparently quit her second job fairly recently. (My Spanish is minimal, as is her English, but we get by. Or at least I thought I understood.) Once she returns from helping her mother die, she'll be going straight to Chicago. To stay with her boyfriend, her stuff is en route already. All because her house got foreclosed and she was literally kicked to the curb this weekend. So I'm filling my house with crap while the woman who cleans it loses her own.
I feel like shit. As is only befitting. And I won't be going shopping for a while.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Pretty farked up
People that know me well realize I'm generally computer-averse, so the irony of yours truly doing a blog isn't lost on anyone. I am often at a loss when it comes to surfing like the "57 channels and nothing on" phenomenon. As a result, I've become a daily Fark.com user. I can stop anytime I want. Really.
Last week there was a link to a Cracked piece on all the well-intentioned efforts to minimize our negative impact on the world. Here's a link:
http://www.cracked.com/article_17084_5-ways-people-are-trying-save-world-that-dont-work.html
I'll run them down here, with a bit of their logic. I'm just reporting it folks, I haven't verified much but the links are there if you're so inclined. I'll put my comments, constructive or not, in italics.
5.) Organically grown food isn't healthier for the planet or for you. The addition of chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers has increased food production significantly. Cancer rates have actually decreased because more people are able to afford more fruits and veggies. When there isn't enough organic food available locally, it's trucked in which means more fuel and emissions. And even though organic produce is only 1% of the food supply, it's responsible for 8% of the E.coli outbreaks.
I've rationalized buying organic milk, because of the chemicals concentrated in animal products. When pregnant, I also did organic butter and cheese. There's no way I could afford to purchase only organic. I do make an effort to buy local, in season.
4.)Vaccinations are to be avoided, to reduce risk of autism and SIDS.
The original study for this one has been thoroughly debunked, even by the researchers themselves. The preservative used in vaccines is not a dangerous form of mercury, and hasn't been used since 2001. Autism rates continue to climb. The incidence of SIDS has actually decreased 40% as vaccinations have increased.
This one has always bugged me, because the premise is that vaccinations are part of the social contract to protect against illness outbreaks that are definitely risky, vs. potential risks that have no hard science to support them.
3.) Recycling is a good way to preserve resources and protect the environment.
We recycle to use fewer resources and create less pollution, but it all depends if we count human labor as a resource. All those recycling trucks driving around create emissions, and the process of recycling is labor- and energy-intensive.
I think recycling alone isn't adequate, but buying goods made with recycled materials, minimally packaged is at least a step in the right direction. It also raises awareness and gives a concrete step, which is important.
2.)Antibacterial soaps help protect against illness and promote health.
All antibacterial agents are gradually building resistance and creating superbugs. The antibacterial agents contain chemicals that have potential effects on sex hormones. It's healthy to have some germs, to give the immune system a workout and create a stronger resistance. Studies have shown that using antibacterial soap doesn't work any better than regular handwashing with soap and hot water.
I've worked in healthcare settings and am all about the handwashing, but I can't believe that this is even in the "Save the World" list. That being said, have you noticed how few choices there are for liquid soap that isn't antibacterial?
1.)Purchasing carbon offsets is positive for the environment.
They are most useful to assuage guilt, and aren't monitored or regulated enough to actually be certain the company is actually reducing emissions as promised, or that they were going to reduce anyways.
This is one that makes me think environmental guilt is a bankable commodity more solid than anything in the stock market. I know the premise of this is meant to be good in the global citizen mindset, but it does smack of buying indulgences for transgressions committed.
A bit glib, but it is good to see the current mindset with a bit of a reality test. I'm a fan of not just doing something, but interventions that are actually effective. I'm also constantly frustrated by the ongoing criticism without any constructive suggestions or way to redress the imbalance. It's pretty easy to shoot down ideas and be destructive, but I wish it came with the responsibility to offer some creative ideas. Because we know it's all so much bad news and easy to get overwhelmed and give up. But there is something to be said for doing what you can, in small steps and good faith, if only to keep moving towards a goal. And being an ostrich is no longer an option - it's all available on the web in this blizzard of information (and oversharing) called the blogosphere.
Last week there was a link to a Cracked piece on all the well-intentioned efforts to minimize our negative impact on the world. Here's a link:
http://www.cracked.com/article_17084_5-ways-people-are-trying-save-world-that-dont-work.html
I'll run them down here, with a bit of their logic. I'm just reporting it folks, I haven't verified much but the links are there if you're so inclined. I'll put my comments, constructive or not, in italics.
5.) Organically grown food isn't healthier for the planet or for you. The addition of chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers has increased food production significantly. Cancer rates have actually decreased because more people are able to afford more fruits and veggies. When there isn't enough organic food available locally, it's trucked in which means more fuel and emissions. And even though organic produce is only 1% of the food supply, it's responsible for 8% of the E.coli outbreaks.
I've rationalized buying organic milk, because of the chemicals concentrated in animal products. When pregnant, I also did organic butter and cheese. There's no way I could afford to purchase only organic. I do make an effort to buy local, in season.
4.)Vaccinations are to be avoided, to reduce risk of autism and SIDS.
The original study for this one has been thoroughly debunked, even by the researchers themselves. The preservative used in vaccines is not a dangerous form of mercury, and hasn't been used since 2001. Autism rates continue to climb. The incidence of SIDS has actually decreased 40% as vaccinations have increased.
This one has always bugged me, because the premise is that vaccinations are part of the social contract to protect against illness outbreaks that are definitely risky, vs. potential risks that have no hard science to support them.
3.) Recycling is a good way to preserve resources and protect the environment.
We recycle to use fewer resources and create less pollution, but it all depends if we count human labor as a resource. All those recycling trucks driving around create emissions, and the process of recycling is labor- and energy-intensive.
I think recycling alone isn't adequate, but buying goods made with recycled materials, minimally packaged is at least a step in the right direction. It also raises awareness and gives a concrete step, which is important.
2.)Antibacterial soaps help protect against illness and promote health.
All antibacterial agents are gradually building resistance and creating superbugs. The antibacterial agents contain chemicals that have potential effects on sex hormones. It's healthy to have some germs, to give the immune system a workout and create a stronger resistance. Studies have shown that using antibacterial soap doesn't work any better than regular handwashing with soap and hot water.
I've worked in healthcare settings and am all about the handwashing, but I can't believe that this is even in the "Save the World" list. That being said, have you noticed how few choices there are for liquid soap that isn't antibacterial?
1.)Purchasing carbon offsets is positive for the environment.
They are most useful to assuage guilt, and aren't monitored or regulated enough to actually be certain the company is actually reducing emissions as promised, or that they were going to reduce anyways.
This is one that makes me think environmental guilt is a bankable commodity more solid than anything in the stock market. I know the premise of this is meant to be good in the global citizen mindset, but it does smack of buying indulgences for transgressions committed.
A bit glib, but it is good to see the current mindset with a bit of a reality test. I'm a fan of not just doing something, but interventions that are actually effective. I'm also constantly frustrated by the ongoing criticism without any constructive suggestions or way to redress the imbalance. It's pretty easy to shoot down ideas and be destructive, but I wish it came with the responsibility to offer some creative ideas. Because we know it's all so much bad news and easy to get overwhelmed and give up. But there is something to be said for doing what you can, in small steps and good faith, if only to keep moving towards a goal. And being an ostrich is no longer an option - it's all available on the web in this blizzard of information (and oversharing) called the blogosphere.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Saved by Spending
Macroeconomics make me tired. I barely have the energy and interest to understand my own family's finances. And today's culture of fear and the accompanying spin makes it all the harder to weigh the arguments and decide for myself how my lil' ol' part of the economy should work for mutual benefit. Perhaps I'm still bitter about Bush and his "don't-let-the-terrorists-win! Go to the Mall!" peptalk, but I have to deal with that sometime.
I've been meaning to address this for a while... it's daunting to try to sort through the theories and models. This past Sunday's NYTimes Op-Ed had input from a bunch of economists. The main question: how long is this recession going to last? The answers varied considerably but each seemed plausible and well-reasoned: when you stop asking, when you start spending, the worst is over, the worst is years off, and my favorite: it depends. So all of this gets boiled down, AP style, and today's front pages of both the StarTribune and Pioneer Press featured articles screaming in large print that people who are saving are making things worse by taking that much more cash out of circulation, bringing down demand for goods and services, which translates into more job losses. Which then makes people save more / spend less because they are out of a job, which cycles on downward, ad nauseum.
So let me reason this out. The current economic maelstrom is because of a tightening in the credit market, in no small part because of too much defaulting on mortgage debt. And the housing and investment markets had inflated value and now that they are adjusted (Objects in mirror may be larger than they appear) we have less value to balance more debt. We got used to looking at our homes as "investments" rather than places to live. And we filled these larger -than-necessary homes with expensive everything, all purchased on credit, because so many of us accepted the myth that there was always more credit available and investment growth to look forward to, sizeable mortgage interest to deduct, another credit card to transfer to... Which now is impossible to prop up any more, and cutting costs and jobs is a daily atonement meant to appease the angry gods o' finance.
With me so far? I'm not really a "hard sciences" kinda gal. I prefer things intuitive, emotive, and squishy. For real info, you probably could read the entire Wall Street Journal each day. I'll wait here. No really, you go ahead.
Okay?
We got into this mess by spending too much and not saving enough. So people respond by saving more and spending less. And this makes it all worse. Huh?
Doesn't this feel a bit like blaming the victim? Yes, too much credit was overextended to businesses and individuals so there was no cushion. And now we're in free fall. As in splat.
When this sort of devaluation happened in the Greenspan days of dot.coms, it was considered a "natural correction" to "irrational exhuberance". (It turns out it was a harbinger of things to come. Hindsight doesn't help the portfolio, however. ) When the same logic is applied to the average family's need to "rightsize" their spending to their income, it becomes part of the solution and problem - simultaneously.
Who should be spending? Who should be saving? The people who can afford to, on both counts. And also, apparently, the people who can't afford to do either. What is tricky is determining which camp you're in, what you should be spending/saving, and if you can sustain that, and for how long... There is no right answer! This is an enormously complex economic problem with a lot of accompanying fears that span everything from dread of Tuesdays, people in suits, meetings, the mailman, 401k statements, the evening news. The result is that if you still have a job, you don't have the security. And if you don't have a job, you have lots of company.
Crystal clear? Me neither. I just know that even in so-called normal times, "shoulds" piss me off with all the implied judgement. And competing mandates are crazymaking. At the end of the day, you need to do the best you can with the hand you've been dealt - and be okay with it. Rinse, repeat.
That, at least, is worth banking on.
I've been meaning to address this for a while... it's daunting to try to sort through the theories and models. This past Sunday's NYTimes Op-Ed had input from a bunch of economists. The main question: how long is this recession going to last? The answers varied considerably but each seemed plausible and well-reasoned: when you stop asking, when you start spending, the worst is over, the worst is years off, and my favorite: it depends. So all of this gets boiled down, AP style, and today's front pages of both the StarTribune and Pioneer Press featured articles screaming in large print that people who are saving are making things worse by taking that much more cash out of circulation, bringing down demand for goods and services, which translates into more job losses. Which then makes people save more / spend less because they are out of a job, which cycles on downward, ad nauseum.
So let me reason this out. The current economic maelstrom is because of a tightening in the credit market, in no small part because of too much defaulting on mortgage debt. And the housing and investment markets had inflated value and now that they are adjusted (Objects in mirror may be larger than they appear) we have less value to balance more debt. We got used to looking at our homes as "investments" rather than places to live. And we filled these larger -than-necessary homes with expensive everything, all purchased on credit, because so many of us accepted the myth that there was always more credit available and investment growth to look forward to, sizeable mortgage interest to deduct, another credit card to transfer to... Which now is impossible to prop up any more, and cutting costs and jobs is a daily atonement meant to appease the angry gods o' finance.
With me so far? I'm not really a "hard sciences" kinda gal. I prefer things intuitive, emotive, and squishy. For real info, you probably could read the entire Wall Street Journal each day. I'll wait here. No really, you go ahead.
Okay?
We got into this mess by spending too much and not saving enough. So people respond by saving more and spending less. And this makes it all worse. Huh?
Doesn't this feel a bit like blaming the victim? Yes, too much credit was overextended to businesses and individuals so there was no cushion. And now we're in free fall. As in splat.
When this sort of devaluation happened in the Greenspan days of dot.coms, it was considered a "natural correction" to "irrational exhuberance". (It turns out it was a harbinger of things to come. Hindsight doesn't help the portfolio, however. ) When the same logic is applied to the average family's need to "rightsize" their spending to their income, it becomes part of the solution and problem - simultaneously.
Who should be spending? Who should be saving? The people who can afford to, on both counts. And also, apparently, the people who can't afford to do either. What is tricky is determining which camp you're in, what you should be spending/saving, and if you can sustain that, and for how long... There is no right answer! This is an enormously complex economic problem with a lot of accompanying fears that span everything from dread of Tuesdays, people in suits, meetings, the mailman, 401k statements, the evening news. The result is that if you still have a job, you don't have the security. And if you don't have a job, you have lots of company.
Crystal clear? Me neither. I just know that even in so-called normal times, "shoulds" piss me off with all the implied judgement. And competing mandates are crazymaking. At the end of the day, you need to do the best you can with the hand you've been dealt - and be okay with it. Rinse, repeat.
That, at least, is worth banking on.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Aunt Rita and other shopping legends...
I've believed for some time now that I am incapable of passing up a bargain. It's an impulse disorder, not otherwise specified. I'm sure it will make the next DSM and be the "it" diagnosis, at least for a while.
Nature? Nurture? Yes.
In my family history, we have the beloved Aunt Rita, who does not go a day without shopping of some sort. She has befriended all the vendors at the swap meet/ farmer's market, and any bargains she picks up usually have a name and lifestory attached, free of charge. Aunt Rita is hugely generous but also loves a bargain, so what usually happens is she finds a really good deal, then figures out who to give it to. The thrill is in the (bargain) hunt.
Aunt Rita is a very accomplished shopper, too. No shop too big or too small. She has done Hong Kong without hyperventilating. If Canada had a Filene's, she would be elbowing her way through the most hardy shoppers. I remember one of her visits to our home fell around my birthday and my mother's - we're 4 days apart. I was granted the special privilege to go to the Boulevard Mall (shout out to Tonawanda, NY!) alone with Aunt Rita. This was pretty amazing in that she wanted me to pick out something for my gift, and without my parents there, I was less likely to feel constrained in my choices. Read: greed had free rein. I don't even remember now what I had chosen. What sticks in my mind is the moment when Aunt Rita paused in going through the clearance racks, held up a lovely teal blue dress, and pronounced it perfect for my mother. You were suddenly blinded by the brilliance of the insight, and there were angels singing to accompany this A-ha moment... Her tone of voice, flush with triumph. And when we brought it home and had Mom try it on - it was, in fact, perfect. Color, classic styling, cut, size, everything. It was made for her, at least it looked that way. She wore it for years, and always looked great. And Aunt Rita was able to see all of that in an instant.
Why was this so awe-inspiring? A brief rant on body image, to illustrate the point. We Fonfara women may shop off the rack, but have never been built accordingly. It's true. We're constitutionally ill-suited for anything with an actual waistline. And to call us top-heavy would be kind. Precariously perched is more like it. So pants that fit in the hips and thighs are nowhere close to the button-up zone, and tops that are accomodating to the bustline feature shoulder seams at half-mast. This takes a lot of the fun out of clothes shopping. Anyhow...
Mom and Aunt Rita came to visit me once in Minneapolis, shortly after the Mall of America opened. And we were on a mission. Sadly, my cousin's soon-to-be-ex took everything, leaving an empty house. With the inexplicable hurt, and feeling helpless, there was some solace in shopping. And shop we did. I remember a very long day, and an awful lot of shopping bags. Bedding and way way beyond - lots of bulky stuff. Aunt Rita, Mom and I finally made our way to the parking garage - fully loaded with at least 4 shopping bags each. People parted like the Red Sea while we walked down the hall, men looking horrified. Women were too busy reading the names on our bags to see where we scored such bargains to justify a shopping binge of this magnitude. We brought it all home and the pile was literally a cubic yard or more. It was legendary. We didn't talk about my cousin that much - what was there to say? But there was shopping to do, and we didn't flinch.
Nature? Nurture? Yes.
In my family history, we have the beloved Aunt Rita, who does not go a day without shopping of some sort. She has befriended all the vendors at the swap meet/ farmer's market, and any bargains she picks up usually have a name and lifestory attached, free of charge. Aunt Rita is hugely generous but also loves a bargain, so what usually happens is she finds a really good deal, then figures out who to give it to. The thrill is in the (bargain) hunt.
Aunt Rita is a very accomplished shopper, too. No shop too big or too small. She has done Hong Kong without hyperventilating. If Canada had a Filene's, she would be elbowing her way through the most hardy shoppers. I remember one of her visits to our home fell around my birthday and my mother's - we're 4 days apart. I was granted the special privilege to go to the Boulevard Mall (shout out to Tonawanda, NY!) alone with Aunt Rita. This was pretty amazing in that she wanted me to pick out something for my gift, and without my parents there, I was less likely to feel constrained in my choices. Read: greed had free rein. I don't even remember now what I had chosen. What sticks in my mind is the moment when Aunt Rita paused in going through the clearance racks, held up a lovely teal blue dress, and pronounced it perfect for my mother. You were suddenly blinded by the brilliance of the insight, and there were angels singing to accompany this A-ha moment... Her tone of voice, flush with triumph. And when we brought it home and had Mom try it on - it was, in fact, perfect. Color, classic styling, cut, size, everything. It was made for her, at least it looked that way. She wore it for years, and always looked great. And Aunt Rita was able to see all of that in an instant.
Why was this so awe-inspiring? A brief rant on body image, to illustrate the point. We Fonfara women may shop off the rack, but have never been built accordingly. It's true. We're constitutionally ill-suited for anything with an actual waistline. And to call us top-heavy would be kind. Precariously perched is more like it. So pants that fit in the hips and thighs are nowhere close to the button-up zone, and tops that are accomodating to the bustline feature shoulder seams at half-mast. This takes a lot of the fun out of clothes shopping. Anyhow...
Mom and Aunt Rita came to visit me once in Minneapolis, shortly after the Mall of America opened. And we were on a mission. Sadly, my cousin's soon-to-be-ex took everything, leaving an empty house. With the inexplicable hurt, and feeling helpless, there was some solace in shopping. And shop we did. I remember a very long day, and an awful lot of shopping bags. Bedding and way way beyond - lots of bulky stuff. Aunt Rita, Mom and I finally made our way to the parking garage - fully loaded with at least 4 shopping bags each. People parted like the Red Sea while we walked down the hall, men looking horrified. Women were too busy reading the names on our bags to see where we scored such bargains to justify a shopping binge of this magnitude. We brought it all home and the pile was literally a cubic yard or more. It was legendary. We didn't talk about my cousin that much - what was there to say? But there was shopping to do, and we didn't flinch.
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