Globalization comes home

Yesterday I took my daughter shopping for shorts. While she deliberated, I looked at labels. Vietnam. Indonesia. India. Pakistan. Bangladesh. Mexico. Guatemala. Haiti. Dominican Republic. China China China. Is it possible to find new clothes made by union workers rather than nearly certainly exploited young women?

I am in the tenth month of my yearlong moratorium from clothing shopping (for me). What a great respite it has been from temptation, yearning, time-wasting and closet cluttering!

For clothes to be so cheap after being transported literally across the planet means those workers can't be earning much. This bothers me.

When my year of abstinence ends I will still practice extreme restraint.

Peace, y'all

Molly

International Buy Nothing Day approaches!

I like planning and in my head Halloween is already over. My head hopped ahead to the end of the month and my next opportunity to spread the word on simplicity and sustainability. I had a great idea.

I want to host a big party for International Buy Nothing Day!

The message of IBNDay is a negative one -- to NOT do something (to NOT join the mobs engaging in the post-Thanksgiving retail frenzy).

Rather, I want to have a party to enjoy and have fun with friends, maybe even make it a left-overs potluck.

Play games, share ideas on ways to celebrate sustainable and sensibly, popping popcorn,maybe making something for someone more needy--with companionship and fun.

Sound good? Steal my idea! Only it isn't stealing if I give it to you.

Hope you accept this gift, observe IBNDay, and share the occasion with others in a fun way.

Peace, y'all

Molly

More on food

What is a more basic need than food? Only one--water. Food is essential, as is "of essence." It's vital, as in our lives depend on it. How fortunate are most Americans that they think about what to eat, and how much, rather than IF they can eat.

Some of the 300 members of BeadforLife are HIV-positive. The meds for the HIV are free, but they stimulate appetite, so before BeadforLife came around, they would not take the meds because they couldn't feed their appetites. OMG.

Defrosting the frostfree freezer requires emptying it. Now a full freezer is more efficient than an empty one, but it distressed me to see how many "freezer mysteries" persist. These are generally good meals I make too much of, so I freeze the rest before it goes bad. I always intend to have "freezer mysteries" on the week's menu but we can't get ahead of it.

Freezer mysteries will be on our menu at least twice a week until I start thinking my freeze is too empty. This will also keep me out of the grocery store, and save me that time and gasoline and money, and exposure to the marketing mania that is retail food.

Also on the food theme, I'm on track to bake my first ever loaf of sourbread. I fed the starter today. Thursday I'll feed it in the a.m, mix the dough in the p.m. (and feed it once more) and prep, then Friday, I'll actuallly bake. I'm excited and hopeful. If this succeeds I will have a new way to eat healthier.

BeadForLife proceeds so far: $995! Oh so close to a nice round number. I hope to surpass another round number by this time next week (after sales at work, at my Quaker gathering, and with my friends who can't come to the LR party. I love giving parties like this and I really love raising money for our sisters in Uganda.

Retail abstinence phase 2

Today is the first day of February. My month-long experiment ended successfully.

I strayed from my "rules" just once. My spouse and I went out to dinner and blew $4.31 on a fast food dinner.

The best part for me is that I was able to say no to lattes right up until I was on the road on 1/29. The worst part -- I had a latte at Starbucks on 1/31 and it was heaven on earth.

But if I can go cold turkey in cold dark wet January, I can manage other times too. And I liked saving money. I will not return to my pre-abstinence spending levels.

Today I will spend a little money. I have a lunch date. But no big binge as I had envisioned earlier last month.

I have yet to tally up my expenditures and compare them with a similar month (Sept 2009, the first month I was daughter-less. I am eager to see the tally, and will do something good with the savings. Donate to food bank? Donate to Haiti? Put into investments? Make a rainy day fund? It will be fun to decide.

The other good thing about February 1 is at last cold dark wet January is over, and there will be a few signs of spring this month. Bring it on!

Peace, y'all

Molly

Retail abstinence

This is day 20, and it's still going strong. Maybe not entirely happily, but strongly. I have not wavered, even when very depressed and profoundly yearning for a latte. I didn't want to break my vow.

I realize my spending is now on line with many, many other people's, who don't spend because they cannot, not because they are choosing to. Some of the challenges I've faced I've met with gifts and loans, and just saying no. I almost bought a latte Sunday, when I was working, but I found free regular coffee and went that way instead. And I am learning to knit, and my daughter is lending me her needles and yarn, as is my knitting teacher.

Nine more days until I leave for the Quaker silent weekend retreat. I am confident I will have a rich internal dialogue to process the month of abstinence, and I will figure out what this means for life (and spending) after January 31. I don't think I want to go back to my old thoughtless if somewhat thrifty ways.

One thing I did allow myself this month is to be generous to charities. So I have not spent on myself but have given our money to good causes. Felt great.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Who would Jesus bomb?

Day 10 of the retail abstinence. Either 21, 18, or 11 days to go, depending on trips during which I'll need to buy food on the road and could get a latte as well (milk plus buzz--why ever not?).

I am encouraged. I am at worst, 1/3 through this and the only hard part is lattes. The rest is a snap. I think I could easily go retail-free every other day, or weeks at a time, besides the coffee element.

I have wondered what I would turn TOWARD as I said no to most retail temptation (I still buy gas, bread, milk, meds). I am still asking. I know I'm enjoying my regular coffee more and I think I have more time and am getting more done. That's about it. So far.

I browsed in a catalog from Northen Sun, just packed with T shirts, posters, buttons and bumperstickers that say YES to me. A few really resonated, such as the one where people were worshipping the coffee cup, and the How-to-make-community posters, and the "Who would Jesus Bomb?" bumpersticker.

Who would Jesus bomb? Dear God, what a question. I think the answer is "no one, today." I don't know about the past or future. But Jesus represents love and forgiveness to me, and nothing about love and forgiveness supports bombing.

I moved through yesterday thinking "what can I do today to make the world a better place?" And I came up with a few answers. I turned down the thermostat. I smiled at people. I didn't rise (or sink) into the arguments my spouse was throwing my way.

And I didnt' bomb anyone.

Peace, y'all

Molly