Wednesday 5 September 2007

Things...

Just had a phone convo with Mr Pisces and I was musing about the amount of THINGS there are in shops. Now the shops are complaining we are not buying enough THINGS because of the high interest rates here and the economy is slowing.

The whole of the economy here is service and selling THINGS based it seems, we don't even make the THINGS anymore, they are shipped in from China, or wherever. There was even a panic last christmas because a giant super container ship full of THINGS from China was scuppered somewhere and Christmas itself was threatened. (I did remember wondering how parents would explain that news item to the juniors watching the six o'clock news - yes son, Santa's elves are in China, thats where they make the THINGS for santa, no, son, I know they don't LOOK Chinese in the picture books and films....... ).

We have the season of shopping coming up fast but as I have the time and I think that they show love and thought I am making most of my presents this year. I can't say what they are because some of the recipients may tune in.

Those that know me will know that I rarely buy anything new if I can help it. I use freecycle, ebay, charity shops, car boot sales etc., for most of the THINGS i need (want if I am honest, most of the THINGS I couldn't truthfully say I need). If everyone were like me then the whole economy would crash, no jobs, no shops (except M&S - they will never die, not many people like second hand drawers - except I did hear about some strange men and a dodgy e-bay auction ... er, think I will get off this train of thought at the next station).

So, I suppose all the shoppers out there are helping the nation by their frantic purchase of their loved-ones' gifts and such 'vital' items as olive de-stoners, fifteen foot inflatable santas, disposable toilet cleaning pads, plug in air-fresheners, sink tidies, special christmas toilet paper, etc., not to mention the amount of food that is thrown away over the Christmas period which, according to a survey I read, averages £60 per household (not mine, I make soup out of it if it stands still long enough :D )

I should be ashamed of myself, its people like me who let the country down.

I am going to buy a THING tommorrow, just to do my bit for the economy. Think its got to be the fifteen foot inflatable Chinese Santa......

What a crazy world : D

3 comments:

Marianne said...

Hah....we have something else in common! I'm just an old earthhippiechick and not into the big consumer scene at all... we like to recycle (as in building, furniture, etc, even finding wool sweaters I can unravel) but I do buy yarn...not very much if any right now but it is my weakness.
:^)
Yep, it's folks like us who tend to live WELL within our means who'll be the downfall of civilization, eh? LOL

Jackie said...

Marianne

Yarn is an essential :)

I was thinking more of all the sheer waste, all the gadgets and gizmos and, well, THINGS that nobody really wants or needs, they are just seduced into wanting it by the subliminal message that they are not providing the best for their family unless they have (insert name of THING here)

I like your expression living WELL within your means, thats a great way to describe it.

There is a great sense of satisfaction that people who make or recycle things feel. Its not a case of feeling hard done-by (preaching to the converted here I know).

Just read a book review of a new book for girls that shows them how to do all those 'forgotten' crafts. Its predicted to be a best seller so maybe things are changing...

I resisted the Santa, btw. :D

Marianne said...

Oh yeah, I also love the 'you need to have all this 'stuff' to be truly happy'...tsk tsk...and then they wonder why they're not? happy? and then they get MAD....

I refer to all that 'stuff' as 'it's all just a bunch of crap' it's somewhat of a mantra in our household.
We lived several years debt-free which allowed us to save money because we just don't spend it! We were able to put a huge chunk down when we bought the new place.. now of course we just want to get it paid off asap..so there are lots we'll do without..until it does.
(this just means we'll be continueing using our craptastic furniture for quite a time to come which is no biggie)

I also think about the fact that even living below 'US standards' we have so much more than most of the folks on this earth...I think about all the crap Americans consume and it's no wonder they hate us... and yet the Americans consuming? they just can't fathom why they would be hated... what dumbshits.

Sounds like a fabulous book! and the name of it is?