Buy Nothing

I have to thank Theresa for posting on her blog about Buy Nothing Day. It's something that we just discussed about in one of my classes when we were talking about the concept of social marketing. I know that too many people will be out in the stores the day after Thanksgiving hoping to shop for Christmas gifts that people probably don't even need, thus take a minute and think about engaging in "Buy Nothing" day instead. A lot of people can't afford much of what they buy in the "spirit" of Christmas, but what if instead of buying we just enjoyed the gifts of time with each other? Time is the greatest gift of all. What if instead of buying an object or something for someone that will sit around and gather dust, we instead took them out to enjoy an experience? What if instead of spending all this money on things we don't really need....we gave it instead to others who could benefit from it? I'm not against giving....I'm against giving just to give and against shopping just to shop.

This year my siblings and I are not giving gifts. I'll get something for my nephews and something for my parents as I figure out more what they need. I will be adding on to a blanket for my nephew and buying something warm for my father. However the best piece of the holiday season will be spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family. Last year I was so saddened to see so many items under our tree when I knew that so many others go without and when I had explicity asked to receive nothing. For me the season is one of Thanksgiving for everything I already have such as the love and support of family and friends, my education, a warm living environment, clothes that fit and function, food. And the Christmas season is one in which I am reminded of the lessons that came due to the birth of the Savior and the number one lesson He taught us was to love God and to love others, especially those without. So I hope to spend my holiday season in moments of gratitude and of love-for both of those are gifts that do not require purchasing. May you enjoy the momentum of the season!

The Green Update: City Apartment

So it's been awhile since I've checked in about how I'm doing with the green life and things have changed some since I moved into my own place in the city. However there is always more to do to try to make a better impact.

Transportation-Walking is my primary form of getting around now, although I do take public transportation if it's late at night and I'm still in the true heart of downtown. But most everything I need is within walking distance and it's only 20 blocks to campus. My health has greatly benefited from the additional walking as well. I do use my car to visit family that live out of town however.

Food-I'm not growing anything as there isn't much sunlight in my back corner apartment. The majority of the food I'm eating is produce though w/ some complex carbs, but I'm remembering to take my tote bags to purchase it and still love left overs that do occur. I am able to buy more organic produce now though.

Electricity/Heating-I still unplug my cell as soon as it's done charging and my computer every night as well. The coffee pot gets unplugged as soon as it's done brewing. And I use my cellphone and a battery operated wall clock for my clocks. I turn off the lights if I'm not using them and the heat gets turned off (wall/space heater) anytime I leave the apartment and when I'm sleeping. I enrolled for green energy with the power company so my electricity will come from renewable sources for an additional .008 cents a kwh. They also installed new double paned windows to replace the leaded single pane cracked and non-closing ones I had before. The blinds go up in the day to encourage any possible sunlight to get in and then closed at night to keep the warmth in.

Water-Negative.....my shower goal still stands although I might manage a shorter shower once a week. AND I don't drink enough of it. I still need to buy a stainless steel water bottle for reuse so I can have water with me all the time but haven't been really looking nor wanting to purchase. I don't have a dishwasher so wash dishes by hand and I try to be mindful of the water I'm using in the process.

Trash/Recycling-Fabulous! My non-recyclable trash production is very nil anymore, maybe one very small bag every two weeks and I'm recycling about 80% of my overall "trash".

Products-Still using natural soaps and hair products. I've been wearing less make-up after finding out how bad it is for us women and I'm just about to run out of some of what I do have-however I'm still researching more healthful options because unfortunately I do love to wear make-up but I don't want to pay excessively to get it. Am still using vinegar/baking soda and Seventh Generation dish soap as my cleaning products also. And have stepped up the using of recycled products too.

Shopping-Yep, you've heard it. Too many new clothing items although they're all being used routinely. And now I'm in this mentality that I don't want to get rid of the other things I do have because I feel like I should use them up. I also had to buy a new cellphone because my other phone finally really did die-it wouldn't turn on at all, but I feel I got a cheap yet good deal and the guy gave me a discount on my monthly bill too. However I'm still glad I was able to move and set up without too many purchases to do so.

Citizenship-Between my sister and I there are 15 scarves completed for the street youth. I'm still going and I've opened it up to one of my classes and my home churches. There is a stack of mittens at my parents place also. And I'm not sure if this counts but it's important to me, every time I walk by a homeless person I try to meet their eyes, smile, and greet them. But now that I'm living off student loans, I haven't given financially nor have I given blood since I've moved.

So now you've heard it. I'm trying to make a better impact and being in the city does enable me to have it easier in some areas. Being at home for the weekend, I found it strange to drive the mile to church instead of walking....I still have things to work on, but I am happy with the changes I've made already.

How are you all doing in greening your lifestyles? I always love reading about those of you that really are doing big things!

Sources of Validation

This has been an interesting last week in which I have struggled with feeling supported in my choice of mentality and in my future goals. However it was on my drive back to my home town yesterday that I realized that if I allow the lack of support or comments by others to question my definition of myself then a) i'm not being authentic and b) i'm living through external validation. Plus being the stubborn person I am, I always feel that when outside sources are trying to block you from being who you are or from following the lifestyle that you desire...well then you must actually be on the right path.

I don't expect everyone to agree with my thoughts, my dreams, or my actions (or rather at times my lack of actions). But what I can say is that I have never felt better about who I am, where I am going, or what I am doing with my life. I may hem and haw and change my mind about the steps within my life direction and at times I might voice my dismay about certain areas; however I would have to say that I am for once settled in myself. I know who I am, what I stand for, and the general type of person that I want to be. I know that I have never felt more content than in living this current lifestyle of simplicity that I have chosen. I know that my own internal validation and satisfaction means so much more than searching for validation from external sources (although positive support is appreciated!).

That said I have to admit that I love the blogging community for it's nice to be able to communicate with others who are so kind to share the wisdom, the mindfulness, and the mentality of a life so simplistically and carefully lived. It's nice to have a place I can communicate and read from and not feel as though my thoughts are so much stranger than others. It's nice to read about others who are truly living the life that I have set my sights on achieving.

Yet I also feel that I should add that I am most blessed by a wonderful family-one that supports me regardless of lifestyle or mentality choice AND by fabulous and steadfast friends that while we might be very different, they'll love me just the same. I feel very fortunate indeed to be surrounded by community on multiple levels, as I'm coming to realize more and more that our relationships really are what make life the most worth living. So thank you to those of you who love and support me just for being...well authentically me whether it was yesterday, today, or tomorrow......

I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to the weekend!

Stressed until Reminders

Over the course of the last week I have been feeling stressed pertaining to my grad program through a variety of situations: not feeling like this program is exactly what I expected it to be, worried about finances, having more than usual due in these middle weeks of the term, feeling like I blew a group presentation last week, thinking about being out of town so much, finding it hard to meet new people.

Thus I found it ironic and refreshing that the day after I was the most stressed, lots of little things came together to rejuvenate me-something that I took to be reminders from God that He really will provide for all of my needs. Someone randomly sent me $20 in the mail which reinforced that the money will be provided for my education and living needs, I had the opportunity to rewrite a critique and scored much better on it the second time around, the high school I used to sub for had called which reminded me that come December I will have work, I did very well on an assignment for another class, I discovered that it really may be possible to transform this grad program into something that will better fit my needs, I had a bonding conversation on the phone with one of my friends, and discovered that another acquaintance from my undergrad now lives in my general neighborhood. And now I am here again at my granny's where I have spent the weekend doing my reading, writing my paper that is due this week, scheduling meetings and the visit from my out of town friend this next week, and going with her to this fabulous concert at the church last night. The concert additionally reinforced that all we have to do is trust and believe in the Lord and the greatest gift He gave. We may not feel that life is always peachy but even in the negative moments, there is hope that tomorrow will be better.

This morning upon waking up I took some pictures of the overcast morning with the trees against it. In taking a study break yesterday, I went for a walk around the lakes and listened to the sounds of nature. The squirrels scurrying around preparing for winter, the leaves crunching under my toes, the ducks squawking away hoping I would feed them, the snap of branches from the weight of landed birds, the caw of the crow. And I saw the brillance of the reds, yellows, browns, and greens present in the leaves, the bright green of the grass, the shiny white of the swans, the beauty of the surviving roses on the bushes. Life pared down to its simplest form is beautiful and fulfilling-truly what more could we need?

Consumption Confession #2: GUILT

Okay so one of the things I have been striving to do this year is not buy much at all. While I feel that I have greatly reduced the amount of items that I spend my money on, I recently (as in today) am suffering from loads of guilt. I went out and bought a new winter coat and boots. I am justifying it by the fact that I have been keeping an eye out for either item at thrift stores and not been able to find what I was looking for, and the fact that I am currently walking 9-12 miles a week, generally in a chilly-fall-going-into-winter climate. I got both items cheapily yet I still feel guilty for spending money when technically I probably could have made it through the cold season without either. Maybe the guilt also stems from the fact that my mother just purchased me "new" pants from a thrift store this weekend, as I had bought new pants but have slimmed down due to the increased walking and so after one wear, the new pants no longer fit. So I suppose it all stems from the fact that in the last couple of weeks I feel that I have been consuming a lot.

I have to remind myself that I basically moved into my apartment without buying many new things. I bought myself a new chair that will last me for years and that I have wanted for years. I had bought for me a broom, a dish drainer/dryer, and curtain rods, but everything else was things that I already owned.

I can also acknowledge the fact that in the entirety of this year I have bought or had bought for me:
-4 pairs of new shoes, all of which I wear routinely
-2 pairs of new jeans and 3 pairs of pants from a thrift store
-a thrift store dress
-3 new tops and one new sweater, and 3 used sweaters (the sweaters I wear all the time)
-one new skirt
-and one brand new hooded coat (the only hooded coat I now have)

While it is much less than many people I know buy...I still can't help but feel guilty. Do I really NEED all of that stuff? NO. Could I have spent that money on other things or SAVED it? Yes. Do I routinely use the majority of it? Yes. But when I look at my wardrobe, I realize how much other people could benefit from what I have....sigh.....Guilt...Consumption......How much I do NOT feel frugal in this moment.....

Language

It always floors me the amount of cussing, cursing, foul language, whatever you choose to call it that people use. Now I will completely admit that when I am in the midst of certain individuals or when I become angry I myself will throw out cuss words-however it's not a behavior that I'm exactly proud to engage in on occasion. I never noticed how much our language choices impact the impressions we leave on others until I started student teaching and was appalled by the language I would routinely hear out of my students' mouths. Thus began my rule of "If I hear a significant cuss word out of your mouth, you're writing sentences." Whether or not it was a fair punishment, the kids would write them and the amount of foul language in my classes was greatly reduced. In fact, I'm known as the sub that "you can't cuss around." Shouldn't all adults be instilling in kids the desire to use more descriptive words?

I recognize that some individuals grow up in home environments in which foul language is the norm and where the F word becomes the most used adjective that there is to describe anything. However I believe that we all should have the capacity to have vocabularies where we don't need to use foul language on a routine basis. I always find it interesting when I meet someone for the first time and they proceed to answer a routine question (such as "Do you have a can opener I can borrow?") with at least three foul words and they aren't even distressed!

I remember when I first started commuting for student teaching with my man vs wild friend and I found it strange that he never cussed. Now he will use abbreviations, such as g.d. or such but I have yet, in over the year that I have known him, heard a single foul word out of his mouth. Something that I used to find so rare, I now completely appreciate about him. Thus it's from individuals like him and from my students themselves that I had to take a deeper look at myself and attempt to use better language choices. However it's interesting how sensitive it makes me to the use of those words out of others mouths, and unfortunately when I hear foul words it tends to turn me off from what the speaker is saying. A practice that I find at times even in the blog community. I can think of a couple of blogs that I really like but because of the fact that the writers cannot post without using cuss words instead of intelligent words to describe their opinion about a fairly serious and educational topic, I find that I no longer have any interest in reading what they are posting about. Maybe I'm becoming a snob or maybe I'm just wishing that more people would think of what they are saying......something I also need to continue to remember.....