Not Buying It

About five years ago, I heard Judith Levine interviewed on National Public Radio about her book "Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping". The book jacket says it all: "With great wit and spirit, Judith Levine tackles a profound question: Why do we buy and what do we get out of it?" My biggest dilemma at the time was whether to go on the wait list at my local library to get the book into my hands (the list had over 150 readers on it), or to buy my own copy. I succumbed and purchased one at our local bookstore, justifying the expenditure as support for a terrific author. One of the most entertaining parts of the book is Judith's attempts to draw the line between wants and needs. What about Q-tips? No. Haircuts? Yes. And yes, she does address the implications of more mindful spending for the economy as a whole. Remember, I'm married to a retired IMF/World Bank economist, so that issue comes up a lot in our household. Now that the holiday season is upon us, I think I'll re-read this gem, not with any intention of giving up shopping altogether, but with a desire to focus my attention before I open my wallet at the cash register or click the "pay now" button on my computer screen. Reflecting on my own situation, I can't say that there is anything I really NEED. How lucky I am! So, I'll be telling my family that what I really want, is their time--time devoted to doing some of the jobs that I usually do, such as grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. Time cheerfully offered as a gift means more to me than anything else.
My time today is devoted to a little Xmas knitting. See this?


It's Meret, from Woolly Wormhead. I'm knitting it up in a rogue ball of Ella Rae Classic, # 642, a luminous shade of periwinkle.On this cold, wet, grey day, anything luminous is good.