Saturday, February 10, 2007

Freebie in post below this one...this post is just some thoughts etc.

ok...so just a little rambling here from me.

I am a consumer. I loveeeee to shop. I love to get new things. I equally love to get "new" things from the thrift store. But I get things we do not need. When I grocery shop....same thing. I impulse buy.

Since I have had children...a little seed has been growing in my head. And growing. And growing.

Here is what is going on in my head.

We need to stop being such consumers.
We need to recycle more. Much more.
We need to Give to people who have less than us.
We need to walk more, less driving.
I need to write letters or call...means so much more than an email (to some)
I need to buy as much as possible second hand.
I need to garden

Some other things going through my head.

As much as I love living where I can just go to the store etc...I would really love to have a piece of land. To build our own home. To have a huggggeeee garden to grow food. To look out and see nature. To be able to let the boys have some room to run.

I would love to live in a community where we are friends. I long for talks over coffee or juice. For bbqs and game nights. For sewing circles (yes you heard me...sewing circles. I want to learn to sew, ;) ). I am just so needing more of a connection in this age of computers and all. Don't get me wrong. I have met some amazing people all over the world that I never would have met...but I so need some face to face time, kwim. maybe I need to start a commune, lol ;)

I feel trapped in a mind that longs for two different worlds. And when I feel this way...my first impulse is...to do nothing. My laziness makes me just say...oh well...not much I can do about it. I will just keep doing what I have been doing. It is too hard to change the world.

But why do I feel I need to make HUGE changes all at once to be effective? Why can't I start small and be ok with it? Go to the thrift store and buy some canvas bags. Use those when I go to the grocery store instead of paper or plastic bags. Make a schedule for my computer and tv time. Recycle more...and not just the city approved things but clothes, toys, books, magazines etc.

I really am going to start trying to change this. Only buying the things we need and buying second hand every time possible. To start getting out in the real world more. I already joined my book club, so that is a start. I am also organizing monthly game nights with friends, neighbors and family. Brandon and I have been spending a lot of time thinking and talking about all of this lately. I really feel that the time is now to take action. The boys are little men now (5 and 3). They are watching the way I live and learning from me. I need to walk the walk. I need to teach them what I feel is important...even if it is as I am trying to learn what it is myself.

Here are some sites I have been checking out and enjoying on the subject. I am learning about what I really want to do. NOt ready to give it all up nor am I willing to keep being the way I am. Moderation and simple changes. that is what I want.

Consumption REbellion--she has everything from her journey to sew, not buy new, recipes for making own beauty products to why we shouldn't buy certain chocolates due to child labor to Greed and Oil.

Live Simple

Frugal village

Frugal Living

world works

Live simply but elegantly

share with me your thoughts and finds etc please

6 comments:

Joy said...

what a wonderful post.. it really makes you think about what you spend your time doing.

I will check out the the sites.

thank you... Joy

fran b said...

I'm probably the original cheapo!not by choice.....by limited income.I'm now almost 60 and i can't remember the last time i purchased new clothes or furniture.My house decor has always been early thrift shop!my kids got a first class public education by lying about the school district we lived in....lying paid off because both kids are college educated and doing well.
thanks for the links

Anonymous said...

thank you for this post. two of my friends and i have been having discussions on just these topics recently! it was nice to have more input and access the links for more info. i'm also a die-hard thrift shopper. nothing makes me happier than finding quality stuff at dirt-cheap prices. my kids rarely get new clothes; they wear "new" instead!
:) M

Lainey said...

Great post, Tracy. I think that as you get older you will find it easier to get by with less. I was struck by several tragedies --- such as my house burning down. I soon discovered that life wasn't about things but about people, love, and creating. Take care. Hugs.

LoriM said...

I agree so much with this. My sister-in-law introduced me to the FreeCycle groups this past year and it's amazing how many things people share in our local groups. I've recycled a lot of things this way and found some things that I needed. http://www.freecycle.org/

Unknown said...

Tracy you have some great ideas there. I think quite a bit like you, and we do a lot of extra recycling, FreeCycling, second-hand shopping, etc.

There's a great Yahoo group I found called Cindy's Porch. She's all about "shop at home first", "do instead of buy", etc. I think you'd enjoy her message.

Good luck with your quest to live a simpler life.