Tuesday 12 January 2010
shopping cart chain
no doubt the shopping cart was a great idea. it definitely beats the basket, especially if you have to buy heavier items like milk. The cart is great but I have on major problem with it. It isn't that the push handle has more bacteria than a toilet seat and it isn't the squeaky wheels or the wheels that don't work it is the chain to make you return the cart. not all grocery stores have the carts where you must put in change (a quarter or a loonie) to get your cart out but those chains I don't like. during the shopping experience if I want to stand on the bottom of my cart and glide around the store, which I still do, that little chain nub digs into my chest. It's not very enjoyable. Another reason I don't like the chain is when I am returning the cart to the row of carts. the length of the chain is such a pain. When you go to push your cart in the row you can see the chain of the cart in front dangling there but it poses a problem because as you push the cart in the chain gets wedged and so inevitably you end up having to push the cart in then pull it out enough to dig the chain out. All of this for a quarter! if the length of the chain was shorter then it would not get wedged in the cart which would be nice. If the chain was longer you could retrieve the chain and elevate it while you push your cart in to prevent the wedge. Of course the ultimate way around this dilemma is to put your chain up in the area where small children can sit to prevent the wedge from happening to the next person who will be putting there cart in the row. the next time you're at the grocery store you will think of this blog!
Sunday 3 January 2010
reflections of quitting christmas
So as I decided and blogged some time ago I had decided to give up christmas consumerism. Of course, I am not immune to the pressures of the season. I certainly felt the pressure, and I did cave..... kind of.
I participated in an office gift exchange which over the weeks I probably spent about $40
I bought a t-shirt for someone else.
I spent $50 on my partner
I donated $10 to the food bank
I donated $20 to another charity to contribute to building and outhouse and a goat in Africa
I also worked 12 hours of gift wrapping with the proceeds going to the local sexual assault centre.
I also bought myself some presents but I don't know if I count that as christmas spending or money I would spend on myself or giving myself an excuse to spend money.
anyways, here are my thoughts:
to my own surprise when it came closer to the day instead of receiving lots of questioning and teasing I hardly received any. Almost everyone seemed to respect my decision and thought it was ok. at least this is my interpretation.
One thing that surprised me as that for the few gifts I did give out I expected bigger reactions from the recipients. One particular case sticks out where the recipient said thank you and as far as I can tell enjoyed the gift but I wanted more of a reaction. I felt like "it's a big deal that I am giving this. you're special because you ARE receiving something when others close to me are not. give me some gratitude" I then realized that it was just my ego wanting to be overly fed and that the response I had received for the gift was completely appropriate. I didn't need anything more but I think I had expected more of a thanks.
part of me did miss the excitement of shopping and giving and receiving gifts. the excitement of buying for others and thinking about what to buy them, wrapping the gifts, and of course waiting and wondering what is in the gifts for me and anxiously waiting for others to open the gifts I had bought them.
On the other hand I did not miss anything as far as the reasons for quitting christmas. I didn't miss the stress of shopping and more than anything I did not miss having an empty wallet.
as a final conclusion: I'm glad I did it but at the exact same time I don't know if I would do it again, or if I did do it again if I would do it as rigid as I was this year. maybe I could just tone it back. it was certainly a learning experience.
I participated in an office gift exchange which over the weeks I probably spent about $40
I bought a t-shirt for someone else.
I spent $50 on my partner
I donated $10 to the food bank
I donated $20 to another charity to contribute to building and outhouse and a goat in Africa
I also worked 12 hours of gift wrapping with the proceeds going to the local sexual assault centre.
I also bought myself some presents but I don't know if I count that as christmas spending or money I would spend on myself or giving myself an excuse to spend money.
anyways, here are my thoughts:
to my own surprise when it came closer to the day instead of receiving lots of questioning and teasing I hardly received any. Almost everyone seemed to respect my decision and thought it was ok. at least this is my interpretation.
One thing that surprised me as that for the few gifts I did give out I expected bigger reactions from the recipients. One particular case sticks out where the recipient said thank you and as far as I can tell enjoyed the gift but I wanted more of a reaction. I felt like "it's a big deal that I am giving this. you're special because you ARE receiving something when others close to me are not. give me some gratitude" I then realized that it was just my ego wanting to be overly fed and that the response I had received for the gift was completely appropriate. I didn't need anything more but I think I had expected more of a thanks.
part of me did miss the excitement of shopping and giving and receiving gifts. the excitement of buying for others and thinking about what to buy them, wrapping the gifts, and of course waiting and wondering what is in the gifts for me and anxiously waiting for others to open the gifts I had bought them.
On the other hand I did not miss anything as far as the reasons for quitting christmas. I didn't miss the stress of shopping and more than anything I did not miss having an empty wallet.
as a final conclusion: I'm glad I did it but at the exact same time I don't know if I would do it again, or if I did do it again if I would do it as rigid as I was this year. maybe I could just tone it back. it was certainly a learning experience.
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