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Cost Curious

Curious about what something or a service might cost? This site has helpful estimates and allows people from around the country to post what they paid for a similar service/good. It's not exact, but knowing a ballpark number before you set out to do something or get something done can bring you back down to earth.

Brand new cedar fence around the backyard? Sure it sounds lovely and desirable! The three to five thousand dollars you're going to spend doesn't sound as pleasant.

What Would Jesus Buy?

That's the question posed by this documentary of the same name.

I like Christmas. Not for religious reasons, but because it's the time of year that everyone seems to be nice to their fellow human beings just because. I really love giving presents and I also enjoy getting them. Sure, presents are nice, but who really needs that 3rd DVD player, the $35,000.00 dragon topiary, or that expensive gizmo that's just going to sit in the garage? The greed in the air can get quite breathtaking. The load of commercial consumerist crap seems to grow larger and larger every year, but I try to tune that out and enjoy the carols, the lights, and most of all, the food.

I saw stores putting out Christmas decorations and other holiday swag for sale in September this year. (Or was it August?!) There are already countless reports of how our economy desperately depends on holiday sales. Wow, there's unnecessary pressure for ya. I also know that I won't have any more money the month of December than I did in November, so I won't be cruising on guilt, economic or otherwise, and rushing out to buy gifts for everyone.

In fact, I plan on making gifts this year for people instead of buying them. Here's an idea: let's see if I can't have a gift for everyone I need/want to give one to and not spend over $100.00 USD. As in, $100.00 for all the gifts I'm giving this season, not each one. This means I'll make almost everything, or be creative with store-bought things.

Oh! The challenge is on, people! Let's make this Christmas The $100 Christmas. You can't spend more than $100 on holiday gifts on or before Dec 25th. That includes every trinket you buy for coworkers, the present you'll give your mom, the gift for your little nephew, etc. Also, you can offer services or barter for gifts, and buy secondhand to save something from the landfill. Join me! Don't go into debt this year! Feel good about sharing and caring. Avoid the mall! Figure out the meaning of truly giving to someone else, as in, sacrifice a little. It's worth it to see the smile on the recipient's face and still feel the jangle of change in your pocket.

Is your Asshole Green?

If so, you gotta call him or her on it.

I admit to watching some of the "Live Earth" concert on Saturday. Of course, I watched it on my electricity-guzzling television while sitting under a lamp that did not sport a compact fluorescent bulb. (Gasp!)

Did I feel guilty? Not enough to buy a $25 pencil set.

Ironic? Maybe just a little. (Um, NBC, the network that broadcast the concerts is owned by GE, a not-so-environmentally friendly company.)

I always have to laugh when I see celebrities, especially musicians, telling me to "go green" or "save the planet" or whatever while they sip their $300.00 martinis in the comfort of their million-dollar homes. Politicians are worse. Fuck you, Al Gore. I know people love you and your movie. Recycling is great. Driving a hybrid is great. Your hypocrisy? Not so great. I don't have anything against Gore personally, but the man owns tons of stock in oil and he likes to leave the lights on. All the lights.

Anyhoo, I'm really ranting because now that "green" is hip, it's become a consumerist nightmare. Really, are people so dumb that they need designer grocery bags? Wait, don't answer that.

Being green is actually pretty simple. Recycle what you can, don't buy products with a lot of packaging, don't drive when you can walk, don't leave the lights/tv/radio/computer on when you're not using them. Don't take 30 minute showers. Use a push lawnmower, not a gas or electric-powered one. Buy used furniture. Etc... See? No mass amounts of money required. No souls sold.

Now if only the Administration would do their part... I'm not holding my breath.

Kwik-e-mart

Of course, we don't get one... I could go either way on the Simpsons movie, but damn, I'd love to check out a kwik-e-mart and get a squishee!

An Indie Dilemma

What to do? Pay a whopping $34.99 at an independent local bookseller for the new HP7 when it comes out next month, or pay $16.99 at a big box store? I want to support my local bookstore, but the siren call of national chains with deep discounts are just too much to ignore.

What a crock!

But seriously, Country Crock says it will donate meals to hungry families for every story about sharing food, nay, Country Crock spread, internet users submit. Hey, why not?

Here are my two stories:

1. One time I left a bucket of Country Crock in the sun and it melted. I gave it to some hungry homeless guys who live under the bridge behind my house. They ate it but said it sure made them thirsty. I said, "Too bad. I only brought you the buttery spread."
2. One time I left a bucket of Country Crock in the freezer and it turned hard as a rock. This guy came to the door to ask me if I was saved. I said no. Then after a second I said, "Wait a minute, I have saved something!" So I went to the freezer and got the frozen buttery spread and chucked it at his head.

Oh man, sharing feels good!

The wheel in the sky, it indeed keeps on turnin'

Last night, we celebrated stef-is-super's birthday with a dinner followed by chocolate pie with brownie bits topped with whipped cream and toffee chunks! Yum!

Tonight we're going to a Journey sing-a-long featuring band videos and live accompaniment. It promises to be awesomely bad! Woot! Break out yer mullet wigs and start cryin'!

Tomorrow we turn in our keys to the old place and say goodbye to that haven of silverfish with the outdoor(?) laundry room and the les enfants terribles across the ravine. (Um, we don't care to listen to what you're listening to at 3am.)

Saturday we relax, take in the local Pride parade, and unpack. And unpack. And unpack. Oh, yeah, and unpack some more.

Yay!

Last night Baby G found cool shoes and I found an outfit for Saturday! I won't be naked! Woot!

I'm still working on the favors. Last night I took a break, mostly because we were shopping and drinking, but I think they will get done in time. We're meeting with the caterers tonight to go over the layout of the room, etc, and figure out any last-minute details. I can't believe the big day is almost here. It just reminds me of the long t0-do list sitting on the counter at home...

Art=o=matic

Do you make small works of art?

You could sell them via an Art-o-mat! How cool is that?

A year without toilet paper?!

An NY family has decided to "go green" in a very intense way. I like to think I'm a responsible citizen of the planet (I recycle glass, paper & plastic, I turn off lights I'm not using, I buy products with the least packaging...) but to go without toilet paper...I don't know about that. I happen to like being clean. Especially in that area.

Of course, this family isn't doing this for nothing. Oh, no. They're getting a book deal and a documentary made of them. A book deal that will use many many trees to produce. I guess it evens out since they're doing without TP. I think there are many ways to live simply without going to extremes like this.

Holy sh*t

I was out enjoying dinner with friends Wednesday night, so I did not watch this week's episode of America's Next Top Model. Come to find out (via Feministing) that this week's challenge was for the contestants to be "beautiful corpses" via a "CSI"-style photoshoot.

To echo many of the comments made on Feministing, WTF, Tyra?!

An open statement to Tyra Banks:

Trya, I know you're a ditzy but fun-loving showbiz-crazed gal, but for god's sake, what is wrong with you? It's one thing to herd this gaggle of naive model-wannabes through the hoops of your show; but to glorify violence against women is completely sick and utterly reprehensible.

I've watched all 7 "cycles" of your show, but will watch no more. That's it, it's over. I put up with your and the other judges' comments about the "fat" size 8 girls, comments about the ethnic attributes of some of the girls (see our banner), and the objectification of your willing contestants, all in the name of entertaining television; however, when you have 19- and 20-year old young women painted with bruises and fake blood, their eyes rolled back in their heads and their legs splayed, all in the name of selling fashion, you're sending a very powerful message about the disposability of not only the contestants, but women in general, to viewers.

I get it that the girls are competing (hence, the "knifed by a model" etc themes of the shoot). But I have to say murder is not sexy. Never has been, never will be. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Sincerely,

Tiny Robot

Gattaca is closer than you think

Radar just published this article about genetic testing, how some parents are choosing particular traits for their offspring pre-conception. Creepy.

I find it intellectually interesting that one could potentially screen out children that would suffer from colon cancer, but at the same time I am petrified that the world really could become overrun with identical towheaded model-types.

[shudder.]

I can only imagine that in the next 20+ years, the 'regular' babies born today will be pumping out genetically 'perfect' babies of their choosing. Hell, they'll probably just grow babies in a big field and harvest them like corn cobs. It's one thing to research DNA to figure out how to regrow someone's arm or cure cancer, but screening out "imperfections" like brown skin, gayness, short stature, or freckles is really just an exercise in eugenics.

She'll be comin' 'round the mountain

A few things...

Tori Amos is putting out her 9th studio album in May. For those of you who may not know, I'm a big Tori fan; however, her past few albums have been kinda bleh to me, mostly because they've been heavy on the 'adult contemporary' and light on the traditional Tori. Her website features the new album artwork, and, it's wonderfully subversive. I'm hoping this is an implication that the music is going to be better than the soft mushy la-la stuff she put out on the 2 previous albums. I know the first 4 albums by heart --- but then things changed. Or maybe I changed? Regardless, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some good ol' angry, pro-girl, recovering christian, in-your-face Tori music! Is that too much to ask?

Home ownership is whirling around in my head. I'm addicted! I can't stop window shopping for housing. Real estate consumerism has me by the tail. Sure, I've investigated the realities of buying. I have good credit and a steady job. However, I can apparently afford house payments, but can't get a loan because I am "cash poor". This is sadly true. If I lost my job today (gods forbid!) I'd be out on the street in a month. So, I've gotta get this horse off my back. Stat. Or throw myself on the mercy of the FHA.

Trivia Night. Baby G and I are going with friends to play trivia tonight at some lesbo watering hole. Should be interesting. Hopefully the number of mullets and bois won't outnumber Baby G and I and our posse. We'll probably be the only "normal" looking mo's in the room. C'est la vie. It's just too hard to be a hipster these days. Too much attention to hair styling...

The last hour of the last day of the work week

This morning went fairly quickly, this afternoon has not. I've been in and out of attention for the past 3 hours, my eyes alternately glazing and clearing. I've been surfing the site that DM sent me a while back. It's become something of an obsession. I want my own home so bad I can taste it; unfortunately, I can't afford my own taste. Sigh.

There's more than one way to say "I Love You."

Perhaps a sperm-shaped pendant isn't best?

Maybe I'm the wrong person to ask.

Venezuela will keep you warm this winter

Hugo Chavez's government is helping out poor Americans this winter by donating heating oil from Citgo. It's no secret that Chavez loathes Dubya (and vice versa), nor is it a secret that he and his country benefit quite a bit from America's gas-guzzling ways.

While I agree that Dubya's foreign policy is retarded and his administration has egregiously ignored the poverty-stricken in this country for the past 6 years (gee, let them faith-based charities help the poor...), I don't exactly gush with love for Chavez either. Yes, he's done some tangible things to provide the destitute education and healthcare in the shanty towns around Venezuela's cities and he's reformed the judicial & media sectors of society; however, his style can be pretty inflammatory. Is that really the best way to get one's message across?

Now, I'm no expert in Venezuelan politics or history, but it is refreshing to see someone in a position of power helping people instead of merely yapping about it. Perhaps some American politicians could take notes? The new session of Congress in January holds some promise, let's just hope the don't cock it up like usual. Although if the new kids are new only in name and not in philosophy, we're screwed.

Big Brother of the Highway

Signed up for a txtag today. It's a little RFID sticker that debits my account everytime I use the toll road. Now I'm trackable in the car. This sucks. Unfortunately, to have an "unregistered" account one must manually track and replenish funds. What a pain in the ass. So, of course, the uber-convenience of the "registered" account caught lazy me in its teeth and will assimilate me soon. Hell, at least I get an extra month of free use of the toll roads as well as 1/2 off in February for getting a tag now. Wow, I am so easy.

I don't want to sell anything bought or processed... or buy anything sold or processed... or process anything sold, bought or processed...

Too many questions. First off, I would never say that any one thing is all anyone can be in this world. And although I am intrigued by the current ideas that I am exploring--consumerism via Judith Levine, and postmodern identity/society/experience via Jean Baudrillard--to say that anything can be completely reduced to one idea is, well, by definition, reductionistic.

I must also say that I am certainly no expert here. I've read an excellent interview of Ms. Levine on her new book in my favorite feminist response to pop culture 'zine, and about three-quarters of an introductory comic book on Baudrillard, which I appropriately purchased at Half Price Books. I do intend to check Not Buying It out of the lyberry, and if I'm not too nihilized (yes, lovable dorks, i just made up that word) by the end of it, maybe more stuff on the French guy. These handfuls of pages were, however, enough to instigate a late night conversation between Robot and Guanaco, and apparently some existential musings by both as well.

There were many things in the Levine interview that struck me. One of those was her commentary on the statement "the personal is the political." It seems that activists that came up with that phrase in the past might sort of regret that now, because what has happenned is that all we ever do now for the most part is the personal. Not shopping at the Mall-Wart is personal; choosing to buy organic foods is personal; and wearing a t-shirt that says "Rage Against the Machine" is personal. Kids that do this stuff often form small circles with other kids that do this stuff, but that's still not a social movement that creates political change. Social movements that spur political change happens when people are able to reach across social groups to take collective action, and I mean more than the yelling at people = action kind of action. What's so insidious is that people who sell us stuff today, those who are most effective at it, pretty much keep up with us in our whole personal quest to be political: "If you bought this, then you might like...." We can pretty much go our entire lives learning about and only connecting to people with whom we already agree. Plus, social/political campaigns that are effective generally have had effective marketers.

It's as if the high-speed information age has only served to make Gen X and Y somehow more rural again. Don't get me wrong--I certainly don't find anything wrong with blogging, or with buying stuff at one place as opposed to others, or with not buying stuff, but some people think that that's all there is social change. And then there countless numbers of us that have pretty much given up on trying to change anything, and have understandably resigned to only communicating and/or socializing with like-minded kids, and doing what we think is right just based on our beliefs. Apathy is sad, whatever the reasons.

Tiny Robot's question is "Where did this Individual-as-Consumer mirage of personal power come from?" Baudrillard, and many social scientists, would say it begins with the concept of property--when this first arises in human history. Then, it continues in a mad way with the rise of the middle class and their ability to at least create a similuation of "the good life" and "keep up with the Jones'." We've kind of permanently set this precedent now, and for better or worse, have to deal with it.

I must admit, I like shopping, too. I like stuff. I like looking at it, picking it up, trying it on, imagining what it would be like to have it, thinking about how it connects to identity/culture, actually having it, selling or giving it away to others, and then reminiscing about it. I like finding good deals and bragging about them--the more challenging the find, the more satisfying the story. And then there's those stories about the ones that got away ("I bought this and then the next day I found it on sale!"). Shopping is probably the closest thing humans have these days to experiencing "the hunt" of our ancestors.

To come back full circle on this, maybe for some of us, all we can do is the personal, but maybe it's not so bad. Significant social change usually takes a lot of work, and often more work than our 40-hour work weeks will allow us to put into it, even collectively. I don't think that the personal stuff is necessarily ineffective; just that it's not enough for us to stop there. Imagine how crappy it would be if we didn't even have that, though. So then I end this post with that quote, "Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Consumer Nation Vacation

Since Labor Day is literally around the corner, I thought I'd reflect on consumerism. I plan to consume this weekend. I also plan to create. I've been trying to consume less lately, but my intentions are usually thwarted by hunger pains (both the physical and material varieties).

Who am I?

I am a consumer.

Is that it? Is that all I can be in this world?

Even when not "consuming" I am still identified by my anti-consumerism. So sayeth Judith Levine. I guess this is true. No longer is society interested in the Populace as a group; only The Individual as Consumer matters. This puts a lot of responsibility in the hands of individuals (or rather, their wallets). Unfortunately, the individual can be quite powerless.

For example, when Mall-Wart got busted a couple years ago for how poorly they treated their workers, everyone I knew (including myself) vowed to stop shopping there, and therefore, hurt WalMart's bottom line. Sure, that's the Individual's way of handling things. However, no one suggested that WalMart's employees form a union, you know, come together as a group and enact social change on a large scale in their workplace. That would be much more effective, in my opinion, because no matter how many times I and my friends don't shop at Wally World, there's still going to be a mess of people who do because 'Mericuh loves its cheap plastic crap from China.

Workers can't rely on consumers to help them out. Workers need to fend for themselves. I'm a librarian. Nobody knows what it is I really do; they think I just shelve books and shush people. They're often amazed I have a Masters degree and can't believe I drink, go to parties, and don't own any sensible shoes. I can't change anyone's perception of me, but I can fight for the salary I deserve, the working conditions I am subjected to, etc.

Where did this Individual-as-Consumer mirage of personal power come from? Advertising, the growth (and now demise?) of the middle class, and a myriad of other factors. I'm going to drop-off here. I bet you Baby G will have some good words to add.