Quick note

Greetings all!
Please pardon the long delay in posts! After Christmas, we also had Chinese New Year and with ramping down and then back up again at work, and the holiday duties in between...well, it didn't leave much time to write.

Even now, I have only a quick moment to ask: did you see the "It Starts at Home" article by Peter Miller in National Geographic? Ironic of course that the print-on-paper magazine so often does articles promoting a "greener" way of life. Still, what it left me with was a profound sense of moving the world by inches. I mean, the writer talks about the trials of everyday problems that the Famn Damily and I tackled ages ago. (And of course that is why we're here trying to Compact!) It was all too clear from the style that Mr. Miller was trying to encourage people with a "its not so bad or hard" approach. Sheesh! How many more times do peopel have to hear "get floresent bulbs"? Seriously, who is still buying incandesents?!

In semi-related news, there is this article on the state of Chinese Consumption (or do a search from Google for "Hard Yards" and check out the cached page). Its striking to think that the wages of skilled workers went from around US$100 a month, up to about US$200/month and are now settling out at about US$120-150/month. There is a tsunami of more factory closings expected due to the droop of consumption in USA and Europe. The gov't here is trying to stimulate domestic buying by kicking off old fashioned building of roads, tracks, dams, etc. However, folks here are *very* conservative. When the going gets tough, people here save...even more than they do when the going is good.

For myself, I am taking a big "wait and see" as well. I mean, on the one hand I actually think the adjustment (both in the Compact sense, and the overspending in The West aspects) is overdue. On the other hand, it is very, very difficult to look at the hardship that is beginnig to span the globe.

Gloomily yours nowadays,
Chris

love vs MS...love wins!

In the spirit of the Compact and all things crafty, this year our MS Walk team made homemade valentines out of old magazines and a couple partial sets of old children's card games. Throughout last week and through this upcoming one, various crafty dames have hunkered down at the card table and waved their rubber cement soaked magic wands and POOF! sweet, sassy, sometimes dirty valentines all magically appear. We also made little baggies of condoms and kisses to sell, which we packed in a mysterious box of 1980's Waxtex "microwave bags" which I inherited from my grandmother's estate, and decorated with Old Maid playing cards. "Rollicky Ruth", "Agile Ann", "Ready Freddy"- they all were just made to decorate so!

Christmas

This year I gave no Christmas presents at all, not difficult to do since the rest of my family is Jewish. I myself did grow up with big gift exchanges, so I still feel guilty about not finding the perfect gift for everyone. This year I gave big checks to my three adult kids and their spouses, to keep the evil eye of layoffs far from their doors. They should have some of my money now, rather than after I am dead. Another feel-good way to celebrate the "holy days" is to give money to favorite charities. Baby Cleopatra, my granddaughter, received a toy Duc Monkey, because I gave a contribution to the World Wildlife Fund for endgangered animals. At least it is a good excuse to post a picture of her.

the larkin line

I was so impressed with my siblings this Christmas. Because a couple of us are involved in Larkin's Compact Project, everyone agreed to honor the spirit of the Compact in the family gift-giving.

For example, Sarah & Bill gave me & my husband a gift certificate for an evening with them at a fine restaurant. And Aunt Sarah gave my daughter a certificate for an afternoon of yarn shopping and lunch. These gifts are not only valued for the fun experiences, but moreover for the gift of sharing our greatest commodity--time!

My younger brother Don works for the public library AND is completing his degree in Urban Planning. So on a new year's trip down to see him in Portland, I was surprised he'd found the time to make us little jars of homemade salsa & hazelnut chocolate sauce. Yum!

And then my sister Beth was fashionably late with her gifts--literally! She sent us homemade fashions! Taking the spirit of the Compact to a whole new level, Beth silk-screened her own art onto reclaimed shirts for every member of our family. Each shirt even came with a recycled paper tag proclaiming it to be part of the "larkin line" of clothing--check it out!

Reading those tags made my heart swell. Not just with pride for what Larkin started, but for what a little thing like this can do to effect change in others. I was thinking about what this year-long commitment means, really. As in, after a year, do we all just go back to how we used to consume? I'd be curious about what the other Compacters feel about this, but my sense is that it would be impossible for me to go back. It's like I know too much now, or something. I've rethought & reworked my routines, I've seen how it can be done, and usually as well or better. I see how much money and, oddly, time I save overall. I see what a difference it makes. I've simply become too aware & intentional a consumer to ever go back. I think that the only thing that will change for me when the year is over is that I won't be telling myself I "can't" solve my need/want problem with a brand new solution. I'll instead be telling myself I "choose not to" most of the time.

When I think about that, I realize that this is so much bigger than one year, or handmade cards, or super hip reclaimed fashion...it's a lifestyle change. Isn't the ultimate declaration of faith to live as you would have it be? I just don't want to be part of promoting a consumer-based society. Can't we come up with something new as our country's raison d'etre? -k8-