Shared
I'm reading about what's going in Israel and Gaza, but I have no intelligent thoughts. My prayers go out to the civilians and any Americans who have family over there.
I found this next item via google reader and Meryl's shared items. The Pointless Pursuit of More*. It's very much in line with some of what I posted about here, at Amy's Humble Musings. I don't personally have any issue with people buying stuff. People get paid to make stuff so people can buy stuff so that people have money to eat and live. So I see it all kind of as a symbiotic circle.
What I do have a problem with, is stuff putting people into debt and causing foreclosure and melt down. Everyone needs to sit down at the dinner table with a calcualtor and figure out how to live within their means.
For instance, the day after Christmas I read this: Retail Sales Plummet and shook my head.
None of this should be blamed on Gloria, by the way. It's the ridiculous reporter who puts this to us as if we should feel sorry and just cry because the world is ending because people don't have money to waste on expensive t shirts that they could get elsewhere for less.
Which brings me to, exhibit B. Amazon is posting their best holiday season ever. I know, that's online. That includes purchases outside our own economy.
Which brings me to exhibit C. Which isn't really a news story but is a blog that is talking about what we will find out come the first week of January. Which is how Wal-Mart did this month. My guess? They killed it. I know this makes folks mad, because of practices at Wal-Mart and goods made in China, etc. etc. But there is a definite trend here.
I think that the economy is changing, and maybe we are about to embark upon a return to a simpler way of being. Either way, we who are working need to be grateful for our jobs and continue to pray for those that don't. And we need to save when we can, spend when we must, and help each other out always.
*My favorite point here is hanging out with like minded people. I have long been a proponent of including friends in your circle who support you, whether that's your marriage, your job, your hobbies, what have you. And when trying to do things like quitting smoking, sometimes you have to limit your exposure to those that encourage you to do bad things. A healthy balance I guess. But isn't balance one of the hardest thigns?
I found this next item via google reader and Meryl's shared items. The Pointless Pursuit of More*. It's very much in line with some of what I posted about here, at Amy's Humble Musings. I don't personally have any issue with people buying stuff. People get paid to make stuff so people can buy stuff so that people have money to eat and live. So I see it all kind of as a symbiotic circle.
What I do have a problem with, is stuff putting people into debt and causing foreclosure and melt down. Everyone needs to sit down at the dinner table with a calcualtor and figure out how to live within their means.
For instance, the day after Christmas I read this: Retail Sales Plummet and shook my head.
At a Los Angeles Anthropologie store on Christmas Eve, even a clearance table at the apparel and home-goods store didn't tempt Gloria Langstaff, 60 years old. "We're spending less," said the librarian from Missoula, Mont., who is visiting Los Angeles on an annual holiday trip. The trip itself was a cutback from last year, when the family went to the Dominican Republic.I submit to you, exhibit A. A blue cotton button up shirt. Price? $188.00. Even on sale, this shirt would be ridiculous. And really, how hard up is old Gloria? Aww, she didn't get to out of the country, but she still had the money to visit LA.
None of this should be blamed on Gloria, by the way. It's the ridiculous reporter who puts this to us as if we should feel sorry and just cry because the world is ending because people don't have money to waste on expensive t shirts that they could get elsewhere for less.
Which brings me to, exhibit B. Amazon is posting their best holiday season ever. I know, that's online. That includes purchases outside our own economy.
Which brings me to exhibit C. Which isn't really a news story but is a blog that is talking about what we will find out come the first week of January. Which is how Wal-Mart did this month. My guess? They killed it. I know this makes folks mad, because of practices at Wal-Mart and goods made in China, etc. etc. But there is a definite trend here.
I think that the economy is changing, and maybe we are about to embark upon a return to a simpler way of being. Either way, we who are working need to be grateful for our jobs and continue to pray for those that don't. And we need to save when we can, spend when we must, and help each other out always.
*My favorite point here is hanging out with like minded people. I have long been a proponent of including friends in your circle who support you, whether that's your marriage, your job, your hobbies, what have you. And when trying to do things like quitting smoking, sometimes you have to limit your exposure to those that encourage you to do bad things. A healthy balance I guess. But isn't balance one of the hardest thigns?
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