In which it’s probably true that McDonald’s isn’t so good for you. On more than one level.
There’s a story about a monk who suddenly and inexplicably becomes obsessed with the news. It turns out that the servant who prepares his food does so while reading the paper, and the subtle vibes in the food have affected the monk.
Similarly, today I had breakfast from McDonald’s and ever since I’ve been thinking about things I want, things I would buy if only I could.
I tend to avoid magazines and malls and catalogs because they cause me to want stuff I can’t have anyway and which is generally overpriced and no more functional than the things I already do have. Seeing the things I use, after looking at the nicer things available generally, makes me feel like a style-less bumpkin and so I make some effort to avoid the whole thing by shielding myself from advertising.
I’ve had New Agers tell me I don’t have tons of nice stuff because I have issues with abundance, that I need to realign myself and clear out feelings of guilt in order to experience proper flow. But that’s all crap, and I know it. If stuff was truly important to my path, I’d have figured out how to get it by now, hey what? That I haven’t – that I’ve given up all of my stuff repeatedly – informs me that this life I’m living is not particularly about the stuff. If I want beauty I can go outside and watch a sunset: I don’t have to own beautiful furniture and appliances in order to recognize myself as a lover of beauty, an appreciator of functional art, a Libra.
So, yeah, there’s a lot of nice stuff out there I’ll never own. And I’m okay with that. After all, it’s just stuff. Other than the occasional playful foray into the world of shopping, I tend to ignore the whole thing altogether.
Usually. But not today! Here’s a list of crap I want:
- This kick-ass knitting needle set
- a Flickr upgrade, since my older pictures keep sliding off and that makes me sad
- a new pair of mocs
- Back To The Bars – I wanna hear this album so bad I could puke (I used to have it but Bread lost it)
- a dedicated ebook reading device
- the yarn and pattern to make this sweater in the long-sleeved version
- any of this stuff
- this t-shirt
- and this couch because omgwtfbbq is it not gorgeous?!?
- …and some chocolate. Or coffee. Or both!
When I rejoin the ‘real’ world in the near future, I will probably have a fairly rocky readjustment period. In Iowa, one can get by without nice things for looooong periods of time. One can simply not think of nice things, if one is judicious, and be quite happy with what one has.
But in the ‘real’ world I’ll need normal clothes, at the very least. I have the feeling I’m going to be longing for things I can’t afford much more than usual for the next year or so, or until I can reconcile myself with the new local laws of nature. I’ll probably bitch at first, and then it’ll all go down hill from there. You should probably stop reading me now.
Well, after you buy me a birthday present, that is.
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OK. I’ll stop reading you now, but don’t start whinging because I don’t comment anymore.
Aren’t you usually nicer when you start gettin’ some? -m
It’s okay to want nice things. Nice things are nice.
Wanting them because you feel pressured to have them, or wanting them because other people have them, not so much. Wanting nice things with which to make other nice things is especially nice 🙂
Not having money enough to pamper yourself when you need to sucks though. Hopefully you’ll get to do that very soon.
I like the point about how having nice things with which to make nice things is especially nice! You’re a genius. -m
I love my Options set. And that shirt is funny. And Michelle and I really wanted to do that bodice as a knitalong, but the yarn is sooo expensive. *sigh*
Hmm…I’m not helping any, am I?
LOL. That bodice thing is wonderful, no? I’d try to find cheaper yarn though, hell yeah. -m
I have to say that I thank God everyday for blessing me with an almost complete indifference to nice “stuff” and “stuff” in general. It’s made life so much easier and pleasurable e.g. all the free time I’ve had to pursue my heart’s deisres (even if it’s just reading and drinking beer for a year) as a result of not spending time accumulating things in a giant live-in box. Stigma stress from appearing to be broke and locked out of society? Yes. But so fucking what??!! Bring it. Nice stuff is EASY to get compared to inner tranquility. If I want some nice stuff all I have to do is get some more work, get a paycheck and then go shopping. The acquisition of eternal peace seems much more worthy of processor time.
Did you get a McGriddle? I’m afraid I have become addicted to those. Damn them and their stupid maplely flavored syrup pockets built right in to the tiny pancake like substance embossed with the freakish golden arches. Good thing I work swing shift and I am never awake during their 42 second window for serving breakfast. Otherwise, I’d be frikkin huge… and possibly at some sort of health risk.
Ya McGriddles. Umm. I had one one night long ago. A friend bought me one. I had a mouth gasem. It was the best. Sense then I haven’t had one. Don’t think I can do it again.
Prolly the funniest “review” of the McGriddles is here:
http://www.x-entertainment.com/articles/0807/
I don’t know, Mush. There is something to prosperity consciousness. We are worthy of our own generosity as much as anyone else is, and a balance can be found. I don’t think being broke and going without makes a person anymore pious or thoughtful. If that were true, property crime and poverty would not go hand-in-hand. As in all things, I think there’s a middle path. It’s okay to enjoy having beautiful things, but if that’s your only focus, then you’re going to be lost, too. The romance of poverty, as you’ve been finding out, is highly overrated. I’ve been broke and I’ve been not broke. I prefer not broke; it allows me to focus on more interesting problems. 😉
I think the fact that you DO give things away, many times, may well mean you don’t want them. So the universe reads it, and does not send you more.
First, you are awesome. Because you said everything I feel about material possessions fabulously. Second, sometimes I am a greedy, greedy stuff coveter. Third, That. Couch. Is. Beautiful. Get it.
🙂
“mouthgasam”
LOL
THAT COUCH IS UGGGGGGGGLYYYYYYY!!!
BGHead will agree I’m sure…so will Jayrob. If not, fuck um both.
Hey Michelle,
Sorry to use this comment to ask a question. If Corby is still in Fairfield, do you have a way to contact him? I’m in Fairfield for a few days and was hoping to see him. My cell is 403-703-0041 Thanks!
-Kevin
Couch is cool, but looks super uncomfortable. If you reeeeaaaallllly want to keep yourself from having nice stuff, get a dog or two, that’ll learn ya!
When Greg and I met, we were Prada wearing, highfalloutin’ fags…..then we moved from the big city to the woods and Greg’s favorite outfit is an old flannel shirt of mine from the Gap and Holy sweatpants!
Stuff don’t matter none…this from a guy who shops for rich people for a living!
Have a great birthday party, I’d come, but I went back to Iowa with Greg once and people were surly there!
I agree a lot with Kristie. Also I want to make the long sleeved version of that too, I have a list, somewhere of substitute yarns. I am giving away stuff right and left right now. Still we are still packing I am reevaluating like mad because OMG it cost a fortune to move what we have.