CONSUMER BLITZ

 I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW I HAVE  CHANGED AS I HAVE TRAVELLED ON THIS JOURNEY CALLED LIFE.
MY LIFE IS RICHER AND MORE DIVERSE NOW THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN.
LIFE IS INTERESTING AND EXCITING AND HAS BECOME MORE SO AS I HAVE GOT OLDER.

IT WASN'T ALWAYS SO, BUT WITH PERSISTANCE, VISION, HOPE, AN INNER STRENGH AND THE LOVE THAT I  GIVE AND RECEIVE, I NOW LEAD A CREATIVE, FULFILLING AND ENRICHING LIFE.

I HAVE MORE TIME BECAUSE MY CHILDREN ARE OLDER AND MORE SELF RELIANT, AND I NO LONGER HAVE TO WORK FULL TIME.

HAVING THIS TIME HAS CERTAINLY MADE FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE AND GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MORE CREATIVE IN HOW I LIVE.

WHEN I LOOK BACK, I REMEMBER HAVING A VERY HECTIC AND TIRING SCHEDULE.

I LIVED MY LIFE ROUND THE CLOCK, HAVING TO BE AT WORK AT A CERTAIN TIME, LEAVING IN TIME TO PICK THE KIDS UP AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH BALANCING WORK AND FAMILY.

I NEVER GAVE MYSELF A CHANCE TO "ENJOY THE MOMENT" (as highlighted in my previous post as being an extremely important part of finding enjoyment in life)

HOW COULD I? I HAD PLACED ALL THESE EXPECTATIONS AND COMMITMENTS  ON MYSELF. WE HAD BOUGHT THE HOUSE TO SATISFY OUR OBSESSION WITH OWNING A PROPERTY SO NOW WE HAD TO PAY FOR IT WITH THE SOUL CRUSHING, ROBOTIC TEDIUM OF THE DAILY GRIND.

THIS GAVE ME NO ROOM TO THINK ABOUT AN ALTERNATIVE WAY OF LIVING. BUT MAYBE I DIDN'T REALLY WANT ONE BACK THEN. I WASN'T PARTICUARLY RADICAL OR PROGRESSIVE IN MY THINKING AND I WAS YOUNG, EASILY INFLUENCED, NAIVE AND MATERIALISTIC AS I BUILT A HOME WITH THE HELP OF CONSUMERISM AND EXPECTATION FROM SOCIETY THAT THAT WAS HOW IT SHOULD BE:

GO TO WORK, MAKE MONEY, SPEND MONEY, BUY A HOUSE, BUY A CAR, GO ON FOREIGN HOLIDAYS, GET INTO DEBT, WORK MORE TO PAY THAT DEBT OFF!

I CAN SEE NOW THAT I WAS BEING EXPLOITED BY THIS MODERN CAPATALIST SOCIETY BUT I FELL FOR IT AND DID SO UNTIL VERY RECENTLY.

I AM NOW IN RECOVERY. STOPPING MY CONFORMIST AND CONSUMERIST LED LIFESTYLE WAS EASY. MAINTAINING IT TAKES DISCIPLINE, A CHANGE OF DESIRE AND FINDING REWARD IN OTHER SOURCES.

I AM FINDING THAT I LEAD A MORE SPONTANEOUS, EXCITING AND CREATIVE LIFE. I AM SPIRITUALLY RICHER AND SELF - RELIANT.

"OUR NATURAL DESIRE IS TO LIVE WELL AND ENJOY LIFE IS CO-OPTED BY THE CONSUMER SYSTEM AND TURNED INTO SOMETHING MATERIALLY BASED AND ENSLAVING. IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT IF WE COULD JUST EXTINGUISH CONSUMER DESIRES AND STOP SHOPPING, WE WOULD GET A LOT CLOSER TO EVERY DAY LIBERTY, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO SO MUCH WORK. THIS IS NOT THAT ONE CAN'T ENJOY LUXURIES, IT'S JUST THAT WE SHOULDN'T TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY AS A KIND OF GOAL IN LIFE.
THE KEY IS NOT TO RENOUNCE ALL PLEASURE BUT TO BE A MASTER OF THEM"

(taken from "How to be Free", of course!!!)

IN THIS CONSUMER DRIVEN SOCIETY, WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE THAT "THINGS" WILL SOMEHOW ENHANCE OUR LIVES. SO WE BUY THESE THINGS WHICH DON'T LIVE UP TO EXPECTATION, THEY DISAPPOINT AND DON'T MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER AS WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE.

BUT DO WE ABANDON THESE "THINGS"? NO, WE SIMPLY BUY THE NEW AND IMPROVED "THING".

I'M COMPLETELY GUILTY OF THIS BEHAVIOUR. LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS POST ON MY NEW MOBILE.

THE MESSAGE TOM HODGKINSON MAINTAINS THROUGHOUT HIS BOOK IS THAT CAPATILISM WORKS THROUGH A CONSTANT STREAM OF DISAPPOINTMENTS WHICH ENCOURAGE THE SPENDING OF MORE AND MORE MONEY.

WE AREN'T HAPPY WITH JUST THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE; SOMEWHERE TO LIVE; FOOD TO EAT;  SMALL LUXURIES SUCH AS GOOD WINE AND CHOCOLATE; A GOOD DVD OR BOOK AND FRIENDS AND/OR FAMILY.

THIS IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

"THINGS" ARE MERELY DECORATION, DISTRACTION, OSTENTATION AND VANITY.

THE UNMATERIALISTIC LIFESTYLE CAN BE ACHIEVED ON ANY INCOME.

WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS THAT MY DESIRE FOR "STUFF" HASN'T MAGICALLY STOPPED. THAT WOULD BE TOO EASY!

BUT I DON'T ALLOW MYSELF TO BECOME CONSUMED BY MY "NEED" FOR IT BECAUSE I DON'T "NEED" IT AT ALL AND I CAN RATIONLISE THAT WITH MYSELF NOW. I DO ACKNOWLEDGE IT, BUT I DON'T ALLOW MYSELF TO GIVE IT MUCH THOUGHT. I DISTRACT MYSELF WITH  DOING SOMETHING BETTER THAN SHOPPING. I SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, I READ A GOOD BOOK, I GO FOR A WALK, I MAKE A NICE DINNER AND FIND THAT THE REWARD I GET FROM LEADING THIS MORE LAID BACK, ENJOYABLE AND FREE WAY OF LIFE FAR EXCEEDS ANY BENEFIT FROM CONTINUING A CONSUMER DRIVEN LIFE STYLE.

IF WE ALL CONSUME LESS, LAUGH MORE AND STOP STRIVING FOR THE NEXT BIG THING, I'M CERTAIN WE WOULD EXIST IN A HAPPIER WORLD.


DOMESTIC BLITZ (Joke............or is it?!!)!
AM
7 - Get up, shower and dress.
7.15 - Get children up
7.20 - Let dog out in the garden
7.30 - Make breakfast
7.35 -Let dog back in
7.45 - Make children's lunches
8 - Get children washed, dressed and hair combed
8.20- Husband leaves for work
8.30 - Take children to school
8.31 - Return to house for packed lunches
8.32 -  Set off again for school
8.45 - Drop children off
9 - School phones
9.15 - Return to school with swimming kit
9.30 - Return home, Wash up, Clean kitchen
10 - Put washing machine on
10.30 -Vacuum and polish. Make Beds
11 - Empty dishwasher
12 noon - Go to supermarket for weekly shop
PM
2 - Put shopping away
2.30 - Prepare soup and sandwich for lunch
2.31 - Hang washing on line
2.35 - Starting to rain - bring Washing back in
2.36 - Rain stops, Re-hang washing on line
2.40 - sit down (for 1st time) to eat lunch
2.41 - Torrential downpour. Bring in washing
2.42 - Dog eats sandwich
2.50 - Pour cold soup away.No time for another sandwich
3 - Collect children
3.30 - Arrive Home
3.35 - Return to school
3.40 - Collect forgotten school bag
3.45 - Arrive home
4 - Make snacks
4.15 - Give dog his dinner
4.30 - Dog not touched dinner. Let dog out
4.45 - Let dog back in
5 - Re-Spin sodden washing
5.30 - Eat apple
5.45 - Supervise homework while ironing
6.15 - Finish ironing. Put clothes away
6.30 - Empty tumble dryer
6.45 - Husband calls. Will be home 7.30
7 - Start dinner
7.10 - Tell children to pick up toys and homework from lounge floor
7.30 - Turn TV off. Sit down (for 2nd time) with children to eat. Put husband's dinner in oven
7.31 - Burning smell from kitchen. Run and remove husband's dinner from oven. Scrape off black bits.
7.32 - Dog jumps up at table and eats my dinner
7.35 - Start to pick up children's toys, homework and books from floor.
7.36 - Phone rings, Take message re football team
7.40 - Children finish eating. Send upstairs to wash and get ready for bed
7.45 - Start to tidy up lounge
7.46 - Hear screams from children fighting upstairs
7.47 - Stub toe on toy left on floor
7.48 - Run upstairs to separate children
7.49 - Remove toothpaste from youngest child's ear
7.53 - Load dishwasher
7.55 - Fold school uniforms. Pour 2 glasses of wine
7.56 - Drink both glasses
7.59 - Put dog's dinner (untouched) in bin
8 - Husband arrives home and says
"Have you seen the state of the lounge?
 WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL DAY?"

Anyone relate to this?.........................!!!!!!