This is the day I realise, I am getting my spending kicks vicariously!! I am all for living in the moment, and buying the thing which makes you happy!! I thought it is part of my laissez-faire attitude. Maybe it is not cool, maybe it is something else entirely?
A third of the way through, a friend of mine points out I am living vicariously through others!! Chatting in a lockdown message group, Pushing a spend, onto someone - who quite honestly - doesn’t need much pushing.
The day starts well intentioned enough, usual daily tasks, and reading through messages over a cup of tea. During lockdown, there has been a lot of chat between friends and family. New groups set-up, and daily check-ins and jokes, a place to be with all the people we can't be with. To be honest, it felt a bit imposing to start with, as there was a lot of chat. By June, this has calmed down, and my groups are a fun place to be.
Lockdown chat brings out the best conversations, sharing, and fun. It's free, so meets the rules of Jim, and it connects people. Bringing the human touch, into my kitchen each day!
My oldest friend, as in longest in time, has the lockdown blues, and is looking for a bit of retail therapy. In her defense, it is a very specific kind of retro cool therapy, she is looking at! Not really one for being too drawn in by adverts on social media, a canny girl, but this day the algorithms have got her. Banged to rights, and she knows there is no getting away from this purchase.
The advert shows her a retro tape boxed bottle of Veuve Clicquot! The cassette tape tin, is a super duper yellow (which for context, is my all time favourite colour), it has booze in it, and it is shaped like a tape cassette (which for context, is my all time favourite item of nostalgia). We spent our university days, listening to tapes of Burt Bacharach, on repeat. The soothing sounds of easy listening!!
My friend, is a talented singer/ songwriter called: SheBeat >>>(click takes you to an external link) and the kitsch tin is so her. So much so, I am a bit shocked she even asked us 'Gals in Lockdown', if she should buy it. It is rather pricey, and in these times...blah, blah, blah! It's a yes, even before she asked. In the group, we joked we could send her some rations for the week, and reasoned it was a special treat, which she deserved, and could take the tin on her world tour!!! All the right things to say, we know how to play this game.
Secretly, I want one too. I could use this tin in so many ways, and my imagination has already filled it up with a ton of stuff. Scissors, thread, glue, an ironic cassette tape or two. Then...
One of the gals, points out (in a cute way) I am on a spending ban, and asks if it means helping other people spend their money? I mean, it is a great question. Can I spend other peoples money? Yes. I can, and surely it is the best kind to spend. Is it right? Well that is another 'Jarmusch' entirely.
Surely, spending is spending, and a dopamine fix is still produced who ever pays. Even if I never get to see the product, which is unlikely, I desired it, got excited about the purchase, and revelled in the glory! It all feels a bit tawdry in retrospect. The only redeeming feature, is I didn't spend any money. The rest of the day, I reflect on my patience lesson >>>(click takes you to previous blog post), and channel my energy, into designing a new yellow cross-stitch tape, to add to the Etsy Shop >>>(click takes you to an external link).
I then settle down and listen to some Burt classics, and I understand, What the World Needs is Love >>>(click takes you to an external link). Love is free, love is for everyone. I have a lot of this to throw around like glitter!!!
To those who know, I Love You. Always.
