Valuable stuff
In this season of ultra-consumerism, a season in which I used to make looooong lists of things I wanted (sorry, mom - things I would like), I thought it would be nice to write a little appreciation of things in my life that actually have value. Things that are more useful, long-lasting, convenient, beautiful, etc, than most stuff. Because, honestly, although we live a truly minimalist life, I can’t think of that many things I need or even want someone to give me for a gift.** These are the things that actually sorta make me happy when I use them:
my Overland Equipment Austin bag
this bag is the perfect size; I can fit in everything I need on a daily basis - moleskine, pens, wallet, ipod, makeup bag, phone, keys, sunglasses - and also still put in a pull-up and a baggie with wipes when I need to take Miri on a daytrip. When I spilled milk into it (long story), it cleaned up quickly. I have the green one, and the pockets are just right too - enough to keep compartmentalized, but not enough to lose stuff, which is often a problem.
Everyone, at least everyone who hangs out online at productivity websites and bookarts/sketchbook/journaling websites, knows that moleskines are the most awesome of notebooks (there are, actually, whole fan sites devoted to them - notebook as fetish object). I have been using one as an all-purpose idea-catcher, organizer, to-do list etc. Mine is all GTD ‘d up using a combination of this method and this one. I’ve been using it for a while now and it’s perfect for what I need. I have the medium-size grid notebook. The best paper, the best covers. I believe that tactile beauty matters and that if something is beautiful, I am much more likely to use it every day, consistently.
These are the notebooks I like to use for more permanent writing. I used to buy one each semester I took a poetry class; just using a different, higher quality notebook meant that I’d transition out of “school brain” and into “poetry brain.” They stand up well to collage…. the ones I used were bound with a bookcloth spine and had ruled lines on the pages, although there are a myriad of different styles. I think my fondness for these comes from the American Studies independent study I designed in high school, which was the first time I ever really read a book completely in depth by myself (Snow Falling on Cedars, a wonderful book), and for which the teacher bought me this notebook but I totally did not appreciate that she must have bought it specially for me. Thanks, Ms. Warpinski!
I got these pants for exercising, which hasn’t happened a whole lot yet, but they’re great for just lounging on the weekends. I bet they’d be good for exercising too - they’ve even got a little mp3 player pocket (although my first-generation iPod would probably not fit in it…). They are comfortable, stretchy, and they look OK enough to wear out to the grocery store if you really have to, which is something I couldn’t say about any other stretch pants I’ve owned.
There comes a point when you don’t care what you look like when you’re outside in the cold, you just want to stay warm. This coat looks pretty decent, though… and it’s like wearing a traveling down comforter. Now that I don’t drive and I walk on campus with its frigid lake-effect temperatures, I need a long coat that goes down over my legs - I hardly ever feel cold now.
I use Neutrogena cleanser, lipstick, and most importantly, mascara. I don’t wear a lot of makeup on a daily basis but I feel more pulled-together when I wear these items. I don’t know if it’s necessarily more natural than other makeup brands, but it’s definitely more gentle. This is especially important for me with the mascara because my eyes are irritated easily. And the lipstick doesn’t dry out and get all cakey, and they’ve got good colors (I won’t jinx it by saying which one is my favorite - it would probably go out of production if I so much as mentioned it aloud).
I decided to stop buying bottled water, because it’s expensive, wasteful, and because I think water should not become a commodity companies expect us to pay them for. I shudder to consider how much money I’ve spent on water over the years. My daughter has one too; it doesn’t leach plastic chemicals into the water (although, honestly, she drinks from plastic sippy cups so I should put my money where my mouth is and find an alternative to those as well). Anyway, the Sigg bottle keeps water tasting good, not plasticky, and it stays cool. I’ve dropped mine numerous times on the bus and nothing has happened to it. Plus - it’s really pretty! I feel like it’s an accessory (the bottle pictured above isn’t the one I have but you get the picture, it’s similarly lovely).
This muesli is tasty, filling, healthy…. it’s the perfect thing for breakfast because if I eat it, I don’t get hungry at all till lunch. It’s a little hard to find - sometimes even places that carry other Bob’s Red Mill products don’t have it…. but you can get cases through Amazon grocery, which I intend to do soon.
This cup is the only insulated coffee travel cup that I’ve ever owned that is both leakproof and dishwasher-safe. I do get to-go coffees sometimes from Starbucks, but I prefer to go to a local shop - it’s local, and Starbucks doesn’t use recycled cups or offer to recycle their disposable cups. I am going to pledge to use this cup every day in the spring semester, and not buy pricey, wasteful lattes anymore - with the community coffee below, I really won’t need to because I’ll have portable, more delicious cafe au lait anyway.
I think I may only buy Privos for my daily shoes from now on. These are great. Comfortable, styish, long-wearing. And Privo has so many nice-looking, slightly futuristic styles - I’ve worn these with jeans, with my lands end stretch pants, and with black dress pants and a suit jacket, and they always look good. They never hurt my feet. They haven’t been soiled or stained by the snow or slush, and my feet haven’t ever gotten wet. Plus, I ordered them from Zappos, which I am so excited about… great service, easy to use, and free shipping.
my glasses
I have these wonderful Jean Lafont leopard print frames. I love them. They’re getting old, and I’m afraid of the day I’ll need to replace them. They are perfectly quirky and interesting, I barely need jewelry or any other adornment. I will never find their equivalent…. I can’t even find a picture of anything similar online. I get compliments on them practically every day.
Community Coffee cold-brewed coffee concentrate
Ok, this is not all together something I bought - I ordered some Community Coffee online and then my mother-in-law brings me some on her visits from New Orleans. I make cold-brewed coffee concentrate using it, from this recipe, and then I can make either delicious iced coffee or perfect cafe au lait. With my coffee cup, this means that I spend less money on lattes and waste less paper.
**well, to be honest, there are of course things that I would like if I lived a rich, glam, Dwell-modular-house, Bose-stereo kind of life… they are mostly the kinds of things that would be out of place in my current life, not to mention out of my price range… except a complete wardrobe from Garnet Hill, and maybe an organic-healthy-food subscription delivery service that magically made fresh fruits, veggies, and fully cooked meals appear at our door… those would be welcome in my current life.