Anxiety and Arguments
So, I decide last year that I am going to live off of Main Street and buy locally and American. Seems easy and quite doable, until. Since my decision I have had anxiety over a number of items that I don’t need to purchase this year (2012) but if I did, what would I do? I dropped my iphone the other day and as I saw it heading for the concrete my dilemma flashed before my eyes, “What would I do?”. If I had to replace my smartphone I’d be stuck. I could buy it locally, with no problem; Apple, Verizon, Walmart, Radio Shack, etc. But, a smartphone made in America, no way. Even assembled in America? In our dreams. It’s the sad part about the American job situation that the things we don’t need at all, but want the most (think ipads, smartphones, fashion forward headphones, etc.) are not made in America. So I have anxiety over a few things that if forced to replace I’d have to compromise or wait. If the HDTV goes, I do have an option as I heard the CEO of Vizio on one of the BCS Bowl Games talking about how his televisions are made in the USA. Whew. (I’ve actually been hearing advertisers talk more about what is made in America than ever before. It could be because I am listening, but I think if advertisers are taking expensive and precious seconds to make the point, then I am not alone out here making a decision difference with my wallet). That brings me to arguments. Patti hasn’t bought into the program yet. She appreciates what I want to do but the brunt of it does fall on her because she purchases more than I do. That said, we are arguing (in a good way) over the significance of buying local and homemade. But, it’s the little things that get you. For example, we just had our master bathroom repainted (it needed it) with I might add Benjamin Moore paint (that is manufactured and distributed from their plants in New Jersey):
Well, the new bathroom color doesn’t match the old soap dish, tissue box, etc. So, Patti starts to shop and she’s at Bed, Bath and Beyond and doesn’t find anything that is right. We go to Pottery Barn together and there are some “okay” things there but nothing that grabs our attention and we have the talk about we really should buy something that is made in America. Or I should better say, I bring it up to which she (appropriately) says back to me something like, “Then you should go find someplace where these are made here and let me know”. It’s no small challenge. Not that it is hard to find some ceramic stuff that is made in America but match that up with what we want and can be bought local and it gets hard. It’s a small set of items but highlights the challenge of what I am up against. I’ll let you know how it turns out and how the arguments are going.
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