Quicken Earth November: Finish Line In Sight

Here it is, the eve of my final month of avoiding Newness. Back in January when I told people about this experiment, they deemed me a nutbar and silently (or not so silently) wrote me off. I have to admit that I too had my doubts; after all, there are sales associates all over town who know me by first name. But now that I've made it 11 months without managing to look like a homeless person or Ed Begley Jr, the response is totally different. People are impressed. And I guess I'm proud. By no means have I been the vision of restraint throughout this process, but I have achieved my stated goal: to become more conscious of my consumption. More on that later.

OOPS!
If I had started buying Christmas presents for far-flung HCB nieces and nephews like I was supposed to, I'd have something to talk about here. Instead I'm just a bad aunt.

NECESSITIES

Same old, same old. Plus a hard-won turkey.

CREATIVE CONSUMPTION (i.e. USED ARTICLES)
Aforementioned roasting pan, batter bowl, and red shoes, plus mod teal necklace ($6)


and ethnic ceramic candlesticks that even HCB admires (99 cents each).


I'm telling you people: THE DESERT. Just drive down Highway 111 from Washington Street to downtown Palm Springs. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.

Oh! And a 1964 paperback issue of Ian Fleming's Diamonds are Forever (49 cents). It was a Bond Thanksgiving.

UP FOR DISCUSSION
This one is painful to admit. I was halfway to Renaissance Salon for my hair dye experiment when I realized I had left my camera at home. Now that you've seen how fierce Lucas is, I'm sure you can understand that being late for an appointment is not an option. And neither was not having a camera. SO I BOUGHT A KODAK FUNSAVER. TO DOCUMENT AN ECO EXPERIMENT. YES I SEE THE IRONY.

The good news is that I did some research, and it turns out that disposable cameras are the most recycled consumer product on the planet. With a recovery rate of 75%, they're even ahead of aluminum cans. Who knew? I then made sure that Walgreen's, the place where I had the camera processed, participated in the recycling program. They do. So I feel a little better. I'm not by any means advocating the use of these things - for God's sake, remember your damn digital camera. But whereas I originally planned to put this purchase in the Oops! column, I've moved it down here to the discussion section so that all you haters can tell me what you really think.

ABSTENTIONS
As I approach the finish line, all I can think about is a MacBook, an iPhone, and a good office chair. I've probably wasted a good month of my life this year devising work-arounds for my technology deficiencies. And my back is killing me.