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It wasn’t the new IPod. Even though I’ve now got 5 MP3 players now, 3 working, 2 non.  It’s not the laptops, though I have three of those, one of each flavor of operating system. No it was a water bottle. Simply a bottle picked up while at the bookstore. I was waiting in line to purchase my books. Realizing I’d not brought a nalgene bottle with me, I was seduced by the allure of a SIGG water bottle. Resplendent in a 60′s design it was tattooed with an enviro-friendly message. “Make Love Not Landfills”

Placing the bottle in my bag, I felt like I’d entered the new land of Consumeria. Residents of Consumeria are easily recognized through the status symbols they carry. For years the trend was the plastic Nalgene bottle. You know, the one with the screw on lid and the little strap. Then we were hit with the fear of BPAs and the era of the metal water bottle began.  But water bottles aren’t the only indicators of Consumeriaists. What about Timbuk2 messenger bags that dethroned the utilitarian Jansport? The discreet whisper of iPod headphones replaced by the visual of iPod video watching on the bus.

I saw my first Prada bag in real life Wednesday.  I mean first seen used by a normal person, whom I encounter in my daily life. One of my classmates in fact. I’m betting she’s a Consumeriaist too.  Sure our symbols might differ, but I bet we’re both driven to keep up. Different symbols, same drive. To keep up? To fit in? To satisfy some desire that helps our group identity? Who knows. I’m not taking sociology this quarter.

I still find it interesting. My 7 year old is a Consumeriaist in training. I can even see the effects of second hand consumer media on her. She came home crowing about Hannah Montana despite the fact that she had never seen a single episode of the show. Ask her who Hannah Montana is and she only has a vague idea. It’s not  that her memory is bad (no this is the girl who remembers that Queen Elizabeth was locked in the Tower of London by Bloody Mary)  She just doesnt have a clue , but she knows that these are the symbols worn by her classmates and she wants to fit in. On the other hand, my 16 year old displays none of these traits. Was it how they were raised? Something in their developing personality? Something else entirely?

Do you live in Consumeria? Have you ever bought something that made you feel like a sheep following the crowd?

It’s Makeda day. Have I mentioned how much I like Makeda day?

From Blog Photos

From Blog Photos

Things are a touch slow as I settle into the new quarter,  but in the meantime you should know I can now be read over at the Greenwood blog. I love talking about my neighborhood, and thats a great spot for it.

Dear Miss Bit,
A year ago yesterday you moved up into our household and took over residence in my heart. In that year I learned about e-pets and ponyville. We’ve had trips to museums and aquariums and even the ER. I’ve worried when you are sick, been driven crazy when you’re hyper and delighted when you are well behaved. I’ve seen you learn to tie your shoes, improve your table manners  and learn to read. I’ve seen you for the drama queen you are, and been charmed and chagrined at your love of the spotlight. Your honesty and faith humanity worries me every time you talk to strangers, but pleases me when you offer to help, or make friends swiftly.
As the rule goes, I’m looking forward to the next year to see what adventures we can get into.

Happy Anniversary.

From Missbit2009

Tonight I went out to  to the Mustard Seed Associates House for a “conversation” on faith based cooperatives. It was the first stop by Andrew McLeod on his book tour in support of his book “Holy Cooperation.” I’ve brought a copy of the book home to read and will share more  once I’ve done some reading. Tonight you get impressions of the Mustard Seed House and details of my walk home.

It’s the first time I’ve made it to a Mustard Seed Associates event, though I’ve been recieving their newsletter for a while. They were one of local groups I ran across when I first started exploring Emerging Churches in 2006.   The event today looked interesting, was the right price, and the right time. I signed up online and made my way over. Sadly the bus system is still a little out of whack and I found myself arriving about 10-15 minutes late. I had a little difficulty determining quite how to get to the house  and which door was the way in. I got in and recieved the most enthusiasitc greeting from the house’s golden retriever Bonnie. She enthusasitcally helped me pick a seat and brought me a bone in case I needed a snack. But seriously she was an enthusaistic welcome when I just wanted to sneak quietly in.

A quick introduction around the room, and the discussion began. The Mustard Seed House was welcoming. Coffee and tea with real cups and saucers, snacks. Time to scoailize, an encouragement that we meet others in the room during our brief breaks. I only regret that the group was temporary as I’d love to have more of a chance to chat with those that attended the event.

I left to head home a little after 9. 9:15 or so I’d say. I decided to see if I could walk  over to 85th and Wallingford and catch a 48 the rest of the way. I headed up to 85th and over to realize that the crossing over i-5 for cars actually starts at 80th. And has no pedestrian walkway. So instead I walked up to 92nd, over I-5, then back down south. All told  it was about 2.5 miles extra into my day.   A little more then I had intended, but it was a good walk for me.  I wonder if there is a way over I-5 further south that is navigatable by foot.  Perhaps something to look into the future. Anyway I’m proud of my walk home and am glad I went tonight.

School: Grades came in and I was happy. At this point I’m still contemplating if I want to email the director of my program about the “Touching Butt in the Woods of Monroe ” class. I’m looking forward to the challenge of new classes though I am a bit apprehensive about the wacky schedule I’ve given myself. I’m taking “Intro to Restoration Ecology”  “The Visual Art of Biology” “Science Methods and Practice” and “Interdisciplinary Arts and Science Council” for a total of 18 credits.

Work: Work progresses. I’m comfortable on the phones and know how to handle about 75% of the calls we get. I still need to get training on the voice mail system  and occasionally need to figure out where calls should go.  Most of the time it’s ok that I can’t answer the question, I just need to know where to escalate the call.  Losing time from the Seattle Snow storm gave me a quiet week at home and a lighter pay check in January. It was nice to realize that as a student worker it wasnt that big of a deal that I couldnt make it in. Its nice not being old reliable for once.

Home: The Christmas tree was rustic. Paper chains and salt dough ornaments cut and painted by Miss Bit. A small box of vintage ornaments were brought out and they joined the handmade ornaments on the prelit tree. Tiffa doesnt eat the ornaments like Conner used to, but she did try to climb the tree more then once. Christmas dinner and New Years were both quiet  nights at home with friends and family. I’m blessed with my home and family.

Church :I’ve gotten my schedule for worship leader and coffee hour host for the New Year and have that scheduled. Now to get into the swing of attending University as well as Broadview and I’ll be good to go. Sadly my winter schedule means not Taize service.  I pleged my time to Broadview as part of the pledge drive. I still need to write a proposal for the church to explain my hesitation on church blogging and how that should be approached by the congregation.

SCA:I’ve been working on some weaving on my inkle loom and have a few ideas for my next loom project.

Crafts: Christmas cards just didnt happen. A couple of cards were done but I just never got into the swing of things. On the other hand, cookies did get made, Miss Bit and I did make Christmas ornaments and paper chains for the tree. I’ve gotten the Needle felting supplies and just need to get a block of foam. I’m working on a set of socks for Leah, and am still making plans for Madrona Fiber Arts in February.

And thats me for this month. See you next month with another recap!

Tonight is not only the first day of the new year (well for another 30 minutes or so)  but it is also the anniversary of my first date with Aron. 7 years ago.  (We’d gone to coffee prior but there’s a heated debate as to the date worthiness of it.)  Seven years. I’m glad to have him in my life. I’ve learned a lot and my life is enriched from our relationship. I think he knows me better then most anyone in the world. 

With the New Year I’ve been contemplating resolutions. In general I’m not a resolution person.  I think the false start of the new year when combined with mass marketing only leads to heartache during early spring. Yet I aslo know there is room for personal improvement in my life.  Looking back at my history, I can see that I hadn’t made any resolutions  last year. In fact between 2002 -2008 I only did “resolutions” once. 2007, and all of those were related to returning to school. At least those wrapped themselves up nicely. 

I won’t do resolutions because while I have goals I want to meet, and personal changes I want to make, I’m not tied to this day of the year to make them. The cattle call of resolutions tossed around at the new year ,new  resolves embarked upon without much thought of how you are going to get there.  Not that I don’t value my friends who do make resolutions. There are a number of you that I am watching closely. You do such a good job of setting personal goals and tackling  that it’s inspirational. I inspires me  me to see you tackle your goals with stamina and grace. Instead I’ll carefully plot the territory of the new year with a handful of projects guaranteed to lead to a happy new year.

Cooking projects, crafting projects and household projects all. Much closer to my friend Kim’s 100 things tackled in 1001 days. Things like improving my cooking skills and cooking with more diversity. So I’m pursuing cooking with game meats by trying to cook something new and different each month. The rest of my projects unfold similarly giving me small chunks of enriching activities that could be percieved as part of a larger resolve but in reality are as much about the enrichment as they are the end goal.

Happy 2009.