I've said before I wasn't raised as wealthy. I was raised to be a label whore. Once I got out into the "real" world, I saw the box store, Aldi, Save-a-Lot from a closer perspective. I have had friends who made a game out of getting the most lunch meat for their dollar. Kudos to you. Been there, done that.
However, over the last 15 years or so, I've made a turn toward the "not-settling" approach. When I say this, I mean "If I can't get the one I want, then I'll do without until I can'. This, generally, works for me.
Where I'm going with this is that over a period of time, I may have gotten spoiled to things that many would view as frivolous. I like TV. I grew up with a TV in the kitchen, so I have a TV in the kitchen. I was in a situation a few years ago where I needed service to 5 TVs (God forbid one kid be treated differently).
DirecTV wanted so much for the 5th receiver that it was cheaper to have 4 additional TVs hooked up and have both them and Dish Network. (Well, heavens, if 5 is good, imagine how good 8 would be...and it SO is).
So tonight, when I finally decided to bathe and call it a day, Dish Network had lost signal completely and the whole thing had to be reset. (I'm talking at least 5 minutes without service). Entire time in bathroom, no noise, no sounds (but for the ones in my head that I can't drown out). I swear I heard cicadas.
I like bottled beer and soda. A few days ago I was offered a canned beer, I turned it down. (What a snobbish and rude thing to do). I like Oscar Mayer bologna. I refuse to eat any other brand or hot dog (knowingly). As I think over it, there are a million things that I refuse to settle for. Lotions, wines, detergents, brands of stupid things.
My thoughts turn to what if I HAD to settle or do without. I'm sure for the longest time, I'd just do without. But at some point, I'm sure I'd have to break down and use regular deodorant (Tom's Apricot, write this down) or (please, for all that is holy) not have satellite TV.
I saw a poster recently that presented a small, black child saying to a tall, white woman, "So let me get this straight, you have so much water that you shit in it?". It saddened me to think that we take this stuff for granted. How can I worry about stuff like Peter Thomas Roth lotion (Amazon, seriously) and nice hotels (Hilton, get points, better than being royalty), when there are people right this moment whose kids don't have food until Monday's breakfast at school.
Makes me think of the Luckenbach, Texas song by Waylon Jennings that says, "Let's get back to the basics of love". Have I become so spoiled that I can't function?I think I've forgotten what a privilege it is to have a healthy family and, really, very little drama (of which I've not brought on myself).
Now that you've seen just an inkling of the ramblings in my head, where do I go with this... (insert, I am on the cusp of something here. It may take awhile but I'll keep you posted)
