Holiday Rx: Tuning Out

My dog, Agamemnon, (yes, that’s his real name. For the record, I had nothing to do with it.) never overspends during the holiday season. Never. So when January rolls around, he does not succumb to the stress and guilt that the rest of us feel after a full month of consuming.

Now, this is for a number of reasons. First, he is a dog and doesn’t have any money. So naturally he’s got that going for him. Second, he knows how to tune out periodically during the season. Allow me to explain...
Agamemnon is quite committed to spending hours--even days--during the season avoiding all forms of holiday advertising. He stays off the computer. He avoids television. He casts disdainful glances at catalogs. He steers clear of shops.

This behavior, I realize, is quite radical for us humans to adopt. But perhaps we could learn a thing or two from Ag. For instance, ever since Thanksgiving commenced, my inbox has been stuffed to the gills with advertisements. At least every other new message I receive is from the Loft or J.Crew or Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Even Walgreens is cyber-stalking me!

And this, of course, says nothing about the tv ads and tantalizing Pottery Barn catalogs and beautiful gift guides that the glossies are printing--all calling out to me to spend.

Now let me tell you a selfish little secret of mine: I only pay attention to the items that I want, and disregard the rest. So naturally when I head out to the store, or onto an online retailer, I catch myself picking up “just a few small things” for myself while shopping for others. Things I didn’t really think I wanted until...say...I saw them in my inbox.

This, of course, leads to much overspending and feelings of guilt following the season.


So though I could never be as committed as Agamemnon this season, I do think that I might try his technique every now and then, by turning off the tv and shutting down my email and enjoying an afternoon at home instead of at the stores. Sort of like a consumer-detox during the shopping-binge.

It certainly seems to work for Ag, anyway.

What are your tricks for staying within your budget during the holidays? Share your comments here by posting them below!

Walking my Talk

Some of you perhaps have noticed that I’m posting later today than I normally do. I didn’t plan for this alternate schedule. You see, this morning I had one of those “I need to walk the talk” moments when I was writing today’s entry. The subject: busyness. The lesson: taking time to slow down and listen. The audience: me.

I hadn’t even finished writing the sentence: “busyness is the enemy of originality,” when it occurred to me that I had been cramming my schedule for weeks. So much so that when I tried to take a breather this weekend, I couldn’t sit still. I couldn’t turn my mind off. I couldn’t leave my to-do list alone.

Now part of my avid busyness is good--I’ve been very inspired lately, and have felt energized to work and create. The evidence of my energy is plain to see in the new patterns I’ve listed in my stores, the knitting projects I’ve finished, the pies I’ve baked.... These things have all been good. But...creating has to be balanced with rest.

So, to take a dose of my own medicine, I unexpectedly took the morning off. I jumped in my car and left the house with my journal, my pen, and no plan. I ended up in an empty parking lot facing the warm sun drinking a fountain soda and taking in the quiet.

For two hours.


No, I didn’t have any great epiphanies or insights. But I did feel myself gradually slow down and gain some perspective. Perspective that reminded me that work and social obligations aren’t always the most important thing, and that sometimes we need to take a step back. Even if it is just for a morning.

I have a bit more to say about the subject of busyness, as well as my thoughts on originality’s other enemy: debt. But more on that later this week.

For now I’m going to soak up a bit more sun and practice what I preach!

See you tomorrow!

Day 13: Rest

Mrs. Marple surprised us this morning by canceling class. It wasn't because she had something unexpected come up. Or because she was sick. Or because she had better things to do.

It was because she said part of fine living was taking a day off. Diligence, she said, has to be balanced with rest.

And then she told us that our homework was to spend the day doing nothing. No chores. No projects that had to get done. No laundry or errands or grocery shopping. Just rest. Put your feet up and read a magazine rest.

Don't mind if I do.

To read about previous days at the Institute, click here. Or shut your computer off and rest instead. I won't mind.