My parents were but wee babes at the start of the 20th Century's global Great Depression (1929-c.1939), the depths of which make our current crisis look deathrocker-pale by comparison. As a consequence, they spent nearly all of their developmental years living through that dark time and it had a powerful and deep impact on their psyches, becoming the fundamental basis to their life philosophies.
As all children born of and raised by GD parents can attest, there are four main guiding principals that were handed down to us--how well each of us has actually put these into practice is up for debate:
1. Always help those who have even less than you.
2. Reuse, recycle and repurpose.
3. Never expect anything to be handed to you.
4. Don't be cheap, be smart.
In our household, the practical incarnation of principals #3 and #4 was the Good Junk Sale, an occasional event at which we would sell stuff we no longer wanted to other siblings who did. These were not so much sales as fierce barter sessions on a par with those found in the hurly-burly open markets of Morocco and Bangkok, with the exception of the rare and reasoned mediation of Mom. It was Economics 101, home style, baby, and it was down right fun!
Tomorrow everyone within hiking distance of Miltown can experience a thrill and excitement similar to what we got by being übersmart with money at the Urban Garage Sale. With 25 locally owned shops and artisans displaying their wares within the hallowed and historic walls of Turner Hall Ballroom, discount shopping has never been classier!
The first Urban Garage Sale was held last March with resounding success, so the good folks at Heavy Rotation--organizer and host of the event--decided that a second go-around was just what the public ordered, and right in time for Christmas, Hanukkah--which starts today at sundown--Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year), Kwanzaa, and Yule! Unfortunately they missed Rohatsu (Bodhi Day), but you Buddhists are all blissfully free of materialism so we'll just wish you a belated, meditative and centered Rohatsu.
Now, who, you may ask, will be hawking their goods for your perusal? Well, we can't list 'em all here, but we'll be happy to plug a few of our favorites: Boswell Book Store, Dragonfly, Rishi Tea, Stonecreek Coffee, Jimbot, Zewing Girl, and of course, our nutjob in arms, Dwellephant!
Sponsored by the ever-generous WMSE 91.7FM--they need your help, by the way, so donate now!--and hipster's choice Pabst Blue Ribbon, the Urban Garage Sale is only $3 to get in the door and just $2 if ya download the flyer from their site and remember to bring it with ya. Word has it that the best of the best of WMSE DJs will be spinning tunes and PBR will be doling out free beer to the first 200 of-age shopping peeps--mmm, free beer.
Go to the Urban Garage Sale on Saturday, December 12, at Turner Hall Ballroom, 1034 N. 4th Street in Milwaukee, from 10:30AM-5:30PM. When you tell everyone how much you saved on gifts, they'll crown you Holiday Gifter Super Genius!
(Thanks, Dwelle!)
Hello
These are really very nice guiding principals and I do believe those first and fourth principals.Its is also interesting to read this post.Thank you very much for this wonderful post.
Posted by: thé yerba mate | December 31, 2009 at 06:12 AM