Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Spend, spend, spend. It's no way to happiness

I've been taking a break from blogging, and dread to think what my Google Reader will look like when I finally log in, as I haven't even been reading blogs.

So this morning when I was reading the newspaper online and saw the opinion article Spend, spend, spend. It's no way to happiness, I thought, that's something that I feel strongly about and it's a ready made post. Written by Catherine Deveny in The Age newspaper, she can often be quite controversial, but I think this article is spot on.

I don't know when I'll be visiting your blogs next, but it shouldn't be too much longer. I hope you're enjoying life as much as I am! I came back from my Albury trip last week with fresh inspiration for making books, and on Sunday I did a drawing class for "absolute beginners". I sure fit the criteria there!

16 comments:

Susie said...

Thanks for the link to this very well written article.
We've worked very hard to be debt free and I can't even tell you how empowering that feels!
Glad you've been having some fun :)
xo

Unknown said...

Wot! Catherine Deveney controversial! Whoda thunk it! Herself and Miss Eagle are big fans - whether its the Saturday media stuff or the Wednesday heart and head stuff. We certainly applaud to-day's article and how marvellous to share it with you.

Blessings and bliss

lindsaylobe said...

Our freedom is priceless; yet over spending leads the way in modern day enslavery to debt.

I also think making things for others where possible brings more satisfaction to both parties whilst reducing consumerism.

Best wishes

Cris said...

Hi Val, I have taken a break too, no time... too much work, I post only whenever I can. Did you quit your job? Love that picture of the timber kangoroos, the red sand impressed me, I would love to see more of Australia through your eyes.

Val said...

Taking a break from blogging seems a common theme - must be in the stars or something. Just catching up on my blog reading at 3am with a laptop and a brilliant full moon for company. Making good use of a wakeful night!

catsmum said...

I have two good pairs of shoes and the library card [ and no-mortgage ] so I'm nearly there :]

Annette said...

Our family goal has been to do just as Catherine Deveny proposes. We began seeing that spending to fill the empty place inside didn't work when we tried to spend our way through the grief of my mom's death. (Eathing your way through grief doesn't work either, by the way.)

Did you like your class?

Annette

Anonymous said...

Wonderful article!!!!! As I watch that great monoleith - Doncaster Shopping town - rise in the distance I wonder what we are giving birth to - it is like a cuckoo in the nest - having turfed all the other baby birds out of the nest this one will need some feeding to substain it - and I am sure that we will all rise to the occasion to do it!!!! And now I hear that the Commonwealth bank is proposing to open selected branches on a Sunday morning... I just shudder!!!!!!! - blank page here Val - thanks for sharing that article with us...

Anonymous said...

and I do have one good pair of shoes and as for my library card - priceless - sharon - beyond the blank page

Alice said...

I've just been to the bank to transfer some money for my son, and then wandered around the shops for a little while. I came home and said to Richard, "Going to the shops these days is such a disappointment - there's nothing I want to buy!" Now, firstly I am thankful that there's nothing I really NEED, and secondly, since I normally dislike shopping I can't be bothered window shopping and I rarely buy things that I don't need or badly want.

Anonymous said...

Well said, Val (and Catherine). I couldn't agree more - though I do have to keep reminding myself of it now and then...

But for me, the best shopping is thrifting. Take me to a second hand place or a garage sale and I am in heaven!! I know - it's still shopping!

Kerri said...

I'll have to read the article later (sounds interesting) because it's bedtime here. Just stopped by to say hello...how are you? Glad to see you're still having fun :)
I'll just say ditto to Alice's comment. I don't much like to go shopping and only go when I'm forced to.
It is a very good feeling to be debt free!

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

It's nice to hear that you've been out having fun. The book binding in your next post is an absolute art form and they're so very interesting & lovely. The teabag book is unbelievable and I can't imagine how the stitching is done so neatly.

I've also been missing so there's not much to catch up on over at my place. I've kind of took 2 months off with maybe just a blog now & then so nobody would think I had died or been in an accident or something dreadful like that.

Sometimes you just have to live a little in real life.

I've always wanted to take a drawing or painting class and yes it would be a beginners course.

Have fun doing all the things you've always wanted to do...Now is your time. Oh and before I go,
Happy Anniversary.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I read the article on Spend, spend,spend and I know lots of people like that and thank goodness I only own one good pair of shoes and have worked hard all my life to be debt free.

Kali said...

Big HELLO to you Dear Val ~ I found a link to this article about a week ago and saved it as a favourite as it resonated so much with me. Definitely food for thought.

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Hi Val ... my blogging break has left me with over 1000 (yes, that is One thousand) items to read in my Google Reader ... OMG !!!
Hope yours isn't too bad.
See you next week.
Take care, Meow