Would you like some cognitive dissonance with that?

It’s a strange holiday season. Wouldn’t you agree?

Everywhere I go, I seem to see two worldviews (for lack of a better word) in competition. There’s the old “consume, consume, consume” mentality that is unsustainable and–apparently–on the way out. Not that you’d know it to walk into most stores. And then there’s this widespread, sort of gnawing neediness and thriftiness surging all around.

Today, I had a couple extra hours and wanted to finish up a few bits of Christmas shopping. I thought I’d hit midtown, with a quick trip to the Macy’s at Downtown Plaza to check out a new coffeemaker for Tater. Trying to earn my “shop local” street cred, I popped in at a few local merchants. I bought nothing. I simply couldn’t find anything I wanted to get for the people on my (very short) list. Thinking I’d take the easy way out, I headed to the mall.

Nothing like a mall to make you regret your entire existence.

After wandering around like an insane and rather lost person, I left emptyhanded and equally empty hearted. I just *couldn’t* buy anything. My thought process went something like this: Oh, Uncle Roscoe would love this. But it’s expensive. And I don’t know if Uncle Roscoe would ever use it. What if it just sat there in a closet, never used, a complete waste of money? Instead of wasting that money, maybe I should just send a check to Heifer International and tell Uncle Roscoe I bought him part of a water buffalo?

See what I mean?

On the flip side of all this dithering, I’ve been feeling as though I am among the fortunate this year. As I’ve watched the financial meltdown, seen colleagues and acquaintances lose their jobs, I keep remonstrating with myself: I should save more. I should spend less. I should definitely spend less on myself. I should give more. I should shut up and be thankful.

I stopped at Safeway on the way home and bought gift cards for several people who I figured would hate anything I picked out for them and would appreciate a little spending money. I also bought a box of chocolates for an awesome co-worker whose presence in our office is the only thing that maintains my questionable sanity on some days. What the hell.

To snap myself out of it, I’m watching Flight of the Conchords–specifically, the She’s so hot – Boom, Boom song episode.

Can they be saved?

  

Newspapers being in trouble all over the country is not good news. Our local paper laying off staff last week also is not good news.

However, that doesn’t mean that I’m above making a snarky comment…or in this case, snarky graphic.

I read the Bee every morning with my coffee, have little panic attacks if I miss a day, and don’t hate it as much as, say, Joe Sac does, but I did have to laugh at the “scoop” comment on Sac Rag a couple of days ago. For whatever reason, I came up with this idea in the shower this morning.

Combine that with a slight case of hero worship for Jessica Hagy, and you have the above.

For more info about the decline of honey bees, click here.

For more info about the decline of the Sacramento Bee, click here.

 

Farewell My Lawnmower

This morning, I said goodbye to my little red gas lawnmower…and hello to a shiny new electric one.

After chugging along faithfully for close to 14 years, my little pollutant-emitter became one of thousands that will be turned in today in SMUD’s big promo to exchange gas mowers for the more eco-friendly electrics. It was actually a little sad to see my old red mower carted off to be recycled…I started having doubts almost as soon I signed up for the exchange a couple of weeks ago. I mean, the mower had worked well for more than a decade and had never given me an ounce of trouble. Although it was certainly getting long in the tooth (blade?), it still had a few good years left in it.

So, even last night, I was doubting my decision to trade it in–and cough up $189 for the electric. But when this morning came, I did it. Probably with some excessive anthropomorphizing, but I did it.

I arrived at the Sac State parking lot about 8 a.m. and lined up with hundreds of other cars. I have to give kudos to the organizations operating the exchange: It was phenomenally well organized, and every single person I interacted with was efficient and friendly.

First, I pulled up to a woman who took the release form (probably designed for people like me with last-minute doubts–it states firmly that you can’t have your old lawnmower back). Then I pulled up to another station, where they quickly unloaded the lawnmower. Next, I was directed to another section of the lot, where I paid for the new lawnmower. Finally, I pulled up to the last stop, where my new Neuton (www.neutonpower.com) was loaded.

The whole process was speedy…and customers never even set foot out of their cars. A good setup–and one that is designed to get thousands through the process in just a few hours.

I can’t wait to try out the new mower, and I am just hoping it has most of the oomph of the old gas mower. Even if it doesn’t, at least I won’t be lugging my gas can to the station this summer–or running out of gas in the middle of the lawn. I’m also wondering if the battery will actually have enough power to do a mow of the whole lawn, but even if it doesn’t I figure I can just do it in sections.

However it goes, I’m looking forward to a quieter mower and the good karma of reducing pollution.

On to happier news…

So, before I got all distracted by today’s headlines and a raging cold, I had planned to write about last night’s Slow Food Coffee-Port-Chocolate Soiree at Old Soul.

I dragged the SO along to the event, even though he’s not much of a coffee drinker, chocolate nibbler, or port tippler. The evening opened up with Jason Griest waxing pretty darned poetic about the aroma of coffee. His talk was like a 30-min PhD program in how to buy, appreciate, and enjoy coffee. As someone who has been patronizing Jason’s cafes for a few years now, I have always appreciated the excellent quality of his coffee, but I never fully appreciated the sourcing. I particularly appreciated his discussion of how some coffee farmers are too small to attain fair trade or organic certifications. I usually try to buy organic and/or fair trade, but Jason’s talk centered around the importance of knowing the coffee purveyor and building that relationship of trust.

 Carrying on that same theme was Eric Aafedt of Bogle Winery, who shared the winery’s Petite Sirah Port while discussing how port is made and giving a brief history lesson. Until last night, I knew Bogle wines as drinkable, inexpensive, and “from somewhere in the Delta.” Now that I know it’s a small, family-owned winery that chooses to grow grapes that are appropriate for its location, I like them even more. The SO and I both enjoyed the port, too!

The last speaker of the evening was Ginger Elizabeth, who brought several truffles for us to taste. If you had asked me yesterday if Sacramento needed a couture chocolatier, I am not sure how I would have answered. But, after listening to her very enthusiastic talk and tasting the chocolates (personal favorite: the spicy Olmec truffle), I cannot wait to go check out her newly opened shop. More info at www.gingerelizabeth.com.

All in all, a great experience. I’m more convinced than ever that there are many exciting things going on food-wise right here in Sacramento, and I’m more determined to seek out people and businesses like these three.