A YEAR OF NOTHING NEW...you already have everything you need.

Resolutions...or not.

2011-01-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

One more thing:

I took a yoga class yesterday and the teacher had an interesting thing to say about resolutions. He explained how he'd probably made 30 or so in his lifetime and has never actually resolved anything by the end of each year that he has made one.

Instead of making a resolution for the entire year, he suggested: Why not just try to do your best in each moment?

I like that.

I took another class today, and I expected it to be about new beginnings and setting goals... a reflection of the year that's past. I thought I'd be thinking a lot about this project and my experiences of 2010. But, it was just another yoga class, with a focus on breath and movement, and finding who you are in each pose.

So in 2011, I'm just gonna set out to do my best in every moment. It calms me yet still feels intentional. All we have is ourself in the moment we are in, in whatever we are doing, and whoever we are sharing that with.

Here's to doing our best!

Clink. (That was my champagne glass being tapped against yours.)

Namaste, Stacey. Namaste, reader friends!

-Courtney

And so it is...

2011-01-01T04:45:00.000-08:00

When Courtney came to visit last year and I decided to join her on this journey, I thought it would change the way I shop– I had no idea it would change the way I live.

Now, I would be lying if I said I plan to continue to not buy new things. In fact, at the earliest opportunity I plan to buy underwear, socks, a new set of sheets and a few new yoga outfits. (I have to admit, I’m proud of the brevity of this list. A year ago I thought it would be much longer.)

Overall, I’ve become a different kind of consumer. A necessity shopper, if you will. And for me, that’s progress.

Court – Thanks for including me in this project. I will sincerely miss reading your posts and being connected to you in this way.

And, thanks to everyone who followed our blog. Your comments and insights were profound and encouraging.

Moving forward into 2011, I’m more interested in the things that are working in my life rather than the stuff that needs fixed, eliminated or changed. I have no resolution for 2011, only the intention to truly enjoy the people and opportunities that come my way.

2010 may have been a year of no new things, but I will remember it as the year of making new choices.

Cheers!
~Stacey

Nothing for Christmas

2010-12-27T04:14:00.000-08:00

Brian and I chose not to exchange gifts for Christmas this year. Instead, we spent the entire day together… in our pajamas! We slept in, talked, watched movies, prepared a delicious meal, drank wine and watched the snow falling. It was perfect. And, I think – our new tradition!

~Stacey

Goodbye Year of Nothing New, Hello 2011

2010-12-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

And so I say goodbye to a year of nothing new…
and hello to a new year with gained knowledge and habits.

This year has been a challenge. Not only because of this project, but in general. I have lost and found love, myself, and a new direction in life.

I am so appreciative to you, Stacey, for joining me in this endeavor. Your posts and comments have been inspiring and supportive, have made me feel connected and grateful to see that someone else thinks and cares in a similar capacity. Your work as a yoga teacher and friend have always lifted me and shifted my thinking. Thank you.

People have asked me if I will continue to not purchase anything new in the coming year. They’ve also asked me what my new project will be in 2011. I have no answer other than: what we learn, we carry with us, and I have learned so much.

This project has meant a great deal to me, as have all of you who have followed. Thank you for reading. I hope you have felt encouraged and challenged to think about your own behaviors and lifestyle in an alternative way, to save and conserve personally, and to gain a greater understanding of what we consume globally.

Here’s to 2011!
-Courtney

Holiday Shopping Update

2010-12-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

On a recent phone call, Stacey and I were discussing how different this holiday shopping season has been for us from prior years. She said she did all her "shopping" in one stop and my experience has been very similar. Which means more time to enjoy the holidays and the people they involve.

I think my "gifts" this year are both meaningful and practical. I didn't go overboard, and it feels good to know my gifts will be enjoyed socially instead of thrown into a closet somewhere, never to be found again.

-Courtney

Black Friday...Cyber Monday...What will tomorrow be?

2010-11-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

Black Friday? Cyber Monday? What is all this?

On Friday, I was reading through my newsfeed on facebook. So many posts were around the exhaustion and excitement of Black Friday shopping and deals. I was relieved not to be a part of any of it, sitting on my couch with coffee and a good book. (And well rested at that since I didn't wake up at 4 a.m. to stampede the malls when they opened.)

I wonder if people would buy these cheap electronics, luggage, and sweaters if it wasn't for the hype or low prices? And when do you have enough? It seems to me the more you buy and stock up on, the more parts and batteries you'll need for the electronics, the more pants you'll need to match the shirts you bought...its like a never-ending addiction that never leaves you satisfied.

The same goes to show for tv. How many channels are on cable now? 300-something? And with more channels, we find there's even less to watch. The more DVDs we own, the less we seem to be able to figure out what to put in the DVD player. The more songs we have on our iPods, the less we have any idea what to listen to. It becomes about the quest to figure out what to play and not about what you put on.

I grew up thinking that more at a lower price was better. But in the last year, my thought patterns have changed. Now, instead of buying 3 bottles of cheap wine, I purchase one bottle of good wine. So I'm drinking less, but when I am drinking, I enjoy the craft of what it is I'm consuming.

Another thing to note: I decided my next writing project will be a full length play. I thought it would be in my best interest to read the last few years of Pulitzer prize winning plays to see what's being acclaimed as the great theater of today. My impulse was to go on to amazon and buy 10 or so plays (used). So, I did. I was about to check out, when I thought, "You should check the library." And I realized I was able to borrow them all from my local library. At no cost. What a true value that is!

-Courtney

The First Real Glitch

2010-11-18T11:44:00.000-08:00

Okay...so it's November. And mid-November at that. Stacey and I have almost completed our 'year of nothing new.' First off: I can't believe it. Second off: I'm so glad that its already November, because I've hit the first real challenge. The first thing that's going to be really hard for me to not rush out and buy is:

CARDINALS III/IV on vinyl.

Apparently, the Cardinals recorded a couple albums they never released before Easy Tiger and this was one of them. Pre-sale starts on Tuesday.

Sidebar: For those of you who don't know me, I am a HUGE music fan. And at the top of that list of artists is Ryan Adams and his band The Cardinals (who haven't put anything out in almost 2 years because he 'retired' from the music business.)

But you know what? I have 4,000 other songs I can listen to in the next month. And half of them I probably haven't even ever heard. Now that's abundance.

Its so funny too, because just yesterday, my friend Monica was asking me what the first thing I was going to rush out and buy January 1rst. I said that I honestly didn't feel the need to buy ANYTHING. Which is great and kind of the whole point. But there's always an exception, and this album is the perfect one for me.

Can't wait for 2011.

-Courtney

Collecting Dust

2010-11-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

The Vera Wang stemware was the only “extravagance item” that we registered for 7 ½ years ago when we got married. I remember the expression because after an hour the salesgirl convinced me that every bride deserved a little extravagance. Everything else on the list was practical: pots, pans, flatware, towels, a bedspread, etc.– sensible things. Things we still use today.

But this stemware, I just had to have it.

When we didn’t receive the full set as gifts, Brian and I fought about using some of the wedding cash to complete the collection. I won that argument. And the day after we returned from our honeymoon, we were proud owners of the 2003 Vera Wang by Wedgwood Glassware Collection.

We brought it home to the apartment we were living in at the time and put it in a box for safe keeping until we moved to a more permanent residence. Three moves and seven years later the whole collection was still in that box, unopened and in its original packaging. I know, because I found the box this weekend when I was cleaning.

At first I was just going to dust around it and, I don’t know– leave it there for another seven years? Then I realized how ridiculous this whole situation was and in a moment of minor hysteria I liberated the whole collection. Freeing each delicate piece from its crypt of plastic and foam wrapping.

And right there, among ruins of the cardboard tomb, I filled one of the wine glasses with Cabernet and toasted to progress.

It’s funny (and maybe even a little sad) that it took my ridiculous relationship to this stemware to remind me that value doesn’t belong to things, but rather to how we choose to interact with them.

~Stacey

40 Days

2010-11-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

I just spent the last 40 days as a vegan. And surprisingly – I loved it!

The decision to make such a drastic change to my diet came as the natural evolution to my relationship with Baron Baptiste’s program, “40 Days to Personal Revolution” (based on his book with the same name).

The program uses yoga asana, seated meditation, a mindful diet, and probing journaling questions to guide participants towards a more authentic expression of themselves. I have taken part in, and more recently facilitated, the program several times over the last five years and each time it lands differently with me. This time (with a little urging from my co-facilitator and friend, Sally) I decided to “go vegan” for the entirety of the program.

Okay… Great so I didn’t eat animal products for forty days.

But why mention this on a blog about not buying anything new? Well, because the combination of this project and the 40 Day program proved to be both powerful and informative.

With the new restrictions to my diet, I immediately noticed how much time, money, and energy over the last year I’ve poured into food. Seeking it. Shopping for it. Reading about it. Preparing it. Eating it. Fantasizing about it.

Now, let’s get something straight… I LOVE FOOD! Always have.

But it didn’t take long for me to realize that my enthusiasm for it had shifted into an obsession over the past year. In the simplest terms, I had transferred my desire to shop – to accumulate – from “things” to food. (And to be completely honest, my waistline was starting to reflect this trend.)

A big wake-up call, for sure. And one I wouldn’t have heard without the combination of these two undertakings.

Maybe it’s because I’m sipping on the first coffee I’ve had in six weeks, but right now I’m filled with gratitude for this new awareness and for the opportunity to make some new choices.

(If you’re wondering, I plan to continue this vegan diet with a 90/10 approach. Similar to my thoughts on incorporating the things I’ve learned, thus far, from this year of nothing new into my post 2010 existence. My new mantra: Balance.)

~Stacey

Where Giving Less is Getting More

2010-11-03T14:13:00.001-07:00

Rumor has it that Christmas commercials have started to air. And I just saw Christmas tree plants in front of a home improvement store. Already??? Really?

With the kick-off of the holiday season, I realize how different this year will be for me and my gifting. Every year, like most people, I find myself rushing around for gifts, writing cards, and not enjoying any of it because I’m not taking the time to enjoy what the holidays are all about: the people you love. Last year, I even decided to run a Christmas cookie business on the side to make some extra cash. But instead of putting me in the holiday spirit, all the extra baking left me tired and grumpy.

I’ve decided for this year, I’m not going to give many gifts, and if I do, they will be extra thoughtful, homemade, things ticket/event related, or things people can eat/drink during the holiday season. I may even just cook dinners for family and friends over the course of the next couple months as my “gift.” I’m not even going to send out any Christmas cards. Most end up being impersonal and thrown out eventually.

My gift from my mom is my flight home. And I’ve asked to receive nothing else. Because my family is all I really need this time of year.

And Stacey...you hear that? No gifts! Let's just go out for some great dinners when you're visiting in January.

I’m committing myself to truly enjoy the holidays, to enjoy the people I’m with and gifting a present, cheery self.

Here’s to a new holiday season: where giving less is getting more.

-Courtney

Birthday Presence

2010-10-18T14:50:00.001-07:00

I just turned 30. And to celebrate Brian whisked me away to the wood’s of Cook Forest for a little R&R. At first I was hoping his gift would be more useful… more practical like underwear and socks to replace the dingy items in my panty drawer or a new yoga outfit I could wear when I teach.

But a getaway in the woods… Really? Not Brian’s style at all. So I knew something was up.

When I asked him about his choice of gift he explained that he wanted to honor my year of nothing new and give me an experience rather than more “stuff”. And he made the right decision, the weekend was magical and just what I needed. It really became a birthday of presence rather than presents!

(If you're interested – a few of my more practical girlfriends did give me the priceless gift of new underwear, but my socks still have holes!)

~Stacey

Flea Markets and Wedding Registries...

2010-10-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got up early, grabbed a coffee, and braved the lines and parking (which really wasn't bad) for the Pasadena Flea Market, an event that happens the second Sunday of every month at the Rose Bowl http://www.rgcshows.com/. I recommend it, even though its completely overwhelming! There were antiques, artist booths, and lots of records and clothes and boots and anything you could ever imagine wanting to buy second hand! I left with an old 50's pyrex bowl, an apron, a few records, and some gifts for my friend Faith and Chris' upcoming wedding party.

I realized that I wouldn't be able to purchase something from their registry a few weeks ago and thought long and hard on what I could gift them for such a momentous occasion. I'm very satisfied by what I came up with and think it has more meaning then something from their scanned list: I made a cookbook with recipes of mine that they've enjoyed over the years, as well as new ones I think they'll like since they enjoy cooking together. And yesterday at the market, I found a set of James Taylor records that they will love to play together since he's one of Faith's favorites.

Hope they don't read this...wouldn't want to give the surprise away...don't think they will since they are in Hawaii, but if so....congrats Faith and Chris! I love you both.

-Courtney

Documenting What's Really Important

2010-09-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a documentary and with it, like all good artistic projects for me, comes a lot of reflection.

The documentary is on my ex-guy's band, and my thesis is: What does it means to be in a band before anyone really knows who you are? Why do you believe in it and stick with it year after year? What does it mean to commit to a group of people and project? What does success mean and when will you know you've reached it?

I've been thinking a lot about what makes us do the things we do: with projects, with people, with work, with anything that we commit to...

Watching tape after tape of this band...of their family and friends...of my observance and interviews...I can't help but think of how much fun it is...how much love there is for the art and the work and the relationships...and how I've captured a lot of great footage on a rinky dink camera that I borrowed from a friend. Its intimate, its real...things I don't think I would have achieved if I had gone out and bought or even rented a nice HD camera. What I have instead is something real that I think a lot of people will appreciate. And I've not spend much money on it, or bought any large props for it...but I've spent time and love and thought. And those are always worth more to me at the end of the day.

-Courtney

Lost & Found

2010-09-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

I lost my wedding ring.

When I realized it wasn’t on my finger I was pretty sure I had left it at the yoga studio. (I have a bad habit of taking it off during practice and placing it next to my mat – only this time I must have forgotten to put it back on.) When I retraced my tracks it was nowhere to be found.

A brief call to my insurance company revealed that our policy’s deductible was higher than the value of the ring, therefore I would not be receiving any funds to aid in the purchase of a replacement.

So, I spent a month without wearing a wedding ring and had no urgent plans to replace it. On a whim, I wondered into a local jewelry store and ended up buying a very simple estate ring, circa 1940. I was absolutely delighted with the substitute.

(I hate to admit it, but before this project I would have most likely thrown a hissy fit about losing my ring, marched to the nearest jewelry store, and bought (probably on credit) a new ring that was even nicer than the one I lost. Thus, I considered the whole ordeal to be a blessing and my reaction to be progress.)

Two weeks after I purchased the “new” ring my friend Katie was cleaning the yoga studio and found my original under a shelving unit!

I’m glad, of course, that my ring was found, but I learned some important things from the experience of losing (if just temporarily) a material item that holds a personal meaning:

1. I need to be more present. If I were paying more attention to what I was doing I wouldn’t have lost the ring in the first place.
2. Even a wedding ring (though a symbol of something bigger) is just a thing. And like with all “things” can be replaced.
3. I will never buy new jewelry again, as vintage pieces are cheaper and often more interesting. (A fact that I had never contemplated until this project.)
4. Fully insuring fine jewelry makes sense.
5. I’ll keep my ring on during asana practice even if it bugs me in headstand.
6. Some men actually do check to see if you are wearing a wedding ring, but that these are typically not the kind of men one wants to associate with.

~Stacey

Cleansing Myself of Boots with Lots of Fruit

2010-08-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

I'm halfway through a week long yoga/fruit cleanse which I started on Saturday. Before that, I'd cut out alcohol for 2 weeks and coffee for a week. The cleanse itself is 7 days straight of yoga and the food part of the cleanse is this:

Days 1,2,6, and 7
Breakfast:
Organic yogurt with almonds
Herbal tea

Lunch/Dinner:
All whole foods, meaning a piece of fish or baked tofu or organic chicken
Organic fruits and veggies
Herbal tea

Days 3,4,5
Fruit cleanse
All fruit

Cleansing and following a discipline with food is challenging. It really puts things in perspective and gives me a greater understanding of my choices and habits. Am I eating cereal late at night because I want to feel comforted? Am I drinking too much coffee because I'm not sleeping enough? Am I gorging myself because I didn't do a good job snacking during the day? Why am I not satisfied???

With this investigation of myself and my relationship to food, I can't help but ask the same questions of my material spending/wanting habits. I notice that when I've started shopping in the past, its never enough and I can't seem to stop. My friend Faith mentioned something similar the other day.

With fall approaching, my inclination is to want new fall stuff: boots, sweaters, etc. I've been in and out of thrift stores on the prowl. I don't NEED any of these things, but something in me craves them because its become a habit. Also, I love the fall and how it feels like a new start. I've also began a new relationship and the dumb girl in me wants to look cute all the time and have new clothes to show myself off. But I don't need anything. I have a new start and a new guy without a new pair of boots, as silly as that might sound. I don't need to impress anyone. They are already impressed. :)

So I'm cleansing not only my mind of food habits, but fall shopping habits.

-Courtney

Cult of Less

2010-08-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

A yoga student of mine sent me this link and I wanted to share it with all of you. Enjoy! ~Stacey

Getting Creative

2010-08-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

I’ve had to get creative in order to accomplish/create some things that I usually would have bought without batting an eye. This involves a little thinking outside the box, which I’m enjoying very much.

Because I'm a writer, I always have a "board" up. This is what I use to plot out story ideas by clipping sequences of events and themes on ribbon with clothes pins. Recently, I’d run out of ribbon and I pondered where I could find some used. I searched a few different thrift stores, but came home empty handed. I was at the last thrift store I could think of, a bit discouraged, when I saw a bag of ties bunched together for $1.99. They were beautiful colors, very long, and I decided to try to string them together and use them instead of ribbon. It worked out lovely, and it’s actually sturdier and easier to pin my ideas, too. How cool. I’ll never go back to ribbon again!

Second thing is this: I helped organize a bachelorette party over the weekend for a friend. The bride-to-be loves cupcakes, and I wanted to do something fun and slightly inappropriate for her, so I decided to bake cupcakes and make them sexual in some way. In the past, I would have just gone to party city or an adult store and bought some plastic penises and slapped them on top of the icing. But instead, I had to think about this and get creative. While looking around my cabinets, I found gummy worms and bears, so I cut the worms in half and attached the bears to the side of each worm to look like a penis and balls. A total riot! What do you think? Fun, right?

-Courtney

a comment

2010-07-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

Below you will find (in its entirety) a comment recently posted to this blog by “dontplaydat”. Though it is heartfelt and well penned, we hope that the majority of our readers do not share the author’s sentiment. Its message is certainly not our intention for the blog or our year of nothing new. But, we’ll let you decided as we take solace in the old saying, “What people say about you is none of your business.”

~Stacey & Courtney

dontplaydat said...
"You know. Some of the posts here are really great, but lately, the more I read this blog, the more arrogant it seems to be. You have challenged yourselves not to buy anything new in 2010 and you gush about buying things second hand, and prosthelytize to the rest of us that we should do the same. While I am thrilled that you two have discovered a brave new world of thrift shops and yard sales, this is a way of life for hundreds of thousands of families across this country and nothing you are doing is remotely novel. It is only novel to you because up until this year you have been participating in good old fashioned American consumerism - something we are all brought up to believe in. I applaud the increased awareness about the pitfalls of capitalism that must have inspired this little project - but the hallmark wisdom lecturing that goes on in this blog is worse than saccharin; it's arrogant and makes you look silly. ESPECIALLY when there are so many posts on here where you end up getting what you need materially BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE BUY IT FOR YOU. So you've really just come up with a way to mooch off other people and instead of calling it just that, you rationalize this contradictory little fact by saying it's the result of "secret energy" giving you what you need. The "secret energy" is your friends' time and money - get a clue.  Another one of my favorites is buying a new dress for a wedding, and justifying it by saying that you agreed to be in the wedding long before the two of you conceived of this project. It must be really nice to have the money to just toss off playing poor when vanity calls. Tough titty that you decided to do the wedding before this project - buy a second hand dress OR (even MORE interesting and creative) MAKE ONE YOURSELF. THAT would have been cool - and interesting to read about. But. Nope. Buying used couches and furniture is so cute - but buying a second hand dress for a wedding is gross and making one is hard.  There's nothing wrong with a blog that gives you a place to wonder out loud about where life is going, and to vent about nasty breakups, and the difficulties of life. Those things bring us closer together, because we know we are not the only ones going through these questions. But seriously, posts like this and several others, you two just come across like two spoiled little white girls who are staying out of the mall for a year - and lecturing us for crossing your personal picket line.”

The Dress

2010-07-27T14:07:00.001-07:00

I cheated.

I bought a new dress.

It was for my cousin’s wedding.

A wedding that I committed to be in several months before we even conceived of the idea for our year of nothing new.

You could say that this dress was a totally premeditated purchase– that from the very beginning of this project I knew I’d be procuring this one new item.

I hope you can excuse this indiscretion.

But, as a wise friend once told me, “Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.”

So, I humbly ask for your forgiveness.

(Oh, and it might help to add that the shoes I wore for the wedding were secondhand.)

~Stacey

Radiating What You Need

2010-07-26T23:10:00.000-07:00

I'm finding that when I radiate what it is i need out of the world, I get it. Materially and emotionally. And its fascinating. It all goes along the ideas based in The Secret or other energy based theories that suggest if you think hard enough on something, it will happen.

Materially speaking, my flip flops and my yoga mat are completely worn out. I've been wanting to replace them, since they are items i use on a regular basis.

I find a yoga mat and flip flops gross things to buy second hand because of the sweat factor, yet I keep thinking about how much I "need" these items, maybe even a little obsessively. And you know what happens? My friend Kenny (who was tired of seeing me reattach my flip to the flop) bought me a nice new pair of flip flops and Stacey just gave me an awesome yoga mat that she'd bought a while back and not liked. I did not even ask them for these items, they just offered them to me. So I'm all set! Thank you Kenny and Stacey!

More importantly though, I've learned something from the flip flop and yoga mat offerings on an emotional level which is this:

I've still been carrying a great deal of anger from my breakup. But after thinking of all this, I had a moment when I thought...I don't want to feel like this. I don't want to carry this weight. So I decided not to...to just let it go. I even went to my ex-boyfriend's rock show and invited him to come to my book release party last weekend. And he came. And it felt good to support him and be supported by him regardless of all that has happened. People thought I was crazy to want him at my party and to go to his show, but I'm learning that in order to feel good in the world and settled in my skin, I need to tell the world what it is I need. And I need to be okay. And not angry. And I need to approach that need with confidence and a heck of a lot of love. Which is now my master plan.

I encourage all of you to look at what you need emotionally...what hurts you...what causes you grief...and see if there's an alternate way of approaching those feelings. There just might be a way to free your heart and get what it is you really need.

-Courtney

Thanks for the Help & the Clothes!

2010-07-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

First, I want to thank Lauren, Courtney, Julie, and Jenn for their thoughtful responses to the question: Would buying new mats & blocks out of my business fund count as new purchases for this project?

The feedback was mixed, but I was able to pull from everyone’s ideas and here’s what I decided to do:

I loved Lauren’s tip about “encouraging the students to bring their own [mats/blocks]”, but as Julie and Jenn suggested eliminating them altogether just isn’t realistic or a good business move. So, I accepted Coutney’s challenge and looked for alternative options.

After some research I learned that Jade is now making a new yoga mat called Encore. These “new” mats are made from – are you ready… recycled yoga mats.

Only one hitch- the price is about 4X more than what I would normally spend on rental mats!

In the end (and after some quick accounting), I decided to buy only six mats instead of the twelve I’ll be replacing (hopefully encouraging more people to buy their own, but still having some available when needed). I also decided to wait on purchasing more blocks and will make do with what I have until next year.

Second, (and on a completely unrelated topic) I wanted to thank both Sally and Lee Anne for passing along their gently-used-but-in-perfectly-good-condition Lululemon yoga clothes to me. I’m not sure if they were trying to tell me something (like my old clothes were starting to smell from all of the hot yoga), but I’m delighted to have a few new additions to my yoga wardrobe.

I am continually amazed at the generosity and help available to me when I open myself up to it.

Thank You.

~Stacey

Asking for Help...Part Two

2010-07-09T08:56:00.001-07:00

Look to the left and you'll see my adorable mother and brother who I love dearly. They take such good care of me and I want to give them both a shout out and a thank you.

The last thing I really wanted for my new place (did I mention that I've moved again??) was a router, so I could be wireless. The placement of the ethernet cord is inconveniently by the door and my desk is on the other side of the room and doesn't reach (and it's always good as a writer to have the flexibility to sit and write wherever you please.) So, I was looking at routers online and there were a number of them available used or refurbished. But when I called my brother to ask for his recommendations on what I should be looking for, he informed me that he thought that he and my mom had an extra one at home that they weren't using and I should ask about. I checked in with my mom, and she proceeded to tell me that this was true. I asked if I could have it and she packaged it up and sent it my way.

My mom thought it was great because it wasn't getting any use in the attic. She reminded me that its good to ask for help, something that I am learning to do more and more of in my stubborn independent way of thinking of things. She said that by asking for something, it was helping HER feel needed. Which is a pretty cool thing.

In general, I'm getting much better at asking for help. I've recently asked my friend Cory to help me record voice-overs on his fancy equipment for a performance piece I'm doing. I also asked him for help figuring out why the speakers on my computer weren't working (which he figured out in 2 minutes, and I'd already spent an hour trying to figure out). I've asked my friend Dominic to help me move a couch and hang lights outside. I've even found an editor who I've just met to help me edit a short I wrote. All of this is new territory, but I'm finding people WANT to help. And it feels good. Cause I'm a help-er to my friends. But I'm learning that it really is a cycle. We all need to ask and help each other.

And I'm happy to report that my refurbished iphone is treating me fabulously. :)

-Courtney

Yoga Mat/Block Dilemma... Please Help!

2010-07-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

I’ve been teaching a donation based yoga class at the Union Project for the past three years and am happy to report that the class continues to grow! When I started the class, I invested in twelve rental mats and about twenty-five yoga blocks and have taken all of the necessary steps to keep them clean and in satisfactory condition. However, over the years the block supply has dwindled and the mats (despite regular washings) now have the permanent scent of sweaty gym socks.

This brings me to my question: Would buying new mats & blocks out of my business fund count as new purchases for this project?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

~Stacey

Souvenirs

2010-07-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from a week in Tulum, Mexico where I participated in an advanced yoga teacher training with Amazing Yoga. The trip and training were utterly fulfilling and a much needed refresher for my body, mind, & soul.

And since I’ve saved so much money this year (thanks to this project) I splurged by paying the extra cash needed to upgrade to a single room and treated myself to TWO massages… which were divine!

But, I digress – I’m not writing this post to brag about my trip or convince you to sign up for the next Amazing Yoga Teacher Training (although you should at least consider it, because it’s, well, amazing!) – I’m writing because of what I didn’t do while I was in Mexico…

I didn’t shop.

Not for myself. Not for Brian. Not for Courtney. Not even for my Mom.

I’m not sure about you, but usually when I travel I spend at lot of time and energy seeking out and bargaining for souvenirs. Mementos that remind me of my adventures and tokens to share with those I love. But this year, since I’m unable to purchase new items (and the idea of a “used souvenir” is extremely unappealing) I took myself out of the game.

No second looks at the tchotchkes in the airport, no haggling with street vendors, no frustration when I realize I can’t properly repack my bags for the flight home.

This process proved to be literally and figuratively freeing. I was able to enjoy my trip without the preoccupation of finding the perfect gift and with the time I saved I spent a few extra hours in the ocean.

And the best part: my suitcase closed without any problems.

I think I might just stick with the no souvenir policy after this year of nothing new comes to an end. (Sorry Mom!)

~Stacey

21 Things You Should Never Buy New

2010-06-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

Yahoo had it right this morning! This was a featured article:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/21-Things-You-Should-Never-usnews-2356162080.html?x=0

-Courtney

Refurbished is new to me!

2010-06-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

I got an iphone. No, not the fancy new model, but the 3GS. And its awesome. But that's not what this is about...

I don't know if its because I bought it refurbished or because the new one just came out, but it only cost me $90 through the AT+T website. Pretty amazing. And the device itself is pretty amazing.

And the phone works great. Looks brand new. And it is...to me. :)

-Courtney

I kinda cheated...

2010-06-20T23:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I moved this weekend. Again.

It was a good weekend all and all. I feel really good in my new space. The energy in my house is clean and free and well...me. I feel like myself again.

BUT

I bought a few things. Not used. New. Bathroom stuff. Here's the list:
a shower curtain
2 bathmats
a toothbrush holder
a toilet paper holder

I felt really weird buying this stuff used. Just cause it kinda grosses me out. My kitchen and bathroom are always pretty spotless, and the thought of reusing things that have come in close contact with people's bowels, dirty bodies, and saliva kinda gave me the hibbie jibbies. So I caved. And didn't even try to find these items used.

BUT

I bought the stuff at Big Lots, which resells stuff at a discount price that wasn't selling in another store, so it's not totally cheating. Right?

-Courtney

MS150, Flat Tires, & Reaching Goals

2010-06-15T05:16:00.000-07:00

Last year I set a goal for myself: I would complete the MS150 bike ride in 2010.

That goal was born days after Brian was diagnosed with MS last Spring. By the time we were both out of tears, and in true Stacey fashion, I decided I had to take action and do something to help fight this life-altering disease.

(Let me just pause here and say that I’m aware that any good psychologist and most rational people would agree that I was deflecting my own feelings of helplessness away from the situation and pouring my efforts into the futile cause of training to ride a bike for 150 miles in one weekend – and for the most part they would be right. However, it seemed like a good idea at the time and proved to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.)

But, underlying psychology aside, three big things stood in my way; 1) I hadn’t ridden a bicycle in years 2) I was deathly afraid of going down hills on a contraption with only two wheels and no seatbelt 3) I didn’t own a bike

At the urging of my friend Darcy, I, quite impulsively, purchased a road bike. I happened to mention this fact to my friend Jen, who, as fate would have it, agreed to “teach” me and Katie (also a new cyclist at the time) the ins and outs of road biking. Jen taught us everything from how to clip in and out of our pedals to the proper way to scare off a crazy dog chasing us through the back roads of Pennsylvania. And, after a year of training, my goal actually seemed attainable.

The three of us, and Jen’s wonderful friend Brie, formed a team called “The Flying Pigeons” (yoga friends, feel free to roll your eyes) and managed to raise $1,270 for the MS Society. (Thank you, sponsors!)

The ride started off great. But as the first day continued it was getting harder and harder for me to keep up. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but my legs were more tired than normal and I felt like I was working twice as hard as the cyclists passing me. Still, with the support of my team, I finished that first day with a smile on my face.

The second day of the ride started out the same as the first until a friendly cyclist whizzing by me grunted, “It's none of my business, but your tires look really low.”

And, in fact they were. As it turns out, I had ridden nearly 80 miles on practically flat tires making the job of propelling myself forward much harder than it needed to be. Jen seems to think there’s a lesson here, offering the motto, “When the going gets tough, check the air in your tires.” And maybe I too will see the metaphor when my legs stop hurting, but for now I’m just grateful to have accomplished my goal.

So, why bring all of this up on a blog about not buying new things?

Well, because I’m learning that the things that really matter in life can’t be bought or sold, they can only be lived and experienced.

~Stacey

Is An Upgrade Really Upgrading Anything?

2010-06-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

My friend Monica just made fun of me for my phone. Which is appropriate. :)Look to the left, and you'll see a picture of my model.

In an age of iphones, I guess my phone is a little sad. Now, I don't mind it so much. It does what I need it to do...call people, text people. I don't have email on it, but I actually really appreciate that disconnect. But the trouble is, Verizon keeps messaging me that I am up for an upgrade and they keep tempting me with amazing deals and discounts and coupons. Any other year, as soon as I got the first message for an upgrade, I would have run to Verizon without even thinking of it. But now, that I am thinking of it, I think how silly that really is and how many old, perfectly good phones I have laying around. My phone works just fine. The buttons are getting a little worn and harder to press, but the phone is still doing its job.

Think of how many of us rush to get whatever phone is bigger and better when we have a perfectly adequate phone in hand already. It saddens me to think of how wasteful that is...to our environment and our sensibilities.

Next time you get that "you are up for an upgrade" message from your phone company, think about it. What are you really upgrading? And what are you wasting?

-Courtney

Stacey's Visit

2010-06-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

Stacey and Katie (the computer giver) were just here to visit. It was fabulous to meet Katie, who is a solid gold person. And the three of us had nothing but fun.

Stacey, Katie, and I(and Brian, Stacey's hubbie)had a wonderful weekend doing lots of yoga, laughing, eating and drinking wine...which is what Stacey and I's trips usually involve. I really value that our time together doesn't involve shopping and purchasing or spending time anywhere near retail. Instead, our friendship is centered around activity, talks, and nourishing our bodies with food and exercise. (Maybe not the wine.) :) I think its why the two of us are such great friends and have such a strong friendship, even after not having lived in the same city over the last 7 years. I encourage you all as the weather gets better to pick more activities with friends that involve sitting and talking or riding bikes. Its good for the soul. And your friendship.

I also had people over for dinner again on Monday evening for the holiday. I'm learning that its a huge way to give and show love to my friends in the ways I used to with material gifts. And it gets everyone together, which is never a bad thing.

On a side note and with summer approaching...I am getting the itch for new, cute yoga tops...and I hope I'm not stealing this post from you, Stacey. But I've been taking a lot more yoga classes and with being single and going through this break up, I'm looking around in class and guiltily thinking...I want a cute top like her! I want! I want! It will pass. But its a little challenge I'm facing.

-Courtney

It’s New To Me!

2010-05-22T08:12:00.001-07:00

I was shocked, appalled, and absolutely ashamed when I realized that it has been nearly a month since my last post.

(Sorry Court, for making you float the blog for most of May.)

But I’m happy to report I’ve been good. I haven’t slipped, not once this month.

Until recently, I’ve been too busy with the remodel to even think about shopping.

With the help of our amazing Dads (and a good team of professional floor installers), Brian and I have painted most of the house, pulled up the old green carpet, laid hardwood floors, and rearranged furniture. The place looks so different and truly feels like ours.

Everything was coming together nicely when we decided we wanted a couple of area rugs and a few other pieces to complete the transformation.

I was determined to find them used, but had no idea where to look.

Then, I read in the paper that a local furniture franchise was having a closeout sale on all of their rugs to make room for new inventory. I went to check it out and bought one of the floor models at a fraction of the original cost. It looks perfect in our living room.

And finally, on a tip from my yoga bud, Melissa, I stopped by a new furniture consignment store in Wexford called, “It’s New To Me” where I found the rest of the items needed to pull the rooms together.

I continue to be so grateful for this project because its forcing me to get creative and really work for the things I decide to bring into my life.

~Stacey

Do New Friends Count?

2010-05-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

I think I'd like to amend our project title from A Year Of Nothing New to A Year of Nothing New Materially. Because truth be told, my whole life seems new right now.

I've been hanging out with this great, new crew (well, new/old)and they have been so necessary for me in the transition process after a major break up. Its fun to learn about people you are just getting to know. Or people who you've known that you somehow now need or are connecting with differently than you had. I love the process. And seeing them and how they see the world: What makes them laugh. What music makes them wanna dance... And its been amazing to hang out more with my friends Cory, Melissa, and Eric. They are old friends, but I'm seeing them and learning them all over again.

Cheers to new things you can't buy. :)

-Courtney

A Thank You to Katie (and Stacey)

2010-05-06T11:12:00.001-07:00

I need to thank the Universe for an act of kindness so far beyond it that it extends to whatever other ones there are out there. Two posts ago, I had put up a message (thanks to my mom for the suggestion) asking for help because I'm a writer, and my computer crashed, and I am not in a financial place to purchase a new one, nor could I because of this project.

Katie, a friend of Stacey's, who I've never met but who follows our blog sent me a message just a day later, telling me that she had a computer that she is not using now that she wants to send me. A complete stranger is doing this for me. With a full, generous heart. She wants nothing for it.

With my recent breakup, I am finding myself in a very dark place, the darkest I've ever seen. And amongst that darkness this person has reached out and offered help and light. This brings me comfort in a time that is very uncomfortable. This act has reminded me of the goodness in people and how we are all completely connected and must all take care of each other. I hope to return the favor someday when someone needs it. But for now, I need it. And I am learning how to let others help me.

I never thought something like this would come of a new year's resolution, but am so grateful for the lesson.

Thank you, Katie.

-Courtney

Single with Pilling Panties

2010-05-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

Okay...so I'm up against a challenge, cyber friends.

I just found out that my boyfriend of 3 1/2 years is leaving me for one of our friends...shocking I know.

Now, I'm not going to get into the dark, ugly details around that, but I'm finding another challenge that is related to this "not buying anything new project" and my current situation.

Here is the REAL problem:
Panties.

All my panties are worn out and pill-ey. You know how that happens? You are with someone for a long time, and you get comfortable. You don't think about things as much like having sexy panties or even just ones in decent condition.

Not saying I'm venturing out into the dating world anytime soon, but when I do, I know I can't be sporting what I currently have in the panty department. Maybe I'll just have to hold out on dating until 2011 or just keep my pants on. :)

-Courtney

Help! I Need A Computer

2010-05-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

Anyone have an old computer or know of a refurbished one that I can buy for real cheap? My computer bit it and I need one for my writing work! 646.270.1836 or courtneyseiberling@yahoo.com

-Courtney

Habitat For Humanity - the store

2010-04-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

Alright, folks.

My friend Monica told me about another great resource for home goods and I want to make sure you all know about it. Habitat for Humanity, the organization which builds homes for families all across the country has these ReStores that accept donated goods for resale. While every ReStore is a little different, most focus on home improvement goods—furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances. These donated goods are sold to the general public at a fraction of the retail price to help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat homes within their communities.

Now, while I recognize that some of this stuff is new and wouldn't work for this project, I believe a lot of it is refurbished or used. The store I went to had all these beautiful old windows and doors. Used furniture and appliances. And it was all really affordable. So the next time you are looking to make a home repair, check it out.

To look up a location near you, http://www.habitat.org/cd/env/restore.aspx

-Courtney

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

2010-04-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

I know, it’s been over two weeks since my last post.

Let’s just say I’ve been distracted by the nice weather.

Here’s what you’ve missed:

The Good: A few weeks back I took a solo trip to NYC. The purpose of the trip was to attend the second part of a yoga adjustments workshop at Jivamukti. The workshop was fabulous. The weekend ended up being about practicing-lots-of-yoga-eating-rich-foods-&-drinking-good-wine. (A bit contradictory? Yes. But, as any yogi knows… it’s all about balance!)

But I digress. I did not bring this up because of what I did in NYC. I’m mentioning the trip because of what I didn’t do. I did not step foot into any type of retail store. Not The Strand. Not the ginormus Apple store on 5th Avenue. Not lululemon. None of ‘em. And it was an utterly satisfying trip. That’s progress my friends.

The Bad:
We bought paint. Eco friendly? Yes. Used? No.

(Full disclosure: I picked the colors. Brian paid.)

The Ugly:
By mid-May our house will be crawling with construction crews installing new wood floors, carpet, seven new windows, & exterior siding.

We went as “green” as possible (even choosing carpet derived partly from corn).

Brian signed all of the contracts and wrote all of the checks, but I would be lying if I said I sat idly by while he chose the products. Truth be told, I was very vocal throughout the selection process.

Is this cheating? Maybe. Okay… Probably.

However, in this case the long-term investment in our home won out over the Y.O.N.N. project. Consider this my confession. I’ll try to do better tomorrow.

~Stacey

Article on Consumerism

2010-04-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

My mom sent me a great article on American consumerism. There are some interesting questions posed, http://finance.yahoo.com/news/How-to-Be-a-Savvy-usnews-3454225752.html?x=0

-Courtney

Living with a Piece of Hollywood.

2010-04-17T19:17:00.001-07:00

I'm finding that there are so many things I wouldn't have discovered had it not been for a Year of Nothing New. When Mike and I moved in together, we only had a bed, a sofa, and a dresser. Our roommates from our previous house had supplied all the other furniture needed. Mike and I figured we'd just pick up the other things we needed: a kitchen table, a coffee table, a rug, and a desk at thrift stores or on craigslist.

So, I was trying to find a rug on craigslist, and I saw a posting for a gently used "rug sale" and thought I'd go check it out. I google mapped the sale location and showed up the next day to 20th Century Props in North Hollywood. That's right. A prop house where film and tv shows go to rent items. "Cool!" I thought.

Sadly, the prop house is closing at the end of April because business has been bad since the writer's strike. Amazingly, for me however, everything is on sale and open to the public for purchase. The gentleman at the desk had me sign in and gave me a clipboard to write down whatever I was interested in, which would be priced later on. Basically, you just write the number code on the item's tag and take it back to the office and they price everything for you.

I took the clipboard and I entered the store room: Rugs. Tables. Beauty Parlor Chairs. Taxidermy. Lanterns. Bathtubs. Hardware. Chairs. Umbrella holders. Etc. Etc. There was even a row of old telephones (most of which I was informed still work.) I took a very long list back to the front office and walked out with a really cool 1950's kitchen table, rug, and some awesome bookends. I had wanted even more, but these prices were a bit higher than my local thrift store.

I never would have known a place like this existed and I'm becoming much more aware of what's out there. Who wants a boring table from Ikea when you can get a piece of Hollywood??

-Courtney

Dirt?

2010-04-09T11:16:00.001-07:00

I bought dirt.

To be more accurate… I bought (in bulk) topsoil, mushroom compost, and mulch. I had a moment of hesitation over this purchase while pondering the question: Does dirt count as something new? And along the same line of thinking: Do flowers, plants and/or vegetable seeds/starts count as a new purchases?

I came to this definitive conclusion: No!

Which is good news for my garden. I welcome opposing opinions but here’s my reasoning:

• Buying dirt, seeds, plants, or flowers are all natural and, although cultivated, are not manufactured products
• I am resolved to only purchase products that are organic and from purveyors who take care not to harm the environment through their development or sale
• The vegetables and herbs grown in my garden will be used to feed my family’s bodies and the flowers to feed our spirits

(OK… that last point is a little cheesy, but I’ll sleep well tonight knowing that I’ve stayed true to this project while doing two of my favorite things: playing in the dirt and beautifying my environment!)

~Stacey

10 cents off

2010-04-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

I realized something today. Part of Stacey and I's commitment to this project is to bring a travel mug with us when we visit coffee shops instead of using the disposable cups they give you. Just another way to lessen waste. I can't say I've done this every single time I've gone to Starbucks, but I am getting back into the habit with it. And I realized something today. If you bring your own mug, Starbucks gives you 10 cents off your coffee purchase. Now, wooptie-woo, 10 whole cents, but really its a nice gesture. And if you put all those 10 cent discounts together for all the coffee purchased from people who bring in their own mug, I'm sure that is a chunk of change for a cooperation as large as Starbucks. That made me feel good about going there today. That they are thinking about the environment. Think about doing the same!

-Courtney

Confession

2010-04-04T16:35:00.000-07:00

I cheated. I bought something new.

Here's how it went down:

I'm producing/filming a documentary on Mike's band Check in the Dark (awesome band, check out their new iphone app or website, checkinthedarkmusic.com). They are also working with Leighton Meester (of Gossip Girl) as her acoustic band and she suggested that she join them for their gig last night and play a few of the songs they've been working on together. "Great! Another cool thing to add to the documentary," I think. But as I go to grab a tape to record, I realize I'm out. Now, this all happened very last minute and as its only a few hours before I have to tape, so I don't have much time to think of what my other options could be and I'd like to think that there actually could be some. I cave. I swipe my debit card and buy a nice, plastic wrapped 3 pack. First glitch.

-Courtney

Moving and Moving the Crap Out

2010-03-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

I'm moving. Next week. And with moving comes reflection, and not the peaceful kind. I find myself saying, "WHY THE HECK DO I HAVE ALL THIS STUFF???" on multiple occasions. And as I sort through it all, I'm much less attached to any of it. Things I've been carrying on from move to move that I've never used, or things I haven't worn in a while are all getting tossed into the 'donation box.' With pleasure. And without a second thought.

Tonight, Mike and I are headed to the half-off sale at the thrift store to try to find a computer desk, dining room table, a lazy boy chair, and possibly an area rug. And I'm stoked. Its such a fun thing...hunting through stuff at thrift stores. And even more exciting when things that are already really cheap are even cheaper. I really have grown to love having an eclectic style with stuff that mismatches but goes together. I like finding things with character and history. Wish us luck! Hope we hit the jackpot.

-Courtney

Bubba's Bored

2010-03-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

Bubba, our Shih Tzu, is bored. He misses the UPS guy. (More accurately- he misses barking at the UPS guy!) It's been nearly three months since our last package was delivered. Sorry Bubs... at least those stray cats are still roaming the neighborhood. ~Stacey

Four-Eyed Freak

2010-03-19T04:16:00.000-07:00

I knew this day would come.

It was inevitable, really.

My mom, dad, and brother all wear glasses. Growing up, we even had a collie that would have benefited greatly from corrective lenses.

Poor vision just runs in our family. So, when I started to have trouble seeing road signs while driving at night, I knew I had to go to the eye doctor.

The diagnosis was as expected: “Slightly nearsighted. Nothing glasses can’t correct.”

After the examination, I was taken to the front of the office to select my frames. As I was looking at the designer styles it hit me… I can’t buy new glasses. So, I asked the “framing specialist” to direct me to the section of frames that my insurance would fully cover. She looked disappointed and reluctantly led me to a small shelf containing exactly two frames: one labeled “men’s” the other branded “women’s”. This made the choice easy. I selected the “women’s” option and declined to even try them on.

I waited for my prescription to be filled and wore my glasses home.

And, WOW… it was like the world was suddenly being broadcast in high definition. I no longer cared that I was wearing generic frames. I was just happy to see things for what the really are. Clarity is a powerful thing!

~Stacey

Nothing is Everything

2010-03-17T11:06:00.001-07:00

Nothing huge to report, but I wanted to check in.

My bud James asked me the other day how "Year of Nothing New" was going. I honestly forgot for a moment that I was even doing it.

It's just a way of life for me now and only after a few months. Its become a habit to look for things used or talking myself out of needing something in the first place. I don't put myself in situations where I'll be tempted to make exceptions. I have more time for people in my life and activities cause I'm shopping less. And most importantly, I have a greater appreciation for what I do have.

I even like my clothes now. I know that sounds stupid, but for as long as I can remember, a "going out" night has always consisted of me saying, "Ah, man. I have NOTHING to wear." I think this has something to do with the overstimulation of constantly bringing new things to my wardrobe. Somehow it never seemed enough. Which makes no sense, but we women can all relate to the "Ah, man. I have NOTHING to wear" feeling, knowing quite well that we absolutely do have tons to wear and in abundance.

After limiting purchases and getting rid of stuff, now, when I go to my closet, I'm like, "This dress is cute...or...I haven't worn this one in a while!..." It's an amazing feeling to love what you have and actually wear it.

So in this year of nothing new, the nothing has meant everything to me and my spirit. And being reunited with my cute clothes!

-Courtney

Now It Really Sucks!

2010-03-12T02:16:00.001-08:00

Our vacuum died.

Actually it choked, smoked, and then it died.

As owners of a long-haired Shih Tzu, having a working vacuum is not an option, it is an absolute necessity. So, when our 2-year-old Hoover Uh70085 Pet Cyclonic bit the dust, Brian was ready to head to Best Buy that day for a replacement.

But I asked him to give me one week to attempt to repair it.

First, I tried to fix the contraption myself. But even with the help of an interactive “how-to” website the effort ended in a pile of parts and a cloud of dust.

Then, I found Herbert.

Herbert Matthie is the proprietor of H. Mattie Repairs located at 1828 West Liberty Avenue. Stepping into his modest storefront was like stepping into a simpler time. The 200 square foot space was filled (literally) to the ceiling with vacuums and sewing machines and as soon as Herbert came around the corner to greet me, I knew he was going to bring my Hoover back from the dead. His warm eyes took one look at me and my half-dissected machine and, holding back a chuckle, asked, “So, you need some help with that thing, ah?” He asked for my name and number and gave me a paper claim ticket. Then he sent me on my way.

A few days later, Herbert called to tell me the vacuum was fixed and reminded me of his “cash only” policy. After stopping at the ATM, I returned to his quaint shop and retrieved my like-new vacuum.

The thing that amazes me about this whole ordeal isn’t that it has a happy ending, but that before this project I would have hopped into that car with Brian and bought a new vacuum at Best Buy without even a half-hearted attempt to repair the old one. (To be completely honest, it never even crossed my mind that someone like Herbert and his store existed, let alone in my own backyard.) I am thankful for this gift of insight– for the opportunity to look at things differently and find new solutions.

~Stacey

My New Target

2010-03-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

So, I have to admit,I had a brief moment of panic when I started thinking about all the stuff Mike and I would "need" for our new place we are moving to in April. Things like kitchen towels, rugs, a microwave, toaster, a coffee table, a kitchen table...just all the basic house stuff which neither of us have. (We've been living with roommates who have these things.)I was about 90% sure that I'd be writing a confession post about how I had to run out to my local Target to purchase these items. But alas, I've figured out a way around it.

Over the weekend, I visited St. Vincent's De Paul in Lincoln Heights, http://www.yelp.com/biz/society-of-st-vincent-de-paul-thrift-store-los-angeles, and oh, my goodness...I struck gold. I've always been a "thrifter," but this place far surpassed my expectations. It was a warehouse and the best organized thrift store I've been to yet. For 20 bucks, I walked out with kitchen towels, pot holders, rugs, pillow cases, kitchen stuff, etc. And when Mike and I are ready to pick up the big stuff like tables and chairs, guess where we are headed?!

For all you Los Angeleans, please check it out! You'll need a good few hours. I spent the first hour just walking around, completely overwhelmed!

I encourage you all to look at your options when you need a common household item. There are so many available in thrift stores and we shouldn't keep manufacturing more of what is already in our consumer system.

-Courtney

Books and the City

2010-03-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

Last week, Brian and I spent a long weekend in NYC. It’s our favorite city to visit (we even honeymooned there). We try to make the trip a few times each year and usually pass our days shopping and our nights visiting with friends at thrilling restaurants or charming wine bars– but this year with shopping off the menu, we had to get creative with our afternoons. So, we decided to scour the city for the best used bookstore.

I know, we managed to replace shopping with, well, shopping. But at least we were setting our own terms and making a game out of it.

Brian and I have been known to get a little crazy when it comes to books (used or new) so to keep us both honest, ensure we could repack our suitcases, and to give our mission an added purpose, we came up with this one rule: One used book each. Period.

For a book addict like me this “one book rule” was worse than buying nothing at all. But I wholeheartedly accepted the challenge.

After visiting the usual spots (the Strand Bookstore, East West Books, Forbidden Planet, and East Village Books) we were still empty handed and a bit overwhelmed.

Then, on the advice of a friend, we headed to Alabaster Bookshop, which turned out to be the “hole-in-the-wall” retailer we were searching for. The smell, the shopkeeper, the shelves bowing under the immense weight of Tolstoy and Austen and Woolf – convinced us that we would find our treasures in this small but perfect place.

As it turned out, we did. Brian found a fun children’s book about a magical ninja (whose cover art ended up being much more interesting than the tale inside) and I picked up a copy of Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman (not exactly classic literature, but it made for a pleasant read during the flight home).

Overall, I loved our hunting expedition. It was the most meaningful (and cheapest) shopping experience I’ve ever had in New York City.

~Stacey

PS. I just wanted to take a moment to plug Hotel 17

“The newly renovated Hotel 17 is a chic budget hotel conveniently located in Downtown New York near the East Village.” I’ve stayed there about a dozen times over the last four years and think it is the best kept secert in the city. The price is great, the rooms are clean, and the staff is friendly. If you are okay with having a shared bathroom, I recommed you check it out on your next trip to New York! (And no, I did not receive any type of kick-back for this endorsement.)

Shopping as a Necessity, Not a Sport

2010-02-28T20:18:00.001-08:00

My relationship to food and shopping for food has become much more meaningful since I've not been shopping for other items. I wake up early each Sunday and make my way to the local farmer's market, where I stock up on salad mix, oranges, fish, and herbs. I take time when I'm there. I see the vibrancy of colors and smells and really enjoy the process of speaking with the farmers who have grown my food. I think, in a way, it has replaced my hobby of shopping for sport. Because it's still shopping, but it's shopping out of necessity. Which has both a value and a purpose.

Mike and I reap the benefits for the rest of the week. Each night as I cook, I revisit what I've purchased and it nourishes and gives our bodies the energy we need. Much more so than a stupid sweater or hat.

-Courtney

You know you're doing good when...

2010-02-23T18:52:00.001-08:00

You know you are doing good when a place you used to shop sends you a "We miss you card" and offers you 20 bucks towards your next purchase.

Sorry, DSW. I don't miss you. I actually forgot about you.

-Courtney

Ownership, Entitlement, & Pittsburgh Street Parking

2010-02-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

You’re a Pittsburgher if:
• You know at least three people named after Terry Bradshaw
• Your local bar has a “Yings & Wings” night which you attend frequently
• You expect french fries to come on top of your chicken salad
• You can make a four course meal out of perogies
• You save your parking spot with a chair

Until this last snowstorm, I guess I wasn’t a true Pittsburgher because I prided myself in never having defended a parking space with a chair. In fact, the whole idea of claiming a section of public roadway as personal property seemed undemocratic- a real slap-in-the-face to the concept of creating community.

But then I spent 2 ½ hours digging my car out from under a mound of snow and ice.

Since the street parking around my house was cut by at least a third due to poor snow removal, my neighbors were becoming protective of their parking spaces. Slowly, chairs, garbage cans, flower planters, tires, and saw horses began to hold the place of SUV’s and minivans.

And then I joined in the hysteria. For nearly a week, I lugged an old green chair from my porch to save “my” parking spot as I went about my day. I would even call Brian in the evening when I was a few minutes away and have him remove the chair and stand guard until I could safely tuck my VW Rabbit into its rightful slot.

However, yesterday I was running late for an appointment and forgot to grab the chair. When I returned home, my spot was occupied and I had to park three blocks away. I was furious. I thought about writing a mean message in the dusting of snow sticking to the windshield of the problem vehicle. Something like: “How dare you take my parking space!” or “MOVE or DIE” or “ F--- You!”

Luckily, I took a deep breath and came to my senses before I made a fool of myself.

As I write this, I’m still stunned at the attachment I cultivated for a parking space. But, if I’m honest, the emotions and sense of entitlement that bubbled up to the surface in this situation are no different than my reactions when other possessions (and even relationships) in my life are threatened. I’m certainty not proud of this character trait, but I’m thankful to have exposed it and hope to correct it.

And, Lee Anne– you & Paul will be relieved to know that I’ve decided never to save a parking spot again.

~Stacey

2010-02-16T06:53:00.001-08:00

Sorry, couldn't help it. I wanted to add what I originally came to post, too:

I just read Thich Nhat Hanh's book, The Heart of Understanding. I love him, if you've never read him. He's a Vietnamese Buddhist and he has the most simple, lovely things to say. The whole book is about inter-being, how we are in and a part of everything. Nothing is separate, everything is empty of itself because it is a part of everything. A piece of paper has sunlight in it because the tree it took to make it is made from the sunlight it needed to grow. We are in that piece of paper because we cut the tree down and made it.

In a time of reflection and in working with this project, I find the less I have and the less I want to have, the more I see myself in all the things that I am already surrounded by. Pretty cool.

-Courtney

A Piggyback on Reflection

2010-02-16T06:35:00.000-08:00

I sat down to write something else this morning, but I just read Stacey's last post and it got me thinking. Now winter in California looks nothing like her photo, but its still a time when its cooler and people aren't running to the beach in groups or hosting many cookouts. People stay home more. And I've been staying home a lot. I've found this winter to be extremely reflective and I think that is largely due to this project.

I am so appreciative of the time I've had not running around, exhausting myself shopping and I think I'm also encouraged to do less. I'm not going out to dinner or drinks with friends as much or seeing as many movies...not that people are bad, but I've really enjoyed coming home. I've enjoyed being protective of my time and the people I do fill in it. I've been writing more. Reading more. Sleeping more. And it feels really good. Really peaceful.

I also cleaned closets again this weekend and took a few more bags to goodwill. Feels good to have space. :)

-Courtney

Snowbound & Down

2010-02-11T03:39:00.000-08:00

For the last six days I have been virtually trapped in my house due to the two-plus feet of snow that continues to fall on Pittsburgh and my city’s inability to efficiently clear the streets. I ventured out a few times (both on foot and by car) but for the most part I’ve been passing the time by reading, practicing yoga, writing, watching movies, listening to music, and relaxing. It’s been a time of true reflection.

It’s also been great for this project. With no temptation (or ability) to go out and shop, I’ve had a chance to really take inventory of the stuff in my life. The guitars I barely play anymore, the Rosetta Stone (Spanish addition) I had to have– but barely use, the CD’s, DVD’s, books, plays, magazines that are now more decorations than constructive tools employed in my everyday life.

So, I’ve decided to go through my belongings and as we remodel our home, I plan to donate or sell ANYTHING that hasn’t been used (by me or Brian) in over a year. I will keep you updated on the tally (and let you know what Brian thinks of this brilliant idea).

~Stacey

Presents That Have Presence

2010-02-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my birthday, and because I have such wonderful people in my life, I received some wonderful gifts. So many of them weren't physical gifts...things I could hold in my hand and later throw into a closet. These gifts were virtual, a set of yoga classes via a podcast from Stacey(my blog-mate), and a song my boyfriend Mike wrote and recorded for me. My friend Faith gave me the gift of an afternoon together yogaing, lunching, and hours talking and laughing. My mother gave me a gift card to a restaurant which in turn I had a nice meal out with Mike. My friend Monica is planning a birthday outing which will more than likely include dinner and a concert. I also received an array of cards and lovely notes and messages.

These gifts were better than any trinket because they involve time with the people I love, activities to enjoy life, and in turn were so very meaningful. I encourage you to think about what it is you are giving, the next time you have to give a gift. Make sure to give a little of yourself!

-Courtney

Test

2010-02-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

Seeing if the email subscription part we added is working...is anyone receiving email updates?

Wanna Subscribe?

2010-02-02T20:42:00.000-08:00

We added a feature to the blog (you'll see it to the right...it says SUBSCRIBE VIA email) which will allow you to receive email updates whenever we add a new post. If you are interested, please sign up! You'll receive a confirmation email which you need to confirm. Mine went to my junkmail inbox, so you might have to check for it there!

Thanks!
Courtney and Stacey

Finding Meaning in Meaningful Things, not Material

2010-02-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

So, I haven't written for a week or so. Not because I've lost interest or focus. Not because I cheated and couldn't face you all. I've been taking this week to observe something and not be so quick to judge it. I wanted to think about the WHY's of our purchasing habits and here's what I came up with:

Why do we buy? Well, I think we buy things to fill empty parts of our homes and selves. I think we often feel the need for a quick fix, something to ease our anxieties, sadness, boredom, happiness...really a variety of emotions we may not even realize that we are experiencing. We buy things when we want to celebrate something good that's happened. We buy things to fill up time. To cover up. To clutter up. To add to our lives because we think that having games, clothes, gadgets, and things mean something or add to our worth as people.

What happens when we stop buying? We have more space for love and the people in our lives. We have less to worry about and maintain. We know ourselves better because we have less to be distracted with. We learn to make more of the things we do have and with that, comes gratitude and worth. We have more time. We feel cleaner. We feel expansive.

At least I do.

Now, I know I'm just a month in, but this month has deeply impacted my habits and life choices. I think this may end up being a life choice, not just a choice for this year. I like what I get when I'm not getting.

-Courtney

Get Paid to Recycle Electronics

2010-02-02T03:50:00.000-08:00

I heard about this website on npr yesterday. Check it out: www.yourenew.com
~Stacey

First-Time Homeowners (Cont’d.)

2010-01-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

First, I must take a moment to thank Sarah (aka Slinny), Lauren, Jenn, Jen, Jenny C., Katie, Nancy (aka my mother) and Courtney for their heartfelt responses (both on the blog and during conversations struck throughout the week) to my question, “Does ‘nothing new for a year’ include home improvements?”

The replies were mixed.

My mom offered to pay for the updates now with the understanding that I’d repay her next year. No worries, I declined her very generous offer.

Sarah thinks, “home improvements are separate. Fixing up a house is a huge job and I applaud anyone who tackles that project.” While Lauren maintains that, “home improvements do count as something new because being able to improve on your home is a luxury, not a necessity.”

And, to be honest– I think both women are right.

When I asked Courtney about her thoughts on the question she reminded me that our purpose of starting this project in the first place wasn’t about making life harder than it needs to be or challenging ourselves, but rather to start thinking about things differently… more sustainably.

And with that, I decided to proceed with home improvements in the following manner:

2010 – During my “year of nothing new”
• Pull up ugly green carpet and install wood floors (using recycled, reclaimed wood)
• Update bathroom using recycled and repurposed materials purchased at Construction Junction and/or other retailers specializing in secondhand building materials
• Landscape front yard (hiring a landscaper who specializes in eco practices. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.)

2011 & Beyond
• Replace windows*
• Replace exterior siding*
• Remodel kitchen*
• Paint*
(*using recycled materials when possible)

I’m not sure how my decision on this matter will land with everyone, but I’ll sleep well (in my soon to be improved home) knowing that I came to this conclusion mindfully and staying true to what I set out to do this year.

I’ll keep you posted on how it all unfolds.

~Stacey

Asking for Help

2010-01-24T09:30:00.000-08:00

I'm not a person who generally asks for help. I'm a bit stubborn sometimes, thinking I can and should do everything for myself. Now, this goes against all my thoughts on community and a give/take relationship with other people and the world. I enjoy helping out friends. I like doing things for my boyfriend, etc., etc. But when it comes to asking others, sometimes I'm a bit shy or feel undeserving.

I ran into my first, 'WHAT DO I DO?' moment on Friday. See, I've been working on a film for a year and a half and the director, Cory and I were to go to the sound studio to pick up the final version of our picture/sound, and I needed to bring a few DVD-R's to burn the movie on. As I was hanging up the phone with Cory, I said, "Sure! I'll pick up some DVD-R's on my way over," not thinking anything of it. And when I hung up the phone, I went, "Oh, no...but I can't buy anything new."

I instantly started reassuring myself that it was fine to make this exception...'I've been working on this project for so long...this is my work'...etc. But then I looked at the situation. I decided to really try to think it through. And I realized that my roommate Eric might have a few DVD-R's that I could have. So I asked...for help..."Sure!" he said, "I have like 50. I'll totally give you a few."

'Wow.' I thought. If it wasn't for this project, I never would have looked at this option. Its amazing the resources and help we have around us...if we'd only just look around and ask.

-Courtney

First-Time Homeowners

2010-01-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

It’s official… Brian and I are homeowners!

Don’t worry, this isn’t some newly constructed McMansion… no, we purchased a used home. Used, most recently by us as renters for the past four years. Before that, it was used by my Grandparents for over 50 years. (It’s the very house where they raised my mother and her five siblings). Prior to my grandparents, the house was used by a family named McGinnis who left Pittsburgh for sunny Florida after only eight snowy winters. And, from what I can piece together, the home’s original owners sold the house after an ugly and scandalous (for those days anyway) divorce.

Needless to say… the home’s history is palpable.

But, as with any used home - as charming as its story may be, it comes with countless possibilities for updates and improvements.

Here’s our list:
• Pull up carpet and install wood floors on the first floor
• painting (first floor)
• replace windows
• replace exterior siding
• update bathroom
• remodel kitchen
• exterior landscaping

Which brings me to the question at the center of this post:

Do home improvements count as new purchases?

Can we install new floors? If so, does it have to be reclaimed wood? What about painting? Does paint count as a tangible item? Can I pay someone to landscape, even if they purchase new supplies to complete the job? Should I just wait until 2011 and use this year to plan and find the best deals? Or, do I blatantly cheat and have Brian pay for everything?

When Courtney and I set down the rules for this project, we knew there would be gray areas like this that would need more contemplation. (I just didn’t think I would come to such a crossroads in the first month!).

So, I turn to you for guidance. What do you think… Does “nothing new for a year” include home improvements?

~Stacey

Detaching from Attachment

2010-01-20T08:27:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend Mike and I are moving. With this comes a lot of excitement for me and our relationship, but also the opportunity to set new intentions for our home and what home means to us.

Not buying anything new this year has given me a new look at moving. In the past, I've spent hours and hours boxing up crap that I just lug on to the next space and unload, set up shop, and start again. But I want to be purposeful with this move. I want a garden, I want to live somewhere that is more woodsy, but mostly, I want to declutter. For real.

I want space to breath. Whenever I go to yoga, I feel like I can breathe. Yoga studios are minimal in their stuff and decorations. There's not crap hanging on every wall. There's not item after item of stuff on shelves and tucked under tables.

We're not moving until April or May, so I have time in the next few months to do some serious getting rid of... I've noticed that since we've been doing this blog, I've become far less emotionally attached to my stuff. I'm finally able to entertain the possibility of getting rid of a pair of pants that are just too big, but I've held on to in case maybe they fit again. I have jackets that are lovely, but I just never wear. "But they are in great shape!" I tell myself. But what's the point of holding on to stuff if it's just sitting in a closet? Why not take them to the thrift store so someone else can purchase them and say, "Wow! These are great. I'll totally get a lot of use out of them!" Stuff is meant to be used and I don't want anything more than what I'm using. And I certainly don't want to have to cart stuff I'm not using from place to place.

I'm also toying with the idea of getting rid of my cell phone when we move and going back to a landline and answering machine. I miss the days of coming home and checking messages and hate being so freaking accessible all the time. I'm not a doctor. Why does someone need to reach me RIGHT NOW? Anyway, I have a work phone. I have IM. I have email. I'm accessible enough. Now, I'm not sure how serious I am about this part, but I've just got to thinking about how we do things, like get cell phones, because it's just what people do. Everyone has a cell phone, so I should have a cell phone. Well, maybe we should start thinking for ourselves. I'd like to try.

-Courtney

The Most Important MP3 Player, Ever!

2010-01-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

“You can talk yourself into, or out-of anything.” That’s what my friend Sean says quite frequently in his yoga classes. And, in the context of a yoga class, his words have always made sense to me. (No, I don’t really need to do a fifth wheel pose. Four are definitely enough… I’ll just lie here awhile longer and relax. That’s much better for me anyway, right?) But, I’ve never really considered the statement to have much relevance in my day-to-day existence… until this venture, that is.

I recently decided that I was in desperate need of an MP3 voice recorder to create podcasts of my yoga classes to share with my students. And, because this was technically a “business” expense I was poised to purchase the recorder without hesitation or thought of this project. That is, until I shared my plans with Brian whom, so supportively over a dinner I lovingly prepared, took me on an all-expense-paid guilt trip that even my devout Catholic mother would be envious of:

“Sure, it’s fine to buy a NEW MP3 player with your business account if you’re willing to compromise the goals of the entire project without even making it to the one-month mark. By the way, these potatoes are fantastic!”

The dinner didn’t end well.

But, as I was washing the dishes I realized he had a point. If I was really going to do this, I couldn’t talk myself into purchases that directly conflict with my aspirations for this year. So, I decided to try and find the MP3 player used. And, to my delight and surprise, I found the exact product I was looking for at a 1/3 of the cost from the Amazon.com Warehouse (www.warehousedeals.com/).

My Sansa MP3 recorder arrived in perfect working order, but more importantly I didn’t have to compromise my ideals to get it.

Oh, and for you sticklers out there, I stayed in complete compliance with the “rules” by placing my old iPod in a box heading to Goodwill.

~Stacey

Haiti Relief Challenge... Don't Do Nothing, Just Buy Nothing!

2010-01-15T11:27:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, a series of earthquakes devastated Haiti on January 12th, 2010. In an attempt support the distressed country, we present to you this challenge:

Over the next week join us in buying nothing new except for the necessities (food, water, gas, etc.) and record your savings. At the end of the week, donate the exact dollar amount that you saved during your “Week of Nothing New” to the American Red Cross: www.redcross.org (Be sure to click on the HAITI RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT button when donating.)

And… if you are so inspired, share your experience of the week with us by commenting on this post.

Thanks in advance for accepting this challenge.

~Stacey & Courtney

“Many hands make light work.” –John Heywood

Brian's Birthday!

2010-01-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

They say it’s all about timing. And, as fate would have it, my husband’s 32^nd birthday arrived twelve days after I started this project. Of course, I did not consider this fact during my December 31^st final shopping spree, and found myself without a proper gift to give him.

I entertained the idea of going to Goodwill or making a trip to City Books (a great used book store located in Pittsburgh's South Side), but I just couldn’t bring myself to give him a secondhand item for his birthday.

So, I got creative.

Actually, I got down and dirty and I decided to clean and organize Brian’s videogame room in our basement. We jokingly refer to this area of the house as “The Man Cave”, because when a new videogame is released, Brian disappears, and for all intensive purposes “hibernates”, in the basement for hours at a time.

Over the four years we’ve lived in this house, I’ve let his sanctuary be. Only venturing downstairs to do the laundry or fetch the Christmas decorations. But left alone, the situation spun out-of-control. Slowly, pop cans, beer bottles, empty boxes, and other unidentified objects, began to litter the floor and the couch became a graveyard for long replaced gaming consoles and controllers. It got so bad that Brian even commented on the mess:

“I really need to clean The Cave. Maybe this Saturday.”

Well, six months of Saturdays came and went, but the basement just got worse. That's how I decided this would be the perfect gift.

Call it practical, call it desperate, call it… selfish even, but I call it priceless. A birthday gift that money can’t buy.

It took 4 hours, 2 garbage bags, 1 vacuum, countless cleaning products, and a good playlist… but The Cave was clean. I was pleased with the results… and so was Brian.

Happy Birthday, Kid!

~Stacey

My New Collection

2010-01-13T08:35:00.001-08:00

I'm starting a collection.

Don't freak out. I'm not buying anything. Allow me to explain...

My friend Cally, who I mentioned in my last post, presented me with a challenge. He told me that in the UK, various plants and flowers are studied by collectors and growers, and if they achieve a certain breadth of the species, they are given status of having the NATIONAL COLLECTION OF... (whatever the plant is). And with this title, they get to be the first expert to be consulted on the species. Cally encouraged me to start a collection of my own, finding the most obscure free thing to collect with the idea that at the end of the year I will have the NATIONAL COLLECTION of this item. And then he suggested that I present the collection to the Library of Congress at the end of the year.

He suggested to start a collection of items such as bottle tops, receipts, even the mis spellings of my name.

He then explained to me the kind of collections he has...stamps, the insides of envelopes, colorful fruit stickers...all a reminder of the gifts of beauty we are given on a free basis everyday.

I am accepting his challenge BUT after thinking about it, the whole purpose of this year for me is to not to acquire any new junk (not that his collections are junk, they obviously mean something to him). I thought back to some of the things I collected as a young person- baseball cards, teddy bears, greeting cards...and how little they ended up meaning to me in the long run.

I'd like this collection to mean something. And I'd like to get use out of it. I don't want this collection to sit in a drawer or on a shelf.

So......

I've decided to collect something that doesn't take up any space. I've decided to start collecting THE THINGS PEOPLE SAY. These statements can be things people say to me, things people write, song lyrics, things I hear on the radio, but more interestingly, the things people say to each other when they don't think I'm listening. And to make use of them, I want to try to reuse these things that people say in my writing. For those who don't know me, I write plays, short stories, poems, screenplays....and I'd like to try to incoorporate the things I hear people say in my work.

How's that for a collection?

-Courtney

All My Life For Sale

2010-01-10T08:19:00.001-08:00

I had written my dear friend Cally about what I was doing and he forwarded it on to some friends of his. One of them wrote him back, telling him about a project that happened early in the decade. Here's a plug for that project, http://www.allmylifeforsale.com/

'Fed up with his inability to quell the constant flow of objects into his apartment and determined to be able to fit his life into the trunk of his car, one day John Freyer decided to sell everything he owned on the Internet. He invited his friends over to tag his possessions and systematically put them up for sale on eBay. An opened box of taco shells, half a bottle of mouthwash, almost all of his clothes, his favorite records, his sideburns (in a plastic bag), his family's Christmas presents (not yet given), furniture: John didn't let sentiment or utility stand in his way. Soon his belongings were sold all over the world, with a bag of PorkyÕs BBQ Pork Skins making its way to Japan, and a chair ending up in the Museum of Modern Art. ' And then he made a book about it.

Cool, right??? I went to amazon to buy the book used. I found it for 49 cents, and was about to buy it, when I stopped myself. I decided to check and see if my local library had it and they did, so I put it on reserve....more in the spirit of what I'm trying to do.

As inspired by this facinating gentleman, John Freyer, I decided to do a sweep of my clothing and get rid of things I wasn't wearing anymore. I'm not selling them on ebay, but I did donate the following to the Salvation Army:

1 pair of jeans, 2 purses, 3 t-shirts, 3 dresses, 2 pants, 8 tank tops, 2 shirts, 3 books, 5 shorts, 2 knick nacks, 2 sweatshirts, and a vest.

And you know what? I'll bet you I won't miss any of it.

-Courtney

H&M and Walmart - REALLY?????

2010-01-08T08:30:00.001-08:00

I wasn't planning to write today, but I saw this New York times article featured on yahoo this morning, and my mouth dropped to the floor.

Here's an excerpt:

At the back entrance on 35th Street, awaiting trash haulers, were bags of garments that appear to have never been worn. And to make sure that they never would be worn or sold, someone had slashed most of them with box cutters or razors, a familiar sight outside H & M’s back door.

Please read it, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/nyregion/06about.html

I don't think I need to comment on it. It speaks for itself. I am just so saddened to learn that major cooperations would choose to spend their time making clothes/shoes unusable than to reach out to a poverished city that needs them more than ever.

-Courtney

My Marriage & Money

2010-01-07T17:36:00.000-08:00

The other day my horoscope read, “This is a good day for a carefree lunch with friends or a quick shopping expedition.”

Don’t worry, I picked the lunch.

It was nice to catch-up with an old friend. When I told her about this project and my resolve not to buy anything new this year, she was puzzled. She seemed concerned:

“But shopping is such a great form of entertainment. Won’t you be bored?”

I blew the question off and gave her some bullshit answer claiming that shopping has never been a form of entertainment for me. But later, as I was driving home, I realized how untrue my response was.

I’ve used shopping as a form of amusement for years. And if I’m totally honest with myself, shopping has been a foundation of my relationship with my husband, Brian.

While we were dating and during the first couple years of our marriage, Brian and I shopped like it was a sport. And it was a thrill… a turn-on, even. We would "one-up" each other. It became a game. I bought the newest Mac computer. He purchased a Mustang. We were both drunk on the power that comes with that first “real-job” paycheck.

But we got carried away. Soon, our income wasn’t enough and we started buying on credit. Things added up, and quick. Before we knew what had happened, we were tens of thousands of dollars in debt. And then Brian unexpectedly lost his job. We moved back to Pittsburgh, our hometown, ashamed. Embarrassed.

For us, the financial downturn happened a few years before the recession hit the rest of the country. Before it was trendy to do things like “live on a budget” or “go without”. Still, despite the pressures and numerous temptations to buy more, we changed our spending patterns dramatically. Got out of debt. And built a respectable savings. We had really changed. We were now fiscally evolved creatures, Right? Wrong.

As recently as December 2009, we killed an entire Saturday at the mall. Granted, we bought everything with cash rather than on credit, but I don’t even remember what we purchased. I guess I still have a little work to do.

So, for me, this year is about owning-up to my spending habits and breaking destructive patterns.

I can’t wait to spend time with Brian rather than spending money with him.

~Stacey

Enough is enough for me

2010-01-07T06:31:00.001-08:00

Day 7 and a week in! I'm doing good.

So strange...I was standing in line at the grocery store last night, and I don't know how to really describe this, but I'm looking at the stuff they have by the registers...the last minute stuff they get you to buy. The stuff that makes you go, "Oooo! yeah. I need that!" ...the stand with the razors and gum, the magazines and dental floss, and phone cards... And I started staring at this stuff like I was an alien or the stuff was alien to me.

And I just got offended for a minute. I was standing there, offended because whoever set up this stand thought that my shopping wasn't good enough. Like they were saying to me, "Hey, Dumb-o, you forgot this, or you didn't buy up to the American standard. We need you to buy more."

But the truth is, I got the milk and cheese I needed. And I don't need your stupid beef jerky or advil.

And in the midst of my staring, the kind gentleman behind me had to nudge me and tell me it was my turn to pay. I wonder what he thought I was thinking about.

Enough is enough for me, I guess.

-Courtney

It's not you, it's me!

2010-01-05T12:52:00.000-08:00

Quick Update: I just spent the last 35 minutes unsubscribing to retailers' e-newsletters. About 15 in all. It feels freeing. And I'm looking forward opening my email without being tempted to buy yet another yoga tank or bestseller. You should try it, really! :) ~Stacey

I Shop Like a Dude Now

2010-01-05T08:24:00.001-08:00

I don't mean to be boring, but it's Day 5 and this has not been a challenge for me at all. I hope you 6 followers aren't sitting at the edge of your seats, hoping I'll slip up or binge shop, or whatever else I could do to screw this up. Now, that being said, it still is only Day 5, and anything can still happen.

On another note, I do need to say that this process is exceeding all expectations of what I thought it would mean to me. I am looking at it on a much larger scale, not only at the material things that come in and out of my life. This project has me thinking about all the excess in my life. In a fabulous way. For example, I realized that the phone plan Mike and I share has 1400 minutes. And that seems like a hell of a lot. So I called Verizon this morning, and realized we'd only been using 300-some minutes between the two of us. Incredible! So, I downsized to the 700 minute plan, and am saving us 20 bucks a month. Not bad.

I feel so expansive. So free. It sounds silly, but I really feel like I have this whole weight off my shoulders. Like I have less to do because I have less to buy and carry around with me. I wasn't expecting this at all. Last night, I went to Big Lots to buy wine (In California, Big Lots has tons of $3-4 bottles of California wine.) In the past, I would have picked up the wine and then walked up and down the aisles looking for whatever else I might need. But I can't buy any of that stuff any more, so I walked in, got my wine, and walked out. Like a dude would. Guys, for the most part, go into a store, get what they need, and get out. And I love that. I love my new dude way of shopping.

-Courtney

Hi, my name's Stacey and I'm a magazine addict.

2010-01-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

Here we are, day four and I'm already amazed at what I'm learning about myself as a consumer.

I've never been the kind of girl to buy expensive clothes or worry much about brand name items (except for Lulu, of course). But when it comes the the small things, the impulse buys, I go crazy without even noticing it.

Like on Sunday, I was doing my weekly grocery shopping and without realizing it, I had put two cooking magazines into my cart. A habitual (and completely unnecessary) purchase for me. It felt good the put them back on the rack. And I saved about $10 in the process.

To breaking my magazine habit! ~Stacey

Target and a Moon Hike

2010-01-02T22:55:00.000-08:00

Day two. Smooth sailing.

A lot of this year for me will be about not going into stores. And the time I would have spent shopping is this gift of free time I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Like today, I went to Target to return a dress that I didn't end up wearing on New Year's eve. And normally, I'd return the dress and then go into the store and spend around 20-30 bucks on things I didn't really need. And I'd waste 20-30 minutes of time doing so. But instead of doing that today, I went home and spent 20-30 minutes reading, which felt like a better use of my time.

Tonight, my boyfriend Mike and I went on a moon hike. (For all of you Californians, I totally recommend it. Check out Devil's Punchbowl, which is about 1 hr and 15 min from Los Angeles.) I don't know if its just because this blog was on my mind, but we got to the top of the hill and we were looking out at the full moon above a bed of stars, and I started thinking about all the crap we surround ourselves with... how our lives are cluttered with stuff: pictures and decorations, instruments we never played, and dvds we'll never watch again, and how it just makes me feel suffocated sometimes. Being out under the moon and seeing the land around me, hows vast and powerful and empty it was made me feel like I could breathe cleanly. And I don't feel like I can breathe that way when I come home and see my overstocked life.

Just a thought.

-Courtney

Here goes... nothing!

2010-01-01T17:08:00.000-08:00

It was the first time I'd seen Courtney in almost a year. A long-awaited reunion with my best friend. I had no idea our visit would lead to such a radical New Year's resolution, but when she told me about the conversation she had with Vytas and her intention to follow his lead, I knew I had to join her on this journey.

Of course, as soon as I decided to commit to this project I granted myself one last consumer binge. Here's what I bought on December 31st, 2009:

1 book from Amazon (Save The Cat! - for the screenplay I've been putting off writing, but just know I'll get to this year).
2 pairs of yoga pants (that I will not wear until later in the year when I just need to pull a tag off of something).
Glee, Season 1 (Hey, we all have our vices!)
Amazon pre-order of Elizabeth Gilbert's new book, Committed. (I'm not sure if this is cheating since the book will not be released until Jan. 5th, but I'm taking my chances.)

This isn't going to be easy, but I'm ready... I think.

~Stacey

And so, we begin!

2010-01-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

So, here we go! But before we begin, I'd like to explain how this really started. Two years ago, about this time of year, I asked my yoga teacher Vytas if he had any New Year resolutions.

"Oh, sure," he began. "I'm not going to buy anything new this year."

'Are you crazy??' I thought. 'But we need stuff!'

But do we really? I began thinking about it. And this is what I came up with:

We need food, shelter, and sleep. Maybe a friend or two. And that's really it.

Last year, I noticed a change in my habits. The economy had something to do with it, but a lot of it came from asking myself why I wanted to buy this thing I didn't need or this shirt that I'd wear once and forget about. I began to love the hunt of finding stuff at the thrift store. I started buying more things used. I liked the idea that I was making use of things that were already in our consumer cycle.

But mostly, I found that the less stuff I accumulated, the more complete my life felt. I didn't miss anything that I had thought about buying.

So this year, I'm going balls out. I'm making a plan to not buy anything new. The point is not to challenge myself, but to live more simply. I think. :)

Wish me luck!

Courtney