“I’ll need to move. I’ve been laid off.” Our housemate Scott’s face was unusually sober. He had been happily working as a carpenter here in Portland for a company that did home remodels. “The work has dried up because nobody is signing new contracts. My boss cut me loose yesterday.” My eyes welled with tears. [...]
Entries Tagged as 'family'
Laid Off: Not A Disaster If . . . .
January 14th, 2009 · 3 Comments · home & garden, lifestyle, simplicity, work
Tags: consumption·economics·family·government·housemates·jobs·laid off·life·Oregon·stimulus package·thrift
Ashes And Ancestors
January 3rd, 2009 · 1 Comment · community, nature, spirituality & religion
Yesterday the ten of us took my mother in law Joan’s ashes to Cannon Beach here in Oregon. She had loved the beach, felt deeply alive there, and had requested her ashes be scattered there. The day was bright but cold, way down in the 30′s with the wind-chill factor, and we huddled close like [...]
Tags: ancestors·Cannon Beach·consumption·family·Haystack Rock·Oregon·relationships·religion·Sobonfu Some
Decoupling Christmas From Spending
December 15th, 2008 · 6 Comments · health & well being, lifestyle, money
It’s about time that I write about Christmas, given that my blog is about happiness and consumption. I suggest we can decouple Christmas from spending, especially overspending, i.e. we can celebrate Christmas happily while living within our means, and the earth’s means. What we all need is a rich quality of life: loving relationships; health; [...]
Tags: Christmas·consumption·culture·economics·family·gifts·green living·happiness·love·Oregon·outdoors·presents·relationships·spending·thrift
The Great Sufficiency
December 6th, 2008 · No Comments · health & well being, spirituality & religion
My next post will be Part II of Making The Ocean Drinkable, my short series on desalination (see here for Part I). This weekend I am in Southern California, where I grew up, visiting family and friends, but particularly my elderly parents. Today’s post is more personal and inspired by my mother, who is in [...]
Tags: Depression·family·Great Depression·happiness·life·Parkinson's disease·soul
Diamonds To Dust: Needing Better Diamonds
September 19th, 2008 · No Comments · food & drink, lifestyle, simplicity, sustainability, transportation, work
We’ve got lots of blame, anger and flat-out fear flying around in reaction to the collapse of giants like Merrill Lynch — and also the government/taxpayers bailing them out. I’m feeling calm this morning, myself, which makes it a good time to write. What does it mean that all these profitable companies, these diamonds, are [...]
Tags: bailout·bipartisan politics·cars·credit·culture·development·economics·family·happiness·life·Merrill Lynch·quality of life·transit·walk
