Shopaholic Reform: Weekend Damage (4/24

Sunday, April 25

Weekend Damage (4/24 - 4/25)

Saturday

$5.03 - Dunks
$36.61 - Roche Brothers
$20.23 - CVS

So once again I walked out of CVS with a pile of greeting cards. I went in to buy wrapping paper and a card for Aaron's birthday, but am incapable of only buying one card at a time. Instead, I bought five. Maybe I should work for a greeting card company? Court and I had once dreamed of opening up our own greeting card business, sadly it never got off the ground.

Here's a taste of what we had to offer....

Front:
A picture of a girl eating a candy bar

Inside:
Congratulations on beating anorexia.

Impressive, I know. Not sure our style is really for everyone, but I think we could have found a niche market.

Sunday

$10 - Roche Brothers

food coloring (which I already had but forgot)
cookie batter (pre-made, I know...lame...just not feeling making batter from scratch, no time these days, or motivation for that matter)
organic vanilla extract

$26.51 - Bed Bath and Beyond

random baking accouterments (I'm going to make some sweet sugar cookies decorated with corporate logos on them for my presentation on Corporate Accountability International on Thursday...I find that my grades increases dramatically when I provide tasty snacks)

$26.43 - Home Depot

hardwood floor cleaner (Aaron had to get some underlay stuff for the new hardwoods that are going in next weekend...WOOHOO...and I decided we should probably have some way to clean said hardwoods)

Side note on the hardwoods: I was able to convince Aaron that he should purchase his new hardwood floors from somewhere local, instead of fueling the beast that is Home Depot. It took some research, field trips and whining but he agreed. I have to say though, it was the biggest pain ever. The first place we went came back at damn near triple the price of Home Depot and the woman took FOREVER to get a price and get back to us. So we found another local joint, which was far more responsive but still far from perfect. But all is said and done now, the floors are being delivered on Monday and will be installed by Aaron, his step-dad and one of his little brothers next weekend. Considering they do cost quite a bit more than the Home Depot floors I will be paying for a portion of the floors. It's only fair.

Other weekend news...I managed to break my vacuum. I have no idea how I managed it. I just pulled it around the corner and it got stuck, so I gave it a yank like I always do and crack, snapple, pop....the thing busted. So irritating. Luckily it was given to me by my grandmother, so I mean at least I didn't pay for it, but still now I suppose I need to get a new one.

While I would love to be able to buy one of the coveted Dyson dream machines, I just don't really see this fitting into my budget. Sad.

2 comments:

Agatha said...: We have that dyson and it is magical.; April 26, 2010 at 5:40 AM
Agatha said...: We have that dyson and it is magical.; April 26, 2010 at 5:40 AM

Post a Comment

Something to Chew On...

The downside to Globalization

1. “The general complaint about globalization is that it has made the rich richer while making the non-rich poorer. It is wonderful for managers and investors, but hell on workers and nature.”¹

2. Multinational corporations are accused of social injustice, unfair working conditions (including slave labor wages and poor living and working conditions), as well as a lack of concern for the environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and ecological damage.

3. Multinational corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions. Many think there is a threat of corporations ruling the world because they are gaining power due to globalization.

4. Opponents say globalization makes it easier for rich companies to act with less accountability. They also claim that countries’ individual cultures are becoming overpowered by Americanization.

5. Anti-globalists also claim that globalization is not working for the majority of the world. During the most recent period of rapid growth in global trade and investment, 1960 to 1998, inequality worsened both internationally and within countries. The UN Development Program reports that the richest 20 percent of the world's population consume 86 percent of the world's resources, while the poorest 80 percent consume just 14 percent.

6. Some experts think that globalization is also leading to the incursion of communicable diseases. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe.

7. Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. There is also an increase in human trafficking.

8. Social welfare schemes or “safety nets” are under great pressure in developed countries because of deficits and other economic ramifications of globalization.

As manufacturing continues to decline, so does our ability to innovate. In the long term, this means fewer well-paid jobs, lower productivity, declining wages, declining living standards and low economic growth. Globalization is a big part of this decline and will affect all jobs and all sectors of the economy. From the point of view of multinational corporations and Wall Street investors, globalization is probably viewed as a wonderful phenomenon with many opportunities. But from the point of view of American manufacturers, manufacturing workers, the middle class, professional service workers and overall economic growth, I think the disadvantages far out weigh the advantages.

-Mike Collins, The Pros and Cons of Globalization (2010)