New Stuff Sucks
Intimate stories (and tips!) from the life
of one of America’s worst consumers
by Kay Sather
New stuff sucks?
What a strange thing to say. I mean, who doesn’t appreciate new things? Who doesn’t like to shop—in stores, online, however? And doesn’t shopping help the economy? You probably know someone who buys new stuff just to get a lift, or to feel better about something.
So you’re curious about who would say that, and why. Well, your curiosity has brought you to a good place. New stuff sucks for a lot of reasons, and the ones I talk about include entertaining stories, helpful ideas, humor, and different ways to look at life—based on facts, of course, not fantasies. If you keep reading, you might begin to agree that new stuff really can get in the way of happiness—your own, and the world’s. I’ve found it’s a lot of fun to get around it. And it’s not that hard.
So check out my blog posts and subscribe to get notified when I post more. My intent is to post something—long or short, with fun photos—each week. Welcome!
If you wish to share your ideas, you can reach me at kaysather@gmail.com
Latest from the Blog
Post 75: My Black Pearls
Blueberries? They couldn’t be blueberries! I’d never seen blueberries in the desert, or for sale in a Tucson farmer’s market, or in anyone’s garden in this town. And I certainly hadn’t planted them in my garden. I went in closer. The plant was loaded with little fruits, purplish-black, the size of blueberries or even slightly…
Post 74: What’s a Little Hard Labor Among Friends?
This is the second of a two-part story. For part one, see Post 73. We were, perhaps, close to halfway done digging the trench. At this point it was a little scary. Based on what we’d done so far, I was starting to believe It could happen. But the space we had to dig through…
Post 73: Retrenchment
Weeds were growing everywhere now, and starting to turn brown. I always checked the water meter box in the alley to make sure it was clear of them; otherwise I might get another reprimand from the city. This time it was clear of weeds. But the ground around it was wet, and the concrete box…
KAY’S PICK of the WEEK:*
New book edited by Greta Thunberg**
Greta Thunberg has just edited a book of 100 essays called The Climate Book, which she hopes will help “beginning climate activists”—including the many fans who approach her–find a starting point for their work. I haven’t read it yet, but I can’t wait to dive in. With that many voices represented, especially chosen by Greta, I know I’ll find both new information and new inspiration.
*I know, it’s been more like Pick of the Month lately. I apologize.
** You can get close to pronouncing her Swedish name using English sounds: GRAYa-ta TOON-burry
Older Posts
- Personal Confessions
- So What is New Stuff, Exactly?
- Warning! New Stuff Ahead!
- What I Did on my COVID Vacation, Pt. 1
- What I Did on my COVID Vacation, Pt. 2: Building Like an Animal
- What I Did on my COVID Vacation, Pt. 3
- How I Got This Way
- Wabi Sabi, Maybe?
- Minimalism. And Nuffi Stuffi.
- To See the World in a Plastic Cap*
- Free Drinks!!!
- Old Dog Learns New Tricks
- Why I Write This #@!$% Blog
- Garbage In, Beauty Out
- It’s Only Natural
- Miracle Growth
- Riches to Rags
- Henpecked
- Girl Power
- It All Comes Out in the Wash Water
- Motherlode: Free Gifts from Our Mother Earth.
- Ribbons Are Forever
- Shirts from Shower Curtains
- Oprah Was Wrong
- Biking into 2022
- An Unqualified Reviewer Takes On “Don’t Look Up”
- Flat Is Beautiful
- The Curbside Mall
- Post 29: The Compost Post
- Don’t Touch It—Eat It!
- Quest to Divest
- I Failed. My Own Kid Buys New Stuff
- Motion Sickness and the Unexamined Life
- Loving Your Before and After
- Don’t Shop. Repair Shop!
- Bad Influence
- What the Jell is Jojoba?
- Top 10 Reasons I Don’t Eat Out (Much)
- A Rose Is a Rose, But . . .
- A Fresh Code of Paint
- Post 41: No New . . . Caskets?
- Is Money the Root of All Evil?
- Distance Loving
- Three for Free
- Home Free
- Are We Too Many? (Part 1)
- Are We Too Many? (Part 2)
- Merch Madness
- Are You Wearing a Hair Shirt?
- It’s Raining Candy
- Golden Gonads
- A Monsoon Story
- Punished for Our Purchases
- The Forced Abdication of a Monarch
- My Top 10 Best Alley Finds Ever (Outdoor Edition)
- Tandemonium
- Fast Lane, or Purslane?
- Zero-Carbon Dating
- An Open Letter to President Biden on the IRA
- People Bought These 10 Items! You Won’t Believe What Happened Next!
- Why Don’t We Do It?
- Top Ten Reasons You Love Pomegranates
- Teeny Halloweeny Post
- Guilt
- Shifting Our Gifting
- The Point of Pointless Acts
- Is There Really a Goddess of Reuse?
- A New New Stuff Sucks!
- Are You a Winter Wimp?
- Fighting the Power (with Dandelions)
- Need a Job?
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Kay Sather is the coauthor (with Marge Pellegrino) of Neon Words, a writing book for teens and young adults. She was named Illustrator of the Year in 1995 by the Arizona Library Association. She has illustrated many children’s books, included the award-winning Soft Child, by Joe Hayes. Her articles and stories have appeared in the Mississippi Review, Edible Baja Arizona, The Santa Fe Reporter, Counterpunch, the Tucson Weekly, the Tucson Guide Quarterly, and many others. She has worked in publishing as a graphic designer, illustrator, and writer for more than thirty years. She has been the subject of a documentary titled Mud (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c3TF45M8j0&t=11s)
and is currently finishing a book detailing her experiences building a house by hand. Kay has a B.A. in German Language and Literature and an M.A. in teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Minnesota.
New Stuff Sucks 