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 63: Guilt
Do you feel guilty when you sin? I’m not talking about when you break one of the Ten Commandments. Following the letter of these ancient laws is not the societal concern that it used to be. You probably don’t think much about keeping your graven images in check, or coveting your neighbor’s spouse, or makingContinue reading “Post 63: Guilt“
Post 63: Teeny Halloweeny Post
This entry will be short, in honor of the “holiday.” Beware the poison! Have you noticed the two kinds of pumpkins—Jack-o-lantern pumpkins and pie pumpkins? I used to eat my jack-o-lanterns after Halloween. Then a friend told me the pumpkins they sold for that purpose had less stringent regulations than pie pumpkins because they wereContinue reading “Post 63: Teeny Halloweeny Post”
Post 62: Top Ten Reasons You Love Pomegranates
10. They’re free and come with no packaging. Pomegranate trees are native to Iran and northern India—not the Sonoran Desert—but they do well in many climates, all over the world. Maybe yours. If you’re lucky enough to live where pomegranates are part of the landscape (and bearing fruit), pick one, open it, see if theContinue reading “Post 62: Top Ten Reasons You Love Pomegranates“
KAY’S PICK of the WEEK: Lydia Millet
Who says you can’t write zany, Pulitzer-quality fiction, and at the same time work as a devoted activist defending beloved endangered species? Check out her website to explore both sides of this exceptional writer. She has a new book out now.
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?
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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 