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 44: Three for Free
So now we’ve got inflation again, and higher prices at the grocery store. We’ve got empty shelves, here and there. Supply chain problems, we’re told—but “chain” is too simple a concept. Our global interdependence is more like a fine web, covering the planet in such detail that nobody can understand much more than the nearbyContinue reading “Post 44: Three for Free“
Post 43: Distance Loving
I was allowed a parakeet in a cage; that’s all. No cats, no dogs. We babysat a cat once, my cousin John’s, for a week. It must have been traumatic for the cat: These days, we realize cats bond with their homes and prefer the babysitter to visit them, to fill their familiar food andContinue reading “Post 43: Distance Loving“
Post 42: Is Money the Root of All Evil?
You’ve certainly heard this ancient maxim, and you most likely have an opinion about it. Maybe you even know it’s from the New Testament (Paul’s letter to Timothy) and that in its earlier, longer form it read “the love of money is the root of all evil.” In my experience, modern commentary is more likelyContinue reading “Post 42: Is Money the Root of All Evil?”
KAY’S PICK of the WEEK
Hate the fact that you have to drive so much? You can “undo” some of your carbon emissions. Trees and plants take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere—so plant some. If your yard’s already full of green, or if you have more money than time, send $10 or $100 to American Forests (americanforests.org / 1220 L Street NW, Suite 750, Washington DC 20005 / 202-737-1944). The trees are just $1 each. Sounds like a good deal to me.
Older Posts
- Personal Confessions
- So What is New Stuff, Exactly?
- Warning! New Stuff Ahead!
- What I Did on my COVID Vacation, Pt. 1
- What I Did on my COVID Vacation, Pt. 2: Building Like an Animal
- What I Did on my COVID Vacation, Pt. 3
- How I Got This Way
- Wabi Sabi, Maybe?
- Minimalism. And Nuffi Stuffi.
- To See the World in a Plastic Cap*
- Free Drinks!!!
- Old Dog Learns New Tricks
- Why I Write This #@!$% 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?
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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 