Resisting consumerism, or, I will fill my tooth

That LaBlanca Dapper One-Piece Striped Maillot is now out in size 6 and more sizes are sure to go. I should not buy a thing but it fits and I wonder, should I take one before my size is out? I was hoping to get one at an end of summer sale, but there may be none left at this rate. The Dansko Harper Winter Boot, one of the world’s best shoes for me, is 50% off and has been discontinued. I should not buy a thing but this is a wise buy.

On the other hand, there will always be more shoes and more swimsuits. I also want manicures, facials, and Retinol, as I am most vain. I want a visit to Houston to see this. I want three or four hundred dollars worth of books, and a visit to New Orleans to look at additional books. The fact, however, is that due to inflation I have given up almost all studio time — something I used to consider non-negotiable — for the foreseeable future.

I should want patio furniture but I do not. I should want to replace my lost cellular telephone and stolen bicycle, but I do not. I should want blinds for the house and I do, rather, but my feelings of desire are not as strong as they are for a replacement for my lost raincoat, or for prescription glasses with transitional lenses. More minor things I want are hooks to hang the kayak inside the carport, dishes and linens, and earrings.

I want to go to the beach and I want to visit my family. I am already in debt for a hotel bill for one of my fall conferences. I will potentially have two other conferences before the end of fiscal 2014, each of which will involve air transportation although they will not be terribly expensive once one arrives.

I will resist all of these things so that I can fill my tooth and I keep forgetting, the car needs repair; these are the things I am thinking about taking on extra employment to pay for this summer (and of course, that hotel bill for which I have already been charged) … so that has to be it, and this is life after tenure.

Axé.


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