Material Request

I am on my last task before closing the door behind me and leaving the world behind. I have begun to do some shopping online for a new digital recorder for the office. The double duty on my one there is getting maddening. I take it home for various things and forget to take it back to the office. Rather than having to make one work for both spaces, I have decided to by another one.

My nephew in the UK has said he wants to present it to me as an early holiday treat (and he hopes I will send him an MP3 of my increasing concentration session). Fair enough. Well, UK pricing is different than the US, and sites that comparison shop are also different. So I have become aware of a new product comparison site in the UK called Save Buckets. I sent that out to him with my request, so we will see what happens. He says he may also try buying a new laptop using the site.

According to a recent article on Channel 4 News, the amount people pay for gifts is staggering. Many are still paying off last year’s debts. So, it only makes sense to comparison shop. But how on earth have we come to this? I understand the nature of giving (and it is commendable), but at what cost? Should be we buying so much in the gift giving sense that we go into debt? Do our loved ones really want that from us?

Perhaps that last paragraph is hypocritical since this post began with my words about my nephew’s graciousness. But, maybe not (or maybe so and I am just justifying it) since it is more or less a trade for my help. And this way he is not beholden to me.

Well, I definitely need to quiet the mind. So, I am signing off until Monday.

Have a great weekend.