Day Four of my not-so-swine flu saw me arise feeling slightly less shite, which was very exciting. To celebrate, I got out of bed, showered, put on clothes that were not pajamas, acessorised, had a cocktail of pseudoephedrine and Coke Zero and headed to my local library. Why? Well, apart from generating the odd blog entry, and in between all of the coughing and the napping, my week has been spent absorbing craft/sewing blogs (and vlogs!). I have gained much inspiration, but did not quite have the energy to haul my ass out of bed to my 'sewing station'. I have also been slowly clawing my way through the Thrift Book (you know, the one I impulse purchased pre-GSD), which has served to make me more excited about sewing and crafty things in general. It was the following quote that got me nodding along vigorously:
“Add the not insignificant fact that you’re peacefully sitting at home, fully engaged and being creative and self-sufficient, rather than running about town spending money and acquiring hangovers”
Yes, I may be about to go 'full-nanna'. But at least I will remain a Nanna with a penchant for good wine and gentlemen who know how to show a lady a good time.
I haven't been to the library in years and yes, I had to pay $6 worth of fines from goodness knows how long ago. Those folk at the Brisbane City Council Libraries, they never forget. I love libraries, there's something about the smell of books and the quest for knowledge that I just find absolutely intoxicating. But yesterday was the first time I walked into a library and could almost smell the Thrift. And I am embarrassed to say, I found it quite exciting.
Now, I am not sure I would ever consider Thrift
sexy, but when you are trying to change the way you do things, finding a useful tool is very exciting. I've grown up around books, and I love buying them. My parents are very much 'book people', with the
Lifeline Bookfest my mother's idea of heaven. I have discovered one of the byproducts of being privileged with plenty is that the concept of borrowing things like books is not something you are ever exposed to. My father is now at a point in his life where even the concept of renting DVDs is beneath him – "Why rent when you can buy?".
Unfortunately the income of a community-based social worker and a GP are very different and my motto must now be – "Why buy when you can rent on a $2 Tuesday?". In my father's defense he does buy ex-rental DVDs, which are much cheaper than the new ones. Although he has now started buying Blu-Ray . . .
I wandered in a flu haze through my local library being impressed with the different levels of Thrift on display. I think the most impressive examples were the elderly gent coming in to read the paper, or the women borrowing magazines. And while I am not sure I will ever be ready to borrow magazines from the library, I am absolutely ready to borrow 'how-to' books with the express intention of photocopying relevant sections. And while I do harbour some guilt around this and feel that it is perhaps a bit too 'tight-arsed' – I just don't have the cash to buy the books, or pay for sewing lessons.
So I walked out of the library with a pile of sewing and quilting books and a feeling of mild guilt. But also a feeling of self-importance and piousness, which I suppose counter-balances the guilt of copyright infringement. I put a hold on
Flirting with Finance, so hopefully that will help me get to a point where I can start buying books again. Although I suspect I will find it patronizing, in the way books written to explain finance to women generally are. But at least I won't have paid for it.
Actually you don’t need any guilt at all as there is nothing wrong with photocopying for (presumably) private use. So thrift away!