the paper trail

I am a tactile buyer & learner. I need to see it, smell it, turn it over in my hands, etc. It's just the way my mind processes incoming info. So, while I do like to peruse a good catalog or search a website, I typically make my purchases in person (airplane tickets, hotel reservations & staple groceries are exempt). If you know me, you would have already guessed this. In addition to checking out the goods, I like to talk to people. My one friend has a word for this..."pesty?" I share the description with her preschool age daughter. :) My chatting it up slows down progress, I guess. I see it differently. I enjoy my interactions with the good & the bad, I always learn something new about the world at large or just myself.

The "hands on" hang up actually helps my husbands argument about keeping our newspaper subscription. While it pains me to see sooo much in our paper recycle bin, I can respect the paper & cup of coffee ritual.

This has lead me to figure out other ways to reduce the paper mountain. About 2 years ago, I signed up on a few different lists to stop my junk mail. Well worth the effort! (google it) Now I am ready to take the next step, my catalogs. This is actually a multi-front attack. Catalogs are vehicles for spending. Whether the front is sporting cute, little kids or beautiful rooms you'd like to be sitting in...all are trying to separate us from our dollars & bring more stuff into our homes. The backlog of catalogs is another time suck ( I don't need any more minuses in the time dept!). Who needs to be sorting catalogs to see which one is the current season? Lastly, all that paper. No matter how "environmentally" friendly the paper is it has been printed on, it is ultimately a waste. My mailman will even thank me for lightening his load.

So adios, filler in my mailbox, temptress of spending! If I need a fix, I can always go online.