material girl

[metaphortunate]

Was talking on Twitter about how unfortunate it is that retail therapy totally works. :D: Only saving grace is that, at least for me, it's so much more helpful/satisfying if I'm filling a real need with whatever I'm buying than if I'm just impulse picking up some random crap.

For example, last week I bought a watch and a desperately needed new pair of work trousers. Behold, getting dressed in the morning is easier at least one day a week, and that is valuable to me. And the watch: I know people say watches are obsolete because now everyone has smart phones, and all I can say is, these must be people who don't walk around outside a lot or take public transportation. There are at least a couple of times almost every single day when I want to know what time it is and I really don't want to pull out my cell phone. Now I can!

In general, I am honestly a big fan of material things, as long as they are the right material things. Material things that are sort of what I want and sort of not just pile up in the house and make me miserable. Material things that are perfect give me a shot of genuine happiness every time I experience them or use them. Like:

• The gorgeous coat hooks on our stairs that Mr. E and I picked out together and he installed one day to surprise me and which mean that we have a completely convenient place to put jackets and hats as soon as we come in the house and which, incidentally, are great looking
  
• Chanel Cuir de Russie, which smells like old lady right when I put it on and within about 20 minutes has transformed into this rich, smooth, work-of-art leather aroma, so that for the rest of the day, no matter what kind of mess I look like, I smell like subtle, complex, recondite pleasures; and it makes my entire day better
  
• My purse, which took me forever to find the exact right one, and which is exactly big enough for my wallet, coin purse, sunglasses, phone, iPod, headphones, small pocketknife, tissues, hand sanitizer, pen, lipstick and enough room to pull one thing out without knocking everything else out, and not one bit bigger or heavier or more awkward
  
• Our drinking glasses, which are blue and have this smooth texture which is a small pleasure to touch every time I get a glass of water
  
• Dried persimmons, for obvious reasons!

What are your favorite material things?

Comments

[jae]

Impulse purchases make me feel guilty. But if I buy something I've been thinking about buying for at least a little while, I usually feel really good, even if I didn't need it at all. (My most recent example: this gorgeous coat in a bright red.) It's funny how these things work.

I know people say watches are obsolete because now everyone has smart phones, and all I can say is, these must be people who don't walk around outside a lot or take public transportation.

I'm not parsing this: am I not supposed to want to take my phone out while walking around outside? while taking public transportation? Both? (For what it's worth, I walk around outside all the time, AND take public transportation, and stopped wearing a watch several years ago.)

-J

[metaphortunate]

Uh, yes! At least in my neck of the woods, not to victim blame, but it greatly increases the chances that some enterprising capitalist will punch you in the face and run away with your phone. There are regular announcements not to come up the escalator at one of my daily stops staring at your phone because people get picked off as they get to the top.

[jae]

Huh. I've never heard that sort of public announcement here (or any of the other places I go regularly), and I only know of one person who this sort of thing happened to (in France). Pretty much everyone walks around with their phones out here, and on public transportation everybody's sitting there playing games on them and stuff. I can't imagine how I'd use it to get around if I had to stow it in my pocket every time I'm outside, and that's one of its most important functions in my daily life!

-J

[metaphortunate]

You kind of furtively take it out and look at maps then put it away again. :)

[jae]

Yeah, I am directionally challenged (due to my learning disability) enough that having to do this would render the map feature completely useless. But I stand warned that there are other parts of the world that expect you to do this!

-J

[azurelunatic]

I got mine pickpocketed off me in a similar neck of the woods to metaphortunate. It was in my pocket. Now when I'm using it on the train I tend to have the strap around my wrist (I add aftermarket straps to the protective cases; I wish straps were in fashion more) and stuff it in my sleeve instead of my pocket.

[metaphortunate]

Interesting - how do you attach the straps? Where do you get the straps?

[azurelunatic]

http://azurelunatic.dreamwidth.org/7361546.html - I have it looped around one of the holes for the little anti-noise microphones; this particular one was from an old camera. I got a set of cellphone charm straps at I think Daiso a few years back, and I have one of those hooked to the iPod's case, and then a regular keychain type wrist strap hooked to it by a split loop.

[jae]

I have literally never heard of such a strap!

-J

[azurelunatic]

Cameras have sensible places to attach them. It makes me cranky that equally expensive and shock-sensitive phones don't.

Harimad here

[(Anonymous)]

Same on subway in my city. The particular vulnerability point is sitting hear the car doors: the thief(s) wait till the doors are about to close, then snatch a smart phone and run out the closing door.