lucky me, no, really

From: HAN 

Sent: Monday, 2 August 2010 3:36 p.m.
To: DAD 
Subject:POTENTIAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT

AHOY DAD

You may or may not be aware that I have started doing Bikram yoga (that’s the hot yoga). Anyway, it’s really good and I’m enjoying it a lot. However, individual classes are $20 each, which is really expensive. A ten trip pass is $160, and I have just found out that if I sign up within a week of my first class (which was on last Wednesday) I get 20% off that, which makes it a grand total of $128 which is only 12.80 per class which is really cheap!! So far I am planning on going twice a week. Maybe even three times if I’m feeling virtuous...

Sadly, payday looms from quite a distance, Wednesday week, in fact, so I cannot afford to take advantage of this good deal. This is where the potential Christmas present part comes in...what are your thoughts? Indeed, if you felt it would be easier, you could just give me the entire chunk of Christmas present money early and gift me an empty card with a nice note in it come December 25^th.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this proposal.

Xxx

Han

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From: DAD
Sent: Tuesday, 3 August 2010 8:17 a.m.

To: HAN
Subject:RE:POTENTIAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Ahoy there Hannah,

Xmas present put into bank account.  Keep the yoga going.  Love dad xxx 

DAD

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Picture from here

hey big spender

You may have figured out by now, (or not) that my mum is the most talented op-shopper in the world. She manages to find treasures in the most unexpected places, and more often than not, passes them on to me. Most of the time, they cost less $15 and were from the Otara Market or the infamous "op shop up the road".

By contrast, my flatmate and I went into a boutique on Ponsonby Road yesterday. I saw a cardigan I liked, which cost over $1000 - it was really nice, of course, but really? $1000 for a cardigan? There was a coat in another boutique which I loved; it was beautifully made and had fabulous golden buttons. But it was $750. I almost put it on layby, too. A good quality coat is easy justify spending lots of money on. But, ultimately, I couldn't go through with it.

My point is, I like clothes, and I like shopping. But I have come to realise that I absolutely balk at spending all my money on clothes. I can't justify it. I understand spending money on quality items, and obviously, I'm totally into laybying the odd thing here and there. But I cannot stomach a thousand dollar cardigan. I worked for a "designer" label while studying - I know what the mark ups are.

So I'm trying not to get hung up on wanting things. I'm only buying vintage or New Zealand made. I want to think about purchases for a long time before I buy them. I'm avoiding pining over glorious Lover look books, or at magazines which make me feel like all my clothes are ugly and passe. Instead, I'm enjoying spending money on brunches and whisky sours, going on adventures and seeing amazing things; reminding myself that $700 is half a plane ticket to almost anywhere I dream of going. Of course, Mum still thinks I'm totally frivolous.

never be sad

I intend to do everything … I shall anticipate pleasure everywhere and find it, too, for it is everywhere! I shall involve myself wholly … everything matters! ... I am alive … I am beautiful … what else is there? - Susan Sontag



Beautiful botanical collage by Alexis Anne Mackenzie, found via here