Thursday, April 24, 2008

Capitalism at it's finest

I used to have a 1997 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck. The day after I bought it for all of my pittance of a savings, I took it to get the exhaust fixed (yes I bought a truck that already needed to be fixed). They put it up on the lift and the frame broke. Devastation. I got the frame welded and tried to move on.

Three weeks ago I heard about the Toyota buyback for Tacoma's between '95 and '00. Toyota bought my truck back from me and gave me three times plus what I bought it for!! Elation.

Today I had a brand new 2008Toyota Tacoma delivered to my shop! I have never owned a brand new car and never expect to again, but let me tell you it is a sweet feeling. I'm not much of a consumer and I really believe in recycling, but I have to admit...I feel giddy.

In addition I am very grateful. I'll admit it, I cried tears of thankfulness the first (and only so far) time I drove it.

I can really see how buying new stuff becomes an addiction for people. It is a great feeling to own something new, never been used and yours. It certainly does make you feel high, I think this is why credit card debt in America, and from what I hear other countries, is so out of control. People just buy to make themselves feel good. Damn the consequences.

It is interesting to me that reaching this point of the story, I really want to justify myself to anyone reading this. I'll just tell you that I thought long and hard and leave it at that.

3 comments:

J. said...

That is a pretty amazing happening. Congrats.

I've been doing tai chi for about three years, the last two pretty intensively. Before that I'd done kenpo up through brown, but found it would leave me with more anxiety than when I started working out.

Master Liao's system is pretty heavy and focuses a lot on single form practice. And he emphasizes chi work over physical athleticism, which you would assume everyone would do, but it's often not the case. Are you doing the 37 form?

I looked for your bookstore online but didn't find a site.

Ecletic Woman said...

My bookstore doesn't have a website yet. I'm currently working on building one. I just bought the store after working here for 11 years and am still getting things up to speed.

I don't do the 37 form, I'm not sure what the "known" name of the form we do is. We have just begun an advanced class at my Tai Chi club (we practice in a town hall and there are only about 10 students) and it has really amped up the energy for me. I really like the standing postures.

Oberon said...

.....thank you for your kind words and yes.....i know it's not just the third world......soon it will be all of us at this rate.

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