Monday, January 4, 2010

Christmas Joy and Freegan Fun

The Christmas season has come and gone, taking its bustle and cheesy music along with it. We're now entering the quiet month of January and it's a welcome slump for me. The holidays were busy, loud and fun, but it's time to rest.

My parents did eventually video chat with me and apologized profusely for missing the first appointment in favor of shopping. I got a large box of gifts in the mail with a note from my mother: "In honor of your [freegan] beliefs, we did not wrap your presents". Sweet, but misguided. Many of the gifts had been bought - from Wal-Mart! I would have rather had handmade or recycled presents wrapped in new paper than tissue-wrapped gifts brand-new from a major corporation that is crushing our planet and its people. However, I can appreciate the sentiment and enjoy the gifts.


During the week after Christmas, my younger sister Clara visited me. She took the 20 hour greyhound trip for her first visit to LA. I try to remember what my first impressions of Los Angeles were after living in a rural Oregon town for most of my life, like her. She really enjoyed herself. I did my best to give her a good time, LA-alternative style. The first thing we took her to do, of course, was dumpster dive (Eric, me and Clara, posing with our rescued food). It was far from her first dip in freegan practices, but the biggest haul she had ever experienced. Through the week we went to the beach (in December: a first for these Oregonians!), visited Hollywood, rode the Rose parade route on New Year's eve and worked in the Hippie Kitchen Clinic.




It was very nice having her here to experience my life first hand. I wonder how my lifestyle affects my siblings, who are all in the stages of decision-making/development (between the ages of 16-18). Clara wants to study languages and travel, but is pretty set on a "normal", family centered life as an adult. Of course, that's how I felt when I was 17, too. :)


at right: Clara, me and Eric's daughter, Celina
more fun photos here

6 comments:

  1. hello Grace, Your lifestyle and choices have always had a profound affect on your siblings, your parents and your community. i hope Clara does exactly as she wishes and stays as level headed and thoughtfull as she's always been. it's good to be an individual...not a carbon copy..so please encourage her to be her lovely self, just as you are your lovely self;) tell her kare says hello, cause i still do. Happy New Year!! always... kare

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  2. Kare! Oh wow. I hope you read this. It is so good to hear from you. Is there a way we can be in touch again? I would like to know what you are referring to with "carbon copy", but otherwise, I appreciate your comments. I know that my actions have an impact, I just wonder what the effect is. :) Is it good, bad or just random? Well, I do miss you, Karen.

    Love,
    Grace

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  3. Hello little sister, sorry for the delay, i'm thinking how to "be in touch"...it's been awhile:( The 'carbon copy' referrence: just responding to your, "i felt like that TOO at her age"-sounded a bit patronizing;/ though i doubt you meant it that way;* As a Little sister myself i know sometimes siblings put pressure(however unconciously) on their youngers to follow idealogical footsteps & neglect to appreciate/encourage differences. As i said "just as You are Your lovely self" =so encourage your siblings! Knowing you Love and accept them for thier uniqueness will have a "Good effect" Never Random. i promise! i will send a note your way through your friends..if this is acceptable...maybe we'll see each other this year?.. we're not That many Miles apart. We're praying for your friends..and You Too! Please Tell the folks we Love them!Thanks...and keep up the Good work! it makes a BIG difference!

    Love, as always,
    kare.

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  4. Hey again Kare,

    In "keeping in touch" I was hoping that we could email each other so that our responses would not be public. You can email me at funky.punky.g@gmail.com or call my cell phone (323) 819-4962.

    I am a little confused about which friends you are talking about and why you would have to ask them to get in contact with me. I am an adult with my own contact details, thank you. :)

    I would love to see you. You would be welcome to stay at our house, or perhaps I can find a weekend in which i could travel to meet up with you.

    Please email or call me so that we can catch up with how things have been with each other!

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  5. Yes Grace, i know you are an ADULT...no insult intended. The friends i was referring to is the "House" you live at... i was going to send you a note there;p i prefere snail mail as our providers here do alot of dropping, i get tired of struggling with them. (we live out in the boonies and are soon to move further out)so, we'll see:+
    talk at you later k'...always, Mrs.B.

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  6. Hey Kare,

    No insult taken. The house is the place I live, so I do receive mail here. It doesn't have to go through anyone; they just drop it in my box when sorting mail. I can understand what you meant now. The address is public, so I can post it here, too.
    632 N Brittania St
    Los Angeles, CA 90033

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