Time

How do you engage time? Time has emotions just as we do. If it is treated calmly, with respect for the important things in life, then it responds in like fashion. I let time dawdle today as I talked with a friend who stopped by when I least expected. Time seemed to enjoy the slowness--the effortless passage between two points--of the afternoon. It smiled when I let it scribble all over my notebook this evening, and it yawns in contentment when I accept it for what it is--short--instead of trying to stretch it out like wrap that won't cover the bowl completely no matter how hard I try. Time feels better when it isn't forced to be longer. And consequently I do too.

Addendum to the previous post

I would also have to drive less in order to save money, which has suddenly become more difficult to do.

Pitfalls of Low Prices at the Pump

I went to the Gas Station tonight to "fill up." I feel so smart for waiting until now to get gas because it has dropped from $3.75 pg in my neck of the woods to $2.70 pg in about two weeks! Now, it is important to understand that I live by a strict budget. I rarely spend beyond what I have written on paper to spend, but as I pulled up to the pump tonight I found myself wanting to spend more than I had budgeted. "Gas is so cheap!" I rationalized. "I should fill up now before gas prices return to their homes in the clouds!" But wait...why should I spend more to save more? I didn't plan to spend that much, so what does it matter if the price is lower. I should be thankful for the bargain--I get a little more gas tonight for the meager sum i had allotted.
Then I got to thinking about how easily we fall into the pitfalls of consumerism. That is, we buy more when we have the opportunity to be saving more. Wal-Mart encourages us to buy a colossal size bag of chips at 24cents per oz instead of the all-we-really-need regular size at 35cents an oz. Maybe other people aren't like me. I tend to eat more chips or use more gas when I have more. Either that colossal size bag won't last me any longer than the regular size, or I won't be able to eat them all before they get stale. On the one hand I get fatter, and on the other I waste my money.
Getting back to the pump I realized that all the gas I needed was what I had budgeted for. Not only that, I felt good about myself for sparing the environment some carbon, and also my car for not putting extra miles on it. Moderation is the key. This is nothing new--I think Ben Franklin talked about it--but it bears refreshing.

Pinebars opens

Welcome to Pinebars! This is the beginning of a new blog dedicated to thoughtful analysis of things popular culture, less-popular culture, and counter-culture. So far the thoughts are just my own, and the words are borrowed from English, but maybe I will increase the number of contributors with time. Read words here if you like. After all this is only a Web site.