it's been awhile...

Since I started this kind of on a lark, I haven't really kept up with it.  Part of it is because it involves keeping track of so much randomness.  Where did I do the grocery shopping?  What did I do last week?  One of the reasons I started this is because I have found so many articles and blogs about the theories and practices of Distributism, but not much on the actual day-to-day living.  Every once in a while I'll come across somebody's list of "x number of things to practice distributism" or something like it.  But they aren't that helpful either.  They usually involve an increase in expenses or an additional 20 hours in the day.  For example, one I came across recently had "learn to sew", "build a compost bin", "raise your own chickens', "shop farmers markets", etc.  Individually, and even as a whole, they sound great.  But then there is real life.

I don't know how many of these people writing these lists have a houseful of kids, or outside obligations, or a husband whose job keeps him from being a major part of home life. I'm sure many of them do have at least one of these things.  But when you have all of them, and more, you start thinking "distributism is great.....if you can afford it."

Which is where my maintenance of this blog has fallen apart.  We can't afford it.  Yeah, I could make my own soap, but I don't enjoy it at all.  I'm also not home enough to take on another "homesteader" project.  But I can't afford the $5.00 a bar at the farmer's market.  And I have a mental block about the cost of beef at the market. All I remember is "OUCH!."

I don't begrudge any of these people what is probably a fair price.  If that is what it costs, then that is what it costs.  At the same time,  we are in a culture that says"I won't pay more than $x.xx, because I KNOW how much it costs to make item y." I have had many conversations that go along these lines:

Friend: Hey, can you do me a favor?

Me: Probably.  What's up?

Friend: I really need (pick any medium to large sewing project) done.

Me: Ooooh...well, that's not quite that simple.

Friend: Well, I'll buy the fabric. That's fair.

Me: Ummm....yeah, but do you know how long that will take?  4 or 5 hours.

Friend:  Well, yeah, but you don't work. And you're getting fabric out of it.

Me: You know, maybe you should check out the clearance at Wal-Mart.  They had something like what you want.  The color may be off, but maybe it'll work.

Friend: I suppose, I just really wanted something handmade, you know?  But that's just so expensive.  I'm sure your family would understand if you were busy with (insert project name).

I've had friendships ruined because of these conversations.  And maybe the trick to distributism isn't some wholesale radical change.  Maybe it is just the little things here and there.  Maybe it's just changing one shopping habit at a time, as well as somehow increasing the income to be able to change the shopping habit. 

I haven't given up on it.  I'm just really not sure where to go with it.  Or how to do it in way that doesn't make my family and household suffer unnecessarily.  Which maybe why many of the blogs and articles are written theory, or snappy to-do lists.  No one has figured it out yet.