Filed under: when I grow up
EC sends me a message about going out drinking, something’s happened. He meets me at my front door. His mom died, while we were having lunch the other day, no warning. A sunny late Fall day. So we drink, however much he wants, because those are the rules.
Out at the bars, a lot of people are on dates.
We talk about everything but. Until the end of the night. When a fight empties the dive bar that’s last on the route. The tiny, scrappy owner runs out in spandex leggings to sort everyone out. We are not involved. Some kids from the suburbs. I don’t even know.
And then the night is over.
There’s a quit window, a free bag and some inspirational reading material. What could POSSIBLY go wrong?
It’s been… awhile… like eight or nine years. And the last one was free, because, post secondary.
But the assortment of no-impact cardio is one of the only solutions.
While this knee gets fixed.
And there are classes. It’s easier to keep going if someone is watching. Commanding one more set.
And if this goes well, it will justify owning ridiculous patterned leggings. Leggings all day every day. I work out.
Filed under: popconsumption
Right now in front of me is a disgustingly large pumpkin spice latte, made of ‘Sumatran coconut milk‘, which I got for free because – quelle horreur! – I am a gold member. For about two years, possibly. Even with mixed feelings about the McDs of coffee and extremely sporadic Starbucks attendance. It is justifiable as a cultural experience. In a few years, maybe I’m in a place where they don’t dream of putting pie spice or referencing Cucurbitaceae to sell coffee.
One of the weirdest things about North America is the points economy. Points on flights, points on groceries, points on coffee and department store purchases. Tiers of points, where after so many points, the earnings accelerate. Special offers for the special-ist consumers. Points on points for using the right payment method.
You could stay out of the whole mess.
Pay cash.
Live like no one’s tracking.
But then I wouldn’t have the free tiny normally overpriced lip balm sitting on my desk. It’s made of effing avocado oil and probably angel wings.
Right now it’s peak points. Kind of embarrassing. It can be explained, right? Really? Part of it is due to a moderate (perhaps ironic) dislike of shopping and a strong preference to always go to the same stores. FOOL, THIS IS A VIP CARD. Also, to an obsessive tendency to analyze rewards programs and to always use the program once committed (HOLD ON, there is a VIP card in… HERE… SOMEWHERE).
The interesting thing about the points economy is that it exists outside of taxation. Really, anything free because of points is worth not only the value of the item, but the taxes – consumer and income – that were usually not paid on the item.
Let’s say, for example, a $10 item in a place with 15% sales tax provided to a person with an average 20% tax rate. The true value of the item becomes $11.50 due to the lack of sales tax and ends up grossed up to about $13.80 in terms of the taxable income that needed to be generated to have that thing. Rewards are technically worth more to people that pay more income taxes.
Evidence of tracking appears when a vendor starts to advertise things to you that it knows you like, based on past preferences. I wish more companies optimized it, because I want to live in a robot future where I am individually marketed to based on algorithms so I no longer have to read irrelevant advertising.
Today’s PSL, a creation of fictional digital points, collected and cashed via an app. Amazing.
Underthecurrent 