Gifts
Charles and Leah come home tomorrow (or the next day), so we need to get the house back into shape. We've been using it as a staging area for sorting/culling/packing, but now need it to be spotless. It feels like all we've been doing is working. Meh!
However, last night we took a break and went to Cleveland to see friends. It was good to get out and it got me thinking about the idea of gifting. We first went to see our friend E. and we brought our hookah because she loves to hookah. We had three brand new tins of tobacco, too (Island Punch, Clove, and Pomegranate.) Whilst we were there a friend of hers stopped by and joined us. We'll call her O. At one point O. remarked how she was out of charcoal and could she buys some. We just gave her half the sleeve. Later we went over to see M. and, by the time we left were starving. Unfortunately, Cleveland (even Little Italy) at 11:50PM on a Sunday night yields few to no choices for food, so M. have us a bag of carrots, a sleeve of Ritz and some cheese. (Yeah, I know, we're nine years old.) It was all gifting and it comes around again.
I'd recently read an interesting article about the economic model of gifting cultures (or gifting economies) in which gifting (rather than buying or hoarding) becomes the basis for economic activity. The indigenous people's of America's Pacific Northwest practiced this and the potlatch is a great example. The principal behind gift-based economies also extends to collaborative efforts (like Wikipedia, gift exchanges, etc.) as well as barn raisings, etc.
One aspect of this that really intrigues me is the idea of time banks. Basically, you set up a "banking system" in which people contribute services (or occasionally physical objects) and they are "banked" and then "bought" be others. You "sell" (or, more accurately, exchange) your services for services of equal value. For example, Person A, might offer baby-sitting in hour-long increments and Person B might do people's taxes. Person C makes homemade soup and bread and delivers it and Person D does massage. Person B might do person D's taxes whilst person D untilizes Person C's soup. Person C might utilize person A's babysitting skills and Person A gets a massage. Okay, that was confusing, but think of it like Craigslist with trading instead of money and the ability to "bank." In other words, I might provide editing services, but want a massage. I would not, necessarily, have to find somone willing to trade this, but could offer it in the time bank and get whatever I needed in return. I didn't explain it well, but it's a cool thing.
And speaking of gifts, the hp_nextgen_fest is all about gifts - delicious gifts at that!
The Best Idea: This Teddy/Albus contains a very yummy shower scene and a very funny (and perhaps not so clueless) Harry. It's a fun read!
Delicious: Well, trust me. This Albus Severus/Scorpius art is delicious. Check out the expression of utter contentment on Scorpius' face.
And please be sure to comment on these and any stories or art you might like. Artists and authors really appreciate feedback.
However, last night we took a break and went to Cleveland to see friends. It was good to get out and it got me thinking about the idea of gifting. We first went to see our friend E. and we brought our hookah because she loves to hookah. We had three brand new tins of tobacco, too (Island Punch, Clove, and Pomegranate.) Whilst we were there a friend of hers stopped by and joined us. We'll call her O. At one point O. remarked how she was out of charcoal and could she buys some. We just gave her half the sleeve. Later we went over to see M. and, by the time we left were starving. Unfortunately, Cleveland (even Little Italy) at 11:50PM on a Sunday night yields few to no choices for food, so M. have us a bag of carrots, a sleeve of Ritz and some cheese. (Yeah, I know, we're nine years old.) It was all gifting and it comes around again.
I'd recently read an interesting article about the economic model of gifting cultures (or gifting economies) in which gifting (rather than buying or hoarding) becomes the basis for economic activity. The indigenous people's of America's Pacific Northwest practiced this and the potlatch is a great example. The principal behind gift-based economies also extends to collaborative efforts (like Wikipedia, gift exchanges, etc.) as well as barn raisings, etc.
One aspect of this that really intrigues me is the idea of time banks. Basically, you set up a "banking system" in which people contribute services (or occasionally physical objects) and they are "banked" and then "bought" be others. You "sell" (or, more accurately, exchange) your services for services of equal value. For example, Person A, might offer baby-sitting in hour-long increments and Person B might do people's taxes. Person C makes homemade soup and bread and delivers it and Person D does massage. Person B might do person D's taxes whilst person D untilizes Person C's soup. Person C might utilize person A's babysitting skills and Person A gets a massage. Okay, that was confusing, but think of it like Craigslist with trading instead of money and the ability to "bank." In other words, I might provide editing services, but want a massage. I would not, necessarily, have to find somone willing to trade this, but could offer it in the time bank and get whatever I needed in return. I didn't explain it well, but it's a cool thing.
And speaking of gifts, the hp_nextgen_fest is all about gifts - delicious gifts at that!
The Best Idea: This Teddy/Albus contains a very yummy shower scene and a very funny (and perhaps not so clueless) Harry. It's a fun read!
Delicious: Well, trust me. This Albus Severus/Scorpius art is delicious. Check out the expression of utter contentment on Scorpius' face.
And please be sure to comment on these and any stories or art you might like. Artists and authors really appreciate feedback.