Ingrid: Why I'm doing this...

My biggest concern in making this commitment was the effect of consumerism on my grandchildren (ages 4 and 2) and on all children growing up in this country. We are bombarded by images to buy, to consume, by the notion that happiness equates with having ipods, laptops, cars, the right look, the right smell, the right clothing. But I have experienced for myself how desire for a pair of green shoes can take over my mind. Or how I can waste an hour poring over a J.Jill Catalog for things I don't need now and never will. Shopping as entertainment is an experience that cuts me off from real happiness, from real entertainment--playing with my grandchildren, watching sunrises and sunsets with my husband, doing yoga. The challenges of this compact with Kristin will be to give up shopping with my women friends--something we almost always do when we get together, especially when we travel. It is hard for me not to buy books and magazines but I hope this experience will send me to the library more often. Not having my hair cut for 3 months might be a real challenge too. It is unruly! I did buy a year's supply of my moisturizer just before Day 1. Making this commitment within my marriage is a challenge too. My husband does not share my commitment and thinks I'm more than a little weird. And there are some things he will never give up. He loves Kleenex! But after 41 years he's accepted my weirdness (and I've accepted his).