The Guilt-free Hobby

One of my favorite hobbies that I miss most during the quarantine is shopping at Salvation Army and the Goodwill. Shopping at thrift stores is totally fine because it is green. Do you know that (insert big number here) percent of the greenhouse gasses come from textiles and their byproducts? Shopping at second hand stores alleviates the guilt of contributing to the greenhouse problem and people with anxiety love anything that alleviates guilt.

When I shop at Salvation Army and Goodwill I'm contributing to a good cause. I love that people who have special needs or are rehabbing from prison life can be employed. If I ever go to prison I like that I will be able to get a job when I get out. Please keep supporting these businesses so they have customers while I'm in the slammer wearing orange. I don't plan to go to prison, of course, but does anyone?

Salvation Army and Goodwill are also dirt cheap. It can be even cheaper if you shop the 50% off color, but those items have been in the store 6 weeks or longer so they have been picked over. Still, I tend to find gems because the people before may not have been my size and they definitely don't have my eye. We live in a neighborhood that borders a wealthy, upper class neighborhood with star studded beach homes. My favorite Goodwill is in said upper class neighborhood and gets fabulous donations.

One of my favorite trips to the Goodwill was one Thursday evening on a warm early summer night and I didn't have to go to work the next day. My kids were visiting my parents and my husband was off assisting at Landmark. I had the whole night to myself. Nowhere to go and all day to get there.

I called my sister, Eldest, and proceeded to "shop" with her over the phone for about 2 hours. We can do that, my sisters and I; we can talk for hours on the phone about absolutely nothing important or relevant. Most people require a topic. Not my sisters and I. Just yesterday Middle said in an exasperated voice that her husband had been on the phone for FORTY MINUTES. I pointed out we had been on the phone for 49 and we were still going. That particular night Eldest was watching Hart of Dixie and I was shopping at Goodwill. It was simply lovely.

Every 20 minutes an employee would come over the loudspeaker announcing "Attention Goodwill shoppers! We have just put out a new rack of items!" and a few smart shoppers would storm to the center isle and look for new goodies. I got a pair of white capris off that new items rack that were still bright white and I wore at least 5 times before I realized they look terrible on me. To say they look terrible is a bit unfair. They look good if worn with the right shirt but for 5+ wearings I was not pairing with that right shirt. They are also deceiving because they look great immediately after being washed then, as they stretch out and droop, they look like pajama pants. In fact, one night as I was wearing them with company over for dinner my 14 yr old son exclaimed, "Mom, why are you wearing jammy pants with friends over?!"

My son got me started going to thrift shops. For a while it was our favorite thing to do together; we would pick up a mint hot chocolate from Coffee Bean then check out the fancy Goodwill. It's the only shopping he will agree to, though now it also comes with the stipulation that when he's ready to leave we will go, not when I'm ready. He thinks I take too long. Half the fun is sorting through everything and making sure I didn't miss any good stuff so generally we don't go together anymore.

One of his favorite purchases was a pogo stick. When he saw the pogo stick he was ecstatic and wouldn't let go of it for fear another shopper would see its hidden worth and buy it out from under him. He insisted on carrying it around the store until we were finished shopping and, since I take longer than him, he was putting the pressure on me. It was bullshit. I don't like to be rushed in a thrift shop. But I like spending time with my teenager so I took it. The things we do for love.