Our Awkward Little Secret
Folks,
We've been holding onto a secret, and it's bearing down on us like the weight of the heavens on the hairy, glistening shoulders of Atlas himself.
It's time to admit who we really are.
It's time to tell truth.
Ready?
We're a couple of stingy, second hand-shopping, mend-it, fix-it, I could-make-that-myself penny savers who have typically not indulged in much gift buying. And now, because of our love of local handmade goods and crafting, we own a gift shop, where our most important job is to help people give great gifts!
Okay. What!?
We are just a couple of dang posers.
And there's something else...
We're not just reluctant gift buyers by accident.
We actually believe traditional gift giving is highly overrated.
Phew. Now you know.
Please don't tell anyone though, because if people stop buying birthday and Christmas gifts here, our shop will evaporate as fast as morning mist from the Otonabee.
We do see the value in the giving on gifts on predetermined dates according to cultural customs (and enjoy partaking occasionally), but we think that giving purely out of a sense of obligation, or a sense that the money we spend represents how much we care, are practices that lead to overconsumption. And who wants piles of disposable crud they don't need or love but feel obligated to keep? Not us. Not Marie Kondo. Not most people.
But here's the other side of that complex coin of consumption at W&L:
In the two and half years of running this place, YOU have taught us just how very, very special and lovely and wonderful gift giving and getting can be when certain elements are in place, and we are becoming better and more frequent gift givers ourselves in the process.
So, in our troubled material world, what makes a very, very special and lovely and wonderful gift that does not needlessly dig us further into a steaming pile of carbon-emitting, plastic-leaching, future-stealing, wealth-gap making waste??
Here's what we have gleaned from your wise ways so far...
1. The gift is truly wanted/needed.
How do you keep a gift a surprise AND find out what that person truly wants? Maybe you can go for a walk downtown with them. Bring up some of your favourite local artists and find out what likes you have in common. Snoop who they follow on social media. Listen carefully. Maybe an experience, a meal, or something you make is going to strike a chord more than something bought. Maybe something practical is better suited than something decorative or vice versa. Maybe they don't care so much about surprises and would actually like to pick something out.
2. It's given out of love & appreciation.
Just to reiterate, please don't stop buying birthday and Christmas gifts or our business will crumble to the ground. However, the most special gifting we've witnessed is given with a true desire to show someone how worthy they are of something beautiful, useful, and special. These feelings might well up at times other than pre-ordained holidays, hence our belief that spontaneous gifting can be even more special than the scheduled kind.
3. It lifts someone's spirit when they need it most.
"You don't get flowers for chronic pain" is a sentiment expressed on many a personal blog. We tend to pile presents on people when they're receiving a lot of attention already, but what about your bud in the corner who is dealing with depression, anxiety, loss, loneliness, trauma, or ongoing physical health problems that have no cure? Or your single bud who receives way less gifts overall than your coupled friends?
4. It reinvests in the community.
A gift can be extra special when the giftee knows where it was made, by whom, and with what. The value of objects has so much to do with the people and places to which they are connected, and we LOVE sending money every month to dozens of people in the community who get to spend more time being creative as a result. We know you get it. Thanks for investing in the little guy instead of billionaires when you can.
So here's our new gift-giving mantra:
<<GIVE FOR CONNECTION, NOT OBLIGATION>>
Meanwhile, we promise to do our best to reduce our environmental footprint by sourcing locally, favouring suppliers who source materials locally, reusing packing materials, and providing space for people who are doing important work for the planet.
And on that note, please join us on the the third Sunday of the month, February through May, for the Repair Café!
This is an amazing local crew of very kind nerds who volunteer their time to help you save items from the landfill. They used to work out of The Spill (R.I.P.) and have an incredible fixing track record. There will be fixers for clothing, electronics, and housewares, and more. Bring one or two things, and hang with us for a while! More details to come :)
Love from,
Anna & Erin
[These outtakes were too good to keep to ourselves.]
830 comments
https://github.com/movichinese/movichinese/discussions/1
https://github.com/movichinese/movichinese/discussions/2
https://github.com/movichinese/movichinese/discussions/3
https://github.com/movichinese/movichinese/discussions/4
https://juicedmuscle.com/forum/general/general-chat/260086-indeking
http://ofbiz.116.s1.nabble.com/Indeking-tt4797067.html
https://github.com/movietw/movietw/discussions/1
https://github.com/movietw/movietw/discussions/2
https://solidice.com/forums/1016/topic/indeking
https://forum.thecodingcolosseum.com/topic/13624/indeking
https://github.com/movietw/movietw/discussions/3
https://github.com/movietw/movietw/discussions/4
https://www.peoplesplanetproject.org/group/peoplesplanetproject-group/discussion/8af3c561-b5b1-46f3-8f5f-de418d718e0f
https://www.facebook.com/TeeYod2.Thaii
https://forumketoan.com/threads/indeking.43626/
https://forum.daoyidh.com/topic/3547/indeking
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/10326/indeking
https://www.lamchame.com/forum/threads/indeking.4779973/
https://www.chobaolam.vn/threads/indeking.555210/
https://www.facebook.com/DeathWhisperer2.subthai
https://www.facebook.com/death.whisperer.2.thai
https://github.com/movizh/movieos/discussions/1
https://github.com/movizh/movieos/discussions/2
https://github.com/movizh/movieos/discussions/3
https://github.com/movizh/movieos/discussions/4
https://forum.instube.com/d/153869-indeking
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/188374-indeking
https://abigaile24.diary.ru/p222148349_indeking.htm
https://forum.woimortal.com/forum/community/discussions/78386-indeking
https://www.forexagone.com/forum/presentation-traders/indeking-176680#275443
https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/abigaile/diary/202410110000/
https://foro.ribbon.es/topic/24959/indeking
https://loginza.copiny.com/question/details/id/917790
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1053044/indeking
https://saphalaafrica.co.za/wp/question/indeking/
https://hpdcrmportal.dynamics365portals.us/forums/general-discussion/15035b1f-3687-ef11-95f6-001dd8002917
https://wayworld.listbb.ru/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26952
http://www.fellnasen-service.de/index.php?thread/267288-indeking/
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/vetted-member-instructions/indeking/
https://diendannhansu.com/threads/indeking.639016/
https://forum.theknightonline.com/threads/indeking.492052/
http://www.wmhelp.cz/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=90550#90550
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/22259/indeking
https://github.com/mazdamov/mzdamov/discussions/1
https://github.com/mazdamov/mzdamov/discussions/2
https://github.com/mazdamov/mzdamov/discussions/3
https://bento.me/welcome-to-the-game-subtww
https://bento.me/twversion-welcome-to-the-game-hd
https://play.unity.com/en/games/55084e41-ff89-4a05-9ccb-d1c75cca3a7b/ffss
https://play.unity.com/en/games/8b22e45e-3077-45b8-a551-60d8d592e1c6/xemphim-tee-yod-quy-an-tang-phan-2-full-hd-vietsub-1080p
https://play.unity.com/en/games/7ef1f297-51bb-480a-9172-efae39feba2a/xemphim-tee-yod-quy-an-tang-phan-2-4k-full-hd
https://play.unity.com/en/games/caeed6c6-c737-47f1-a0f2-80f2a2716b84/xem-phimcam-full-hd-vietsub-thuyet-minh-phimmoi
https://play.unity.com/en/games/bab796f5-eff9-4be4-be8c-f800c14b2f5f/xemphim-cam-2024-full-hd-vietsub-4k
https://play.unity.com/en/games/a35238c7-559b-4ef0-9055-be09f1351dcc/xem-phim-cam-vietsub-full-hd-1080p
https://play.unity.com/en/games/b672230e-c095-419c-bccb-dc3727ae6d7f/xem-phim-ma-da-vietsub-full-hd-1080p
https://play.unity.com/en/games/6f941f9f-5e9d-416c-b5df-586188de3ffc/xem-phim-ma-da-2024-vietsub-full-hd-online-phimmoi
https://play.unity.com/en/games/03c18b1a-c3a8-40f9-a75a-b99cee07fe54/xem-phim-ma-da
https://bento.me/infestacao-2024-filme-completo
https://bento.me/infestacao-filme-completo
https://bento.me/assista-hd-infestacao-2024-filme
https://bento.me/a-garota-da-vez-4k-em-portugues
https://bento.me/assistir-a-garota-da-vez-completo
https://bento.me/ver-alas-blancas
https://bento.me/pelisplus-alas-blancas-pelicula
https://bento.me/cuevana-3ver-el-hoyo-2
https://bento.me/pelisplus-ver-el-hoyo-2
https://bento.me/pelisplus-el-hoyo-2-pelicula-completa
https://open.firstory.me/story/cm22n6kjc002u01wg0547axge
https://bento.me/subhd-popularsenascinemasmov
https://tinhte.vn/profile/xem-phim-vo-si-giac-dau-ii-vietsub-full-hd-1080p.3052270/
https://medium.com/@taniakh513/full-hd-xem-phim-v%C3%B5-s%C4%A9-gi%C3%A1c-%C4%91%E1%BA%A5u-ii-2024-1080p-vietsub-8963c2de3aba
https://github.com/crocodil241/crocodil/discussions/2
https://github.com/crocodil241/crocodil/discussions/3
https://github.com/crocodil241/crocodil/discussions/4
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DN9MMYW
https://remed.microsoftcrmportals.com/forums/general-discussion/4f4339ae-6086-ef11-a81c-000d3a2effad
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJW8BSF
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YHD3ZNP
https://wayworld.listbb.ru/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26897
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSMTR5C
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/10196/huhaindex
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CS53MZH
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y5XQBKM
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/186740-fasgdfhfhfgfg
https://abigaile24.diary.ru/p222147333_fsfdgjgutu.htm
https://forum.woimortal.com/forum/community/discussions/77561-ghfdhfdhgf
https://www.forexagone.com/forum/questions-debutants/dklfjghd-175857#274612
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CTLDHTP
https://forum.daoyidh.com/topic/3493/huhaindex
https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/CFT72VL
https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/C39HTH8
https://forum.theknightonline.com/threads/huhaindex.491667/
https://forumketoan.com/threads/hauhaindex.43379/
http://www.wmhelp.cz/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=90485#90485
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/21948/huahaindex
https://forum.thecodingcolosseum.com/topic/13496/huhaindex
https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/C3HY8FP
https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/CG8Z62J
https://github.com/crocodil241/crocodil/discussions/5
https://github.com/crocodil241/crocodil/discussions/1
https://forum.instube.com/d/153122-frtefd-asags
https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/abigaile/diary/202410100000/
https://foro.ribbon.es/topic/24751/sdgdfgdfg
https://www.bankier.pl/forum/temat_latollsias,68534213.html
https://loginza.copiny.com/question/details/id/916266
https://solidice.com/forums/1016/topic/kdhsajgd
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1052942/kajdhfj-dfgdfg
https://saphalaafrica.co.za/wp/question/abasdf-googleindex/
https://hpdcrmportal.dynamics365portals.us/forums/general-discussion/224a82d9-6086-ef11-95f6-001dd8002917
https://juicedmuscle.com/forum/general/general-chat/259935-gooleindex
http://ofbiz.116.s1.nabble.com/huha-googleindex-tt4796915.html
http://www.fellnasen-service.de/index.php?thread/266908-forumindex/
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/vetted-member-instructions/huhaindex/
https://diendannhansu.com/threads/huhaaindex.635586/
https://www.facebook.com/DangerousBoys2.Thai/
https://www.facebook.com/DangerousBoys2.Subthai/
https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/ltYsmO3I0qE
https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/mV7n_qQuzws
https://bento.me/dangerous-boys-2-2024-thaidubed
https://bento.me/thaidubed-dangerous-boys-2
https://bento.me/dangerous-boys-2-subthai
https://play.unity.com/en/games/c5796159-8269-4e4a-9a3c-8f54bb998764/tee-yod-22024-1080p
https://play.unity.com/en/games/8352fc37-c649-44ce-9bc7-b08716348bd2/tee-yod
https://play.unity.com/en/games/ce265d3d-ba73-43d5-9c66-3dd663c8973b/ars
https://play.unity.com/en/games/c4842288-80cb-4afb-aab5-3ac6c6c776ac/teeyod2
https://bento.me/tee-yod-2-subthai
https://bento.me/tee-yod-2-imax-subthai
https://bento.me/subthai-tee-yod-2
https://bento.me/thaisubed-tee-yod-2
https://bento.me/death-whisperer-2-subthai
https://bento.me/thhaidubed-death-whisperer-2
https://play.unity.com/en/games/0194a130-0cfd-4033-ac3b-4a251a213f99/the-substancethai
https://play.unity.com/en/games/be9c5b69-3cee-4549-960d-9eeb7595e2c4/the-substance-2024
https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/p-D6q2vR2u8
https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/rVUGtWWBY6U
https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/mw49Tv2FMW8
https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/jIyLsw-rN0w
https://bento.me/the-wild-robot-2024-thaidubed
https://bento.me/the-wild-robot-2024-hd-thai-sub
https://bento.me/smile-2-thaidubedmov
https://bento.me/smile-22024-thaisubed
https://play.unity.com/en/games/d568bf4a-c809-4dba-a927-cc25302f9115/dangerous-boys-2-thai-2024
https://play.unity.com/en/games/25d4068f-fb36-4d9f-adc3-424754334eec/dangerous-boys-2-thai
https://open.firstory.me/story/cm218szhz0cti01w69y7acvl2
https://medium.com/@wendyyanto001/xem-phim-transformers-m%E1%BB%99t-2024-full-hd-vietsub-mi%E1%BB%85n-ph%C3%AD-online-78d63cdf178f
https://bento.me/movicnemas-hd
https://tinhte.vn/profile/full-1080p-xem-phim-cam-2024-vietsub.3051399
https://tinhte.vn/profile/cam-full-hd-vietsub-tuyen-mien-phi-online.3051397
https://tinhte.vn/profile/motchill-cam-2024-vietsub-full-phimmoi.3051398
https://tinhte.vn/profile/xem-phim-cam-2024-full-hd-vietsub-mien-phi.3051403
https://tinhte.vn/profile/lat-mat-7-mot-dieu-uoc-full-hd-vietsub-online.3051405
https://hoo.be/xem-phim-moi-cam-online-full-hd-4k-vietsub
https://hoo.be/xem-phimcam-2024-1080-full-vietsub
https://hoo.be/xem-phim-cam-2024-full-hd-vietsub-tuyen-mien-phi
https://hoo.be/xem-phim-lat-mat-7-mot-ieu-uoc-2024-vietsub
https://hoo.be/xem-phim-lat-mat-7-mot-ieu-uoc-2024-vietsubfull-hd
https://hoo.be/full-1080p-xem-phim-ma-da-2024-vietsub-thuyet-minh
https://hoo.be/xem-phim-ma-da-2024-vietsub-full-hd
https://hoo.be/xem-phim-joker-ien-co-oi-tap-full-hd-vietsub
https://factsplat.com/users/34727cf5-b3fe-49e2-a2dd-1d21ae76037f
https://bento.me/ma-da-2024-vietsub-full-hd-thuyet-minh-phimmoi
https://www.khedmeh.com/wall/blogs/post/71053
https://forum.instube.com/d/151699-ma-da-s-quy-n-r-ch-t-ng-i
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/183716-ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi
https://juicedmuscle.com/forum/general/general-chat/259685-sdfgsdgsdg
http://ofbiz.116.s1.nabble.com/Ma-Da-Su-Quyen-Ru-Chet-Nguoi-tc4796660.html
http://www.fellnasen-service.de/index.php?thread/266130-ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi/
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/vetted-member-instructions/ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi/
https://chodilinh.com/threads/ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi.441416/
https://diendannhansu.com/threads/ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi.627936/
https://forum.theknightonline.com/threads/ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi.491106/
https://forumketoan.com/threads/ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi.42934/
http://www.wmhelp.cz/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=90179#90179
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/20969/ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi
https://forum.thecodingcolosseum.com/topic/13262/sdgsdgsdgg
https://www.lamchame.com/forum/threads/trytyrtyrt.4769071/
https://vivianregina.gumroad.com/l/pekxl
https://forum.daoyidh.com/topic/3374/ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/9962/ma-da-su-quyen-ru-chet-nguoi