My blogs

Catherine Experiments with Gift Culture - Summer 2012

About me

Introduction	I'm a grandmother for the first (and possibly the last) time, staying in Oxford UK for three months this summer to get to know my granddaughter and ensure I have the best relationship possible with my son and his wife. I don't plan to repeat the journey until there are less carbon-intensive ways to get across the Atlantic. My intention while in the UK is to wean myself of the habit of paying for everything. I've hosted a few couchsurfers in California, so I've earned my right to other couches in the network, I've put the word out for house-sitting opportunities, and I have family members dotted around. This started out as a grand experiment with gift culture, inspired by Charles Eisenstein, Alpha Lo, and the documentary "Living without Money," and is now tempered by the reality of successfully dealing with daily life.

Introduction

I'm a grandmother for the first (and possibly the last) time, staying in Oxford UK for three months this summer to get to know my granddaughter and ensure I have the best relationship possible with my son and his wife. I don't plan to repeat the journey until there are less carbon-intensive ways to get across the Atlantic. My intention while in the UK is to wean myself of the habit of paying for everything. I've hosted a few couchsurfers in California, so I've earned my right to other couches in the network, I've put the word out for house-sitting opportunities, and I have family members dotted around. This started out as a grand experiment with gift culture, inspired by Charles Eisenstein, Alpha Lo, and the documentary "Living without Money," and is now tempered by the reality of successfully dealing with daily life.