I love you and always have. But…time out. First of all I don’t shop at walmart. I can’t bring myself to do that. It is a very personal decision. It is an ethical decision – for me. And only for me. I will tell people why if they want to know (the health insurance is only a small drop in the bucket), they will laugh and walk away. When I get a gift card at work (seems to the be the “place to save” for my workmates) I give it to the person who has seven children and is selling everything he and his wife own to make ends meet. I also don’t shop at Barnes & Noble, Old Navy, Banana Republic (even though the clothes don’t fit me), LL Bean or Crate & Barrel. I do order jeans from Lands End because they fit and they hem! It is a big box store. Almost every time anyone places an order on the internet it is from a big box store – Williams Sonoma?? Big box. I occasionally buy from Amazon – mostly music that is impossible to buy locally because there are NO LOCAL MUSIC STORES. Big box. Starbucks? Sucks, even on Barnes & Noble. And I go to Costco for some things. Which is a big box store.

One of my sisters and I share a CSA. I try to buy locally. I hope my insignificant gestures mean something in the big scheme. But it is an ethical and moral decision for me. I’m sorry people I love and admire don’t do the same. Buy they do read and think and save. I’m not sure they all deserve your scathing remarks. But, again, I love you, your ideas, your emotions. But, baby, please! Peace and love to all who differ – isn’t that why tolerance is a good idea?

And yes, I have had my four ounce gin Tangueray martini tonight with olives.

But I have co-workers who read, think, and save money at walmart and other big box stores, and I still respect them because my decision is MY ethical decision. I cannot condem then for not agreeing with me. Or you.

xoxo, your loving fgm
p.s. take a deep breath.

We can all agree Wal-Mart is evil. I would love to say that I never shop at Wal-Mart on principle. Truth is, as a broke consumer supporting a family of 4 on one paycheck, I can’t really afford to care. I am just selfish like that.

When infant Tylenol is $8.00 at Von’s vs. $2.49 at Wal-Mart (Equate Brand) and my daughter is teething, I know where I am going to get it. I think it is sort of excessive to group everyone who shops there as uneducated, mouth breathing bafoons and trying not to sound like a complete asshole here… it frankly sounds a little elitist. I’m just sayin.