Thank Goodness for The Vashon Loop!
Here's my recent, December article, which I am so blessed to be able to share with YOU online and, with my local community, in black and white newsprint!
Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024
In the United States of America, we can speak up on almost any topic with little to no fear of persecution by the government. People living in totalitarian countries or under autocratic and dictatorial regimes see this as a HUGE accomplishment.
We should listen to them and intentionally appreciate our “freedoms and liberties.”
Today, I’m going to share with you my December article published in The Vashon Loop. It’s number seven in a series of articles focused on the pitfalls of ditching cash and adopting the conveniently offered “plastic habit” in it’s stead.
I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to cover important issues and present information and complex ideas, broken down over many months, to my community.
As a well-educated, historically inclined granddaughter of a WWII POW, I have always been grateful for my American freedoms, protections and liberties. Nothing drove the message home quite so intensely as three years of global censorship by a vast, interconnected web of international entities, including governing bodies, the privately and publicly owned media apparatus, well-coordinated educational institutions, globally dominant religious organizations, social media companies, prominent influencers, tax-funded intelligence agencies (from the CDC to the FBI), and more.
But, perhaps even worse, is to discover that one’s own community is actively engaged, at the local level, in fierce, intentional, unapologetic censorship and thought control.
In 2022, I returned home to discover this exact scenario. My island was being subjected to an endless fear campaign largely promoted by our island’s sole — and supposedly local — newspaper (it’s actually owned by a huge media conglomerate located in Canada, called Black Press). Dismayed by the content, I invited two women to my home for a garden discussion about the recent issue’s exceptionally skewed, one-sided, and unhealthy content, and from that conversation a fabulous idea was hatched!
As a side note:
If you’ve ever been a nursing mother in need of support, you may have heard of La Leche League. This incredible organization, which now has chapters in 89 countries around the world, was also begun during a small, social gathering of concerned women (seven) who met during a church picnic. I love the symmetry. But, I digress!
Because of that garden conversation, and the diligent work of the five initial owners of The Vashon Loop (I resigned in June 2023, one year later), we all now benefit from an excellent community paper that promotes discourse, gives ink to a wide variety of views, empowers unique voices, and brings to its readers the complexity and diversity of perspective that is the natural result of a Melting Pot Nation, such as the U.S.A.
I cannot imagine living on Vashon Island today, without The Vashon Loop. This is because I just lived through and witnessed what happens when public discourse is captured or monopolized by a single publishing entity. (Hint: People with power and money find a way to control what does (and does not) get printed.)
Below is my article, which can also be found on The Vashon Loop website. Enjoy!
Holiday Shopping, Vashon-Style!
by March Twisdale, published December 8th, 2023
Some tend to wax negative about shopping during the holiday season, expressing concerns over thoughtless consumption of resources or over-commercialization. In truth, there’s nothing wrong with shopping. We do it all year round, and for good reason. It’s human productivity expressed and shared. And during the winter, traditions focused on love, kindness, light, music, good food, and joy are often vital for those who find the bitterly cold months challenging.
So, yes! Let yourself enjoy the “gift-giving season!” Here on Vashon, we’re not fighting the crowds at a mall, nor are we standing in long lines, surrounded by strangers. When we decide to amble through our beloved town, we’re browsing unique and sense-stimulating items that have been carefully selected by local business owners who excel at knowing our tastes – and surprising us!
Eugenie Mirfin, the owner of Kronos, looks forward to the special moments that fill her store throughout the holiday season. She especially enjoys watching Islanders run into friends they haven’t seen in awhile, fathers bringing their daughters in to help pick out a gift for Mom, grandparents searching for the perfect stocking stuffer, and holiday tourists she’s come to know by name, as they make December shopping trips to Vashon Island a family tradition. While wrapping my own early-purchased Christmas gifts, Eugenie pointed out that gifts purchased at Kronos (like many other Island stores) are super-easy to exchange later, if the size isn’t quite right or a different color is preferred, with no dreaded long lines at the mall or post office! “Even if you think you know what you’re looking for,” she added, “wandering through well-stocked and lovingly curated gift shops can lead to unexpected inspiration!”
Vashon Islanders deeply appreciate community businesses’ role in building up the local economy. Deja Starr, of Vashon Bikes, summed it up as, “Use it or lose it.” In her words, “Locally owned and operated businesses are uniquely important in that they use their expert knowledge to curate services and products that appeal to their specific community. When people purchase something through a small business, they are telling that business (and their distributors) that they are necessary. This ensures stronger margins for business owners, lower future costs to customers, and long-term business sustainability. The more we collectively choose to support brick and mortar businesses instead of purchasing online, the more services we secure for our community. That is how a community not only survives, but thrives.”
“But, wait! What if they don’t stock what I want?” Not a problem!
Vashon Bikes, Ace Hardware, Thriftway, Minglement, Pandora’s, and a plethora of other stores on the Island place weekly orders from huge warehouses. If you want it, they can probably get it, and are happy to do so! Consider our Island’s much beloved Vashon Bookshop. With orders placed 3-4 times a week, it’s easy to receive books in time for the holidays. They can even ship directly to your home or the intended recipient’s home. Drop by between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (except Tuesdays) or call 206-463-2616 for answers to all of your questions.
Curation, curation, curation. Not every business will thrive in every location. The owner of Giraffe, Priscilla Schleigh, is an excellent example of careful, community-oriented curation. She knows Islanders are generous by nature, conscientious about their impact on the environment, and love to make every carefully spent dollar count. Gifts purchased for our loved ones at Giraffe are also gifts given to myriad communities around the world. Drop by to see a world’s worth of imported, handmade items, knowing the profit goes straight to the artists and small business owners. Imagine the good you can do while stuffing stockings and spreading holiday cheer to the ones you love here at home.
And … let’s keep our Island money on our Island. Online shoppers are forced to pay with plastic, automatically racking up fees and other “Bank Taxes,” making December the biggest “resource extraction” month of the year. Are we okay with this? No. Which is why many Islanders are now cultivating a “cash habit,” according to local business owners and banks. Go Vashon!
This month, stop by your favorite ATM machine, grab some cash, and enjoy the town! Meet friends for lunch, sip on a hot seasonal drink, or munch a crunchy, chewy, sweet, or savory pastry as you window shop and meander. Know that, as you find just the right gift to express your love and appreciation for the intended recipient, you’re also spreading joy and economic prosperity to your community, one local purchase at a time.
One last thought. During most of my life, buying gifts was hard. So, I made gifts. In my 20s, I gave cookies and mailed Christmas Cards. This year, I’m knitting two scarves out of island-woven yarn and the stockings will be mostly filled with nuts in their shell and citrus fruits. The point is to take time to appreciate those we love, and a handmade gift is always as good as one bought at a store
.