Logos and minimalism,

 

I am definitely a minimalist although I've mellowed a little since my marriage. I am also shopping phobic. Punishment is having to go to a mall.

When I do buy something, I will remove logos. Someone gave me a beautiful Nike sweatsuit, but I quickly covered the logo with cute kittens.

Yet, I've never claimed consistency. Instead of one watch, I have 11 of different colors to go with my clothes.

Our village has an annual Vide Grenier (attic emptier or flea market). There are hundreds of tables filled with almost anything imaginable that people want to get rid of.

I do love browsing from table to table set up throughout the center of the village. We found a set of soup bowls, with a lovely grape vine design, for a grand total of five euros. At first we thought it was five euros each, and at that they still would be a bargain. Juice glasses were seven euros for five glasses. The napkin rings that we hadn't been able to find before were 2 euros each.

Then I saw it. A Coca-Cola watch. It, too, was 5 euros. 

Yes it had a logo. BUT BUT BUT since I was a child, I loved Coke. My mother would buy six bottles a week, three for me, three for my brother. I'd drink my immediately whereas my brother would ration his. More than once, I stole his.

As an adult, I drank Coca-Cola for breakfast, lunch and dinner and in between in place of coffee. 

Then I realized I was getting chubby. Using more will power than I thought I had I reduced my Coke intake to one glass a month. The morning of that day, I would wake up thrilled that the day had arrived.

When Coke zero came on the market, my Coke drinking inched up until it was my meal beverage of choice. 

I usually have three criteria before buying something:

1. Beautiful
2. Useful
3. Has a memory

As we wandered the vide grenier I saw the Coca Cola watch for five euros. 

I bought it. 

Of course it didn't work. I took it to our local jeweler and asked him to add a battery. It still didn't work.

He said he could put in new works for a total of 48 Euros. 

Today, I'm wearing it for the first time. Since I also live in Switzerland, I know 48 euros isn't much to pay for a watch and it does meet my three criteria for buying something.