Freedom is a free-store.

Cortes Island, where i currently live, is one of the few communities on this planet that is fortunate or enlightened enough to have a free-store.

A free-store is a like a thrift shop, run by volunteers, where nothing costs anything and everything costs nothing. It's all free. And this is a great, great thing.

You can get almost anything you need from the free store. I've gotten cast iron cookware, animal furs and skins, shirts, jackets, belts, rubber boots, books, shorts, socks, CDs (including Dance Mix 95, oh yeah!), movies, backpacks, fanny packs, beer (in the form of coopers beer kits), spices, blankets, and some other stuff I can't remmeber.

The free-store allows us to cycle the things we no longer need around our community. One need never buy another article of clothing so long as we have a free store. We can fulfill our modern need to shop and consume without destroying our beloved planet in the process.

We can clothe our children who outgrow things before they wear them out without spending a dime. We can get them new toys and bring them back once they're boring. We can get all manner of fix-it projects or materials for our next great invention.

If you are lucky enough to have your own free-store, or if you visit ours.. here's a couple of tips:

1. If you aren't sure, take it. try it for a week or two. if it doesn't work for you, you can always bring it back.

2. Shop out of season. People get rid of summer stuff in the winter and winter stuff in the summer, so plan ahead.

3. The 'rags' box in the corner is where all the best t-shirts are. I've gotten three of my favorite shirts from this box.

Happy hunting.

L!fe is good.