VALUE 1: Parking is not paying for.
Scene: 8:00 AM in Boston's Back Bay, Liz is on her way to work.
"I WILL NOT put my car in a parking garage," Liz says aloud, imagining you all nodding.
An empty parking spot is up ahead. A smile formulates. Endorphins are ready to be released like a flock of wild white doves into a beach sunset.
And then, another car pulls into it.
You can imagine how that feels. Yes you can.
"I WILL NOT put my car in the parking garage," she says louder and pulling a U-turn.
Ten minutes later...
"I WILL NOT BE DENIED," she screams, winding around the block again.
20 minutes later...
Liz walks out of parking garage, $26 poorer, shrugging.
VALUE 2: Buying locally is the right thing to do.
Scene: 9:00 AM in the indy coffee shop a few steps away from Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, downstairs from Liz's office.
"Oh hey, I'm sorry to bother you again,” Liz said to a mohawked, nose-pierced barista. “But I think I ordered a large latte, and my reusable mug is less than half full here..."
"It only comes in one size.”
"Oh, right. I understand. But um, I actually order this like several times a week, for $4.75 each time, and they have always filled it up to nearly the top, I'm not thinking like...the ENTIRE mug to be full, but like, um..."
"IT ONLY COMES IN ONE SIZE," lady replies before turning around and storming off.
Liz smiles, flips around to see who witnessed that humiliation, and declares proudly, “From now on, I will just go to Starbucks!”
VALUE 3: Healthy stuff will solve some of the world's major problems.
Scene: 12:00 PM at Whole Foods.
Liz buys a $9 bottle of vegan Hemp milk with Himalayan salt and Green algae extract, imagining you all applauding next to cuddly farm animals.
After one sip, she decides that this actually won't do ____ to solve ____.
She declares, "From now on, I'll just stick to cheaper and more filling candy bars."
She declares, "From now on, I'll just stick to cheaper and more filling candy bars."
CONCLUSIVE OVERARCHING AND AMBIGUOUS BUT THOUGHT-PROVOKING THING THAT SUMS IT UP: It's not only knowing when to give up, but why.
Scene: The next day, these three values all come up again in the same exact courses of action. And yet still, Liz holds true to them like there's no tomorrow.
[mic drop]
