Breaking up with Amazon

Sundry Chitchat
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I rely HEAVILY on Amazon for everything from “regular” purchases like vitamins, pet supplies, and non-perishable foods to random crap I regularly realize I need. I have been feeling worse and worse about this for a while. This past weekend a friend of mine opened a pet supply store that benefits a dog rescue and I decided this would be my first step - I know for a fact it is “better” to patronize my friend’s local, dog-saving business than Amazon. So I’m starting there.

I’m not interested in changing my dog’s regular food though, so I found a local pet store that carries it. Just ran over there to grab a bag (called this AM to make sure it was in stock) and learned that the store’s hours are 9AM - 6PM on weekdays. Strike one, real world! I am undeterred and I guess will get in there this weekend. But holy crap that’s inconvenient.

I am hoping to not have to give up online shopping entirely so would love some “better” online shopping suggestions. Specifically for vitamins, but I buy EVERYTHING on Amazon so need sources for lots of stuff.

3 Likes
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Respect. But why do you put “better” in scare quotes?

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I don’t feel like better is the right word. More responsible I guess?

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Seems straightforwardly better to me. But sure, I get your uneasiness.

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For vitamins, try iHerb. They’re basically the amazon of supplements.

I won’t comment on the Amazon thing because I am a bit bullish on them but that’s my shit.

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One of the many projects/startups that I want to do is like an Amazon competitor that has ethical, environmental, etc standards, concentrating on cooperatives.

I’ll start by finding you some vitamins or whatever.

2 Likes
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Here’s someone who experimented with completely cutting out Amazon from her life as an experiment. It was very difficult because of the pervasiveness of Amazon Web Services.

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I’ve never bought anything from Amazon but my bf has once.

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You can probably replace your vitamins with nothing and get the exact same effect.

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I’m not so ambitious to aspire to having no contact w Amazon whatsoever. I just want to stop buying tons of stuff from them every month.

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Much of what I take is well-researched and has some proven benefit afaik. For instance, after I became a vegetarian my hemoglobin got low (found out when I was nearly not allowed to donate blood). The supplement I take with iron fixed that. But there are probably several I could drop with no effect at all (like fish oil).

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Dude that’s crazy.

Hey you ever try DMT?

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What’s crazy?

DMT wasn’t really a thing while I was still doing drugs recreationally (as opposed to as a miserable addict).

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Yes.

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“Vegetarian” doesn’t even cover it. LFS basically can’t eat anything.

I was vegetarian for about 10 years and since then I’ve generally been like meat-restricted or something, maybe eating meat at one or two meals a week. I’m thinking I’m going to dial that back to something like: meat only at special occasions like Thanksgiving, when it’s served to me, or some other situations.

Well, actually, I think chicken is less bad based on my personal criteria than dairy. (I don’t like chickens, they’re nasty and dumb, and the environmental impact isn’t nearly so bad) So maybe just those rules for beef and pork and cut back on dairy.

Anyway, LFS, are you interested in my new start-up (my daughter is in for it too)? Send me your vitamin list and I’ll try to source it.

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Here’s what I take:

L-theanine
Niacinamide
Magnesium in the AM
Cal/Mag/Zinc in the PM
Fish Oil
Probiotic
Creatine
Beta Alanine
MegaFood “Blood Builder” multivitamin with Iron

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Was a JRE meme. Poor timing for me.

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Stamets stack bro

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iherb.com. I hear rave reviews about it.

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From what Nima tells us jmakin should avoid the Stamets stack. I kid!