Positive Externalities

I recently discovered the extent of plasticaunt's (plasticmom's younger sister) obsession with collecting Longaberger baskets. I was aware of our mutual interest in receptacles of all sorts (baskets, bags, etc) and I was also aware she enjoyed the occasional Longaberger basket...as do I.

I'd first read about the Longaberger basket collecting craze in the Wall Street Journal in high school. The article was most likely about the construction of a ten story high basket shaped company headquarters somewhere in the middle of Ohio. Longaberger sells their baskets much like Tupperware, through hosted "basket parties." I snagged the brochures off my high school Physics teacher's desk (with her permission) and ended up purchasing a few baskets. Plasticaunt became intrigued and purchased a few baskets of her own.

Due to my absence and my prolonged sojourning years on the east coast, as expected, I've been a bit out of touch with plasticaunt's daily activities. I assumed she purchased baskets sporadically since I was only aware of two purchases. Upon opening up her Christmas gift to me (wee & a little bigger than wee...way cute), I realized that plasticaunt has been purchasing baskets regularly from the very same Longaberger basket lady I initially purchased my baskets from and they are quite friendly. This is particularly remarkable given that plasticaunt lives across "town" and that's a significant distance given that Los Angeles is the "town" we're speaking of.

Plasticaunt has amassed an impressive collection of baskets over the last eight years...enough to fill two boxes. She doesn't enjoy the round ones and only owns one round basket, but vastly prefers baskets of the rectangular variety. I've given her instructions to e-mail me digital photos of her basket collection. As for me, I'm reaping the benefits or what economists might call "positive externalities" of plasticaunt's peculiarly heartland obsession.