Kandi Candy Sweet Tart Beads: The Destiny of Things, Story 165

Kandi Candy Sweet Tart Beads:  The Destiny of Things, Story 165

Yes, I bought these because they reminded me of candy!

photo via JunkDrawerLoveEtsy, available here
more of my bead collection here

Sweet Tarts to be exact, but at the time I bought them I just picked them up and carried them straight to the cash register!  And I didn't just buy one package, I bought many! as if I was going to use that many?

And why did I buy so many?  At the time, as a recovering hoarder, I didn't think about it or have a clue, I just bought them because I liked them!!!!  Yikes!

It's this type of unconscious retail therapy that has gotten me dehoarding in the first place.  At the time I bought them I wasn't aware as to "WHY" I was buying them, except that I like them!  Now that I have several packages of these and my bead box is overflowing, I bought them because they reminded me of candy, specifically Sweet Tarts!  Remember those?

and Smarties?

Here I am well past my childhood buying beads without thinking because they remind me of candy!  I have no idea what it means... perhaps just a nostalgic grab from my childhood past?  Am I going to return to beading? or was it more unconscious retail therapy that just adds to my hoard?

I think it was the later.

Anyways, an Etsy buyer bought and later thanked me and said it was going to be perfect for their Kandi! I had no idea about "kandi."

From the Urban Dictionary:

Kandi

Could be bracelets, necklaces, headbands, cuffs, all made from chunky beads. Pony beads, colorful beads, plushy animals, sometimes have attachments, such as pacifiers. Given away at raves, or elsewhere, by people who live by PLUR, Peace, Love, Unity and Respect. Wonderful forms of friendship and kandi is a great way to create lasting memories. 

Person one: "I made a piece of Kandi for you!"

Person two: "Aww, k*otic, you didn't have to!"

Person one: "Just wanted to show some PLUR" 

and I found this, 12 Steps to Being a Kandi Girl.  Step 7 was to "hoard sugar!" Interesting. Another step was to make enough kandi bracelets for a Rave to share or trade.

Then there is PLUR, Peace, Love, Unity and Respect.  Within the PLUR movement, there can be a symbolic handshake that rave-goers exchange with one another.  This handshake usually includes passing handmade kandi bracelets.  Information from wikipedia, here.

• Peace – Hostility typically serves no purpose other than to defend an ego that is lacking inner peace. It is a common belief among the rave culture that violence is never the answer.
• Love – Acts and feelings of goodwill towards all others. The exchange of gestures such as hugging can be seen in immense amounts at any rave; this being a way of "spreading the love."
• Unity – We are all united in the human condition.
• Respect – A person must show regard for the feelings of others through their actions and inaction, and one must have respect for oneself and the environment.

Origins:  PLUR dates back to the late 80s and early 90s rave scene in the UK which incorporated House and Acid House music that originated in Chicago during the 80's. The term began as an informal discussion on alt.rave and alt.culture.

SF-raves mailing list archived at hyperreal also noted the use of the term and there is a flyer archive which would be worth trawling for evidence of the existence of PLUR. It should be noted that the term is really an aggregation of ideas synonymous with the earlier hippies and also hip hop culture, with the peace movement being an essential starting point to any be-in encounter or rave.

May also be related to UBUNTU philosophy: human-ness, humanity towards others or human kindness popularized by Nelson Mandela's presidency in 1994 and Desmond Tutu in 1999.

photo via JunkDrawerLoveEtsy, available here
more of my bead collection here

Saying Goodbye:  I'm extremely happy to let these go and if they are going to handmade kandi jewelry, what fun!  In one way, as a recovering hoarder, it feels as though I'm fixing a mistake or making an old habit of mine more clear.

I wonder how many other things I "just" buy because I like them that are some how related to my past.  I'm thankful, as a recovering hoarder, I have come to this discovery, so I can be more mindful of what I purchase because I have hoards of stuff like this!

What I Learned:  

1.  Lately I seem to collect beads that remind me of my candy from my childhood.  This information about myself is very helpful towards my dehoarding of not adding to my hoard!

2.  There is a kandi culture out there making handmade jewelry.  Interesting.

3.  I was watching House of Cards, last night and Freddy who was so close to having his BBQ joint turn into a franchise loses it as quickly as a toss of a coin when compared to his decades of keeping it as his livelihood.  

His long standing connection with Francis Underwood, now the Vice President who has been eating their just as long brings his restaurant to it's pinnacle as well as part of it's downfall and both seem to lose a long standing type of odd grace between them.

Before Freddy locks up for the last time and hands off the keys to it's new owner, he is asked if he wants to keep a memento and Freddy says, "Na, I ain't one for lookin back.  Eyes ahead."

I was so awe struck by his words and wonder if the hoarder part of me can do the same, just not look back. Live the moment.

Thank you Etsy buyer for living me a little clue about kandi because it left me a clue to my hoarding ways and how I can be a more conscious buyer myself and how my hoard turns into more hoard!

Thank you Etsy for helping me with my hoard and for the outside connections that help me make more inward connections about myself.

Thank you US, China, Bulgaria, Canada, India, Australia, Denmark, UK, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Belgium, Norway, Poland and Russia for your visits over the weekend and and taking part in my HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things! 

Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab,  The Destiny of Things, VintageToGoEtsy and now JunkDrawerLoveEtsy!  There are about 100 items listed on JunkDrawerLoveEtsy and will resume new listings in a few days and will continue to relist 1-2 items at the other shops!

Thanks for looking!  Maybe you'll find something to take home and share your story too! 

Related Stories:  Things I most likely bought in relation to my past...

1.  Koi Charm and Japanese Deer Park, Orange County, California:  The Destiny of Things, Story #137 

2.  Retro Plastic Mermaid Cocktail Drink Charms:  The Destiny of Things, Story #116 

3.  A Little Girl and her Miracle Fish:  The Destiny of Things, Story #112

"To improve is to change; to perfect is to change often." ---Winston Churchill