Life As It Comes 
Simplicity7 Comments
I was perusing my normal collection of feeds this morning, and I came across a link to David Michael Bruno’s 100 Thing Challenge. The premise of the challenge is to simplify life and fight consumerism (with a few exceptions, such as books). There’s an interesting write-up about him in Time Magazine.
I have to say that, despite my penchant for electronics, this sort of thing appeals to me. I miss the days when I was in college and moving to a different city each summer - bringing only what I could fit in a couple suitcases along. With simplicity comes mobility, and I love that feeling that you can really only get traveling with the bare essentials. Finding power/electricity when you need it, buying healthy snacks to sustain you on exploratory hikes or while you cover ground through a new city, and making-do with the little you are carrying makes everything seem more like an adventure. If I could afford it, I’d travel my whole life with my 100 things (or less!) in tow.
Speaking of travel, check out these photos from my friends’ recent travels. I still need to get up there and visit them.
June 18th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Interesting sir. I agree more and more the older I get.
June 18th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Books should always be the exception!
June 18th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
i like the idea of having less and have gotten better at getting rid of stuff and resisting the urge to buy. however, i’ve still got at least a closet full of things i rarely use…just in case! =P
that’s probably one of the reasons i like traveling with just my backpack. it’s kinda freeing! (and much easier to carry around =) if only i could live more like i travel.
June 18th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
i will do this. good idea.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Great idea. “things” clutter our lives. what are important are the people and relationships in our lives. for me, anyway.
Now, having said that, Kevin, how would you be getting down to maybe one computer? do-able?one IBook?
June 23rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
so, the less-is-more mantra really packs more of a message than less! what do we do with the books?
June 24th, 2008 at 4:04 am
We have our own version of this. It’s called “Norwegian closet size.” I realized that our live-in (twice the size of walk-in) closet in Austin was leading me into some bad habits. Way too many clothes. Way too much stuff I didn’t need. Our cupboards here (no, we don’t even have closets - we have free-standing wardrobes) are so small that when I see a bargain at the shop, not only do I have to consider the money, I have to stop and decide whether it’s worth the closet space!
We do have the luxury of living in a 1000 sq.ft. apartment, so not surprisingly we have an entire room that’s filled floor-to-ceiling with books and computers.
PS - Thanks for the plug! When *ARE* you coming to visit?!