Enough

[lama_fats]

so when is enough really enough. so many of us are tired of scraping by. just making the rent. just paying the bills (sometimes a day, or a week, or a month late). just keeping food on the table. just getting by. so its not really that hard for us. the utilities dont turn off. noone bombs my neighboorhood. theres food in the store if i can find the

Comments

[chron_job]

> Who's with me?

Dude! I live here.

T.V. donated to me from a friend because the Tuner broke, Computer made from spare parts. Dumpster-rescued and friend's-moving-donation furniture. I bus or bike every day to work. If it wasn't for the inefficiency of my diet my Carbon Footprint would be on par with the 3rd world.

I live simply because it's my nature (Laziness can be a virtue). Maybe in the current environment certain people will stop hassling me to 'get my life together' ;)

-= Me

[lama_fats]

Why do people look at peter pan with envy? Its not "getting my life together" Its that they want a benchmark to compare their problems to. A sublimnal cry for help in that if someone else is in thier boat maybe theylll try to keep it afloat too. Gives you a odd perspective doesnt it :} I have admired the simplicity you live with for quite a while, good to hear from you btw.

The grass IS greener in left field.

[major_winters]

I am with you. I try to only buy new things when the old ones wear out. I am done with "New and Shiny" and "Keeping up with the Joneses". It's very wasteful on all levels.

[lama_fats]

Im sure the way youve been living has taught you (much more than id know) about the necessity of things. maybe you could give me a bit of perspective on how rigid to be on stuff like this? when you break things down to black and white how much gray do You allow for?

[catastr0ph3]

i do this. i've been doing this for years. i don't have things i don't need. i give away things that i am given that we don't use; and i've been raising my kids on 30K or less per year for the past 13 years.

i buy new things when the old things break. i don't have extraneous electronics; i wonder how many people actually NEED a cell phone. i don't have lots of clothing--and i don't plan on buying more. i have enough. I am teaching my kids this, too--although it's really difficult to be different from your over-consumptive teenage counterparts--

i have left the salon early to let other people make more money because i made enough that day. crazy? no--because it comes back to me. i always have enough. usually i have more than enough and i can give a little to others who need: that brings me great joy.

so--i'm with you.

[lama_fats]

I have to applaud you. I know first-hand that the instinct to grab everything in sight is a lot stronger when you have children. Your first thought isnt greed driven mindless grabbing, its " my kids might need this". I never succeeded at conquering that. If i remember right you were going to put in point of use water heaters? Howd that turn out?

[quiet_light]

GREAT entry, and something that has been on my mind a lot lately as well.

In the past six months, I have gone from having a two bedroom apartment all to myself, to having a roommate, to now living in one house with three other people. We have a TV but it is only for watching movies -- no tv channels whatsoever. For the last six years I have had a cell phone only, no landline. I can't remember the last time I bought myself new clothes or shoes. I'm going back to a cash-only basis for budgeting -- I get 'x' amount of cash per pay period for food and gas and when it's gone, it's GONE. I haven't had to put gas in my car in three weeks now and I still have an eighth of a tank. I am getting rid of my debt and I will never be back there again -- no more, not ever. Current goal is to get rid of debt, buy land, and get the hell off the grid.

Good to hear from you :)

[lama_fats]

Let me know when you go off grid. No cable rabbit ears or anything on my tv either (just internet). No landline, cell phone for last couple years also. i just bought my self some new clothes, but it was long overdue. and ive been cash only for the last 12 years. Ive stopped driving my car, i ride my bike everywhere again. And i have less than 2 grand in debt (not sure who has it though). im much happier this way. my eco footprint is getting smaller, and my financial footprint is miniscule if existant at all. if i could find a little job secure in some corner where i wouldnt be bothered id be set. :}

when you say off grid you gonna do your own power and such?

[quiet_light]

yeah, i want to be as self-sustainable as possible... dig a well for water (hopefully with a spring or something starting on my land so rights are never an issue), power by solar and whatnot (though looking into wind power too), if there is internet it will be satellite, etc. looking into lots of alternative building methods, growing majority of my own food (used to work on an organic farm).

ready to disappear :)