Halftime Analysis

It appears I've been taking the voluntary simplicity route for about 6 months now. I realize the blog has gone far and wide from the topic at times, but let me explain.

No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

6 months in, and how am I doing?

In terms of things purchased new, I can think of a few items - plastic boats from the dollar store, some DVD's, a new car stereo.

The boats were a $1.99 purchase at Family Dollar, after I had looked at three thrift stores. I have a Brio waterway (last summer's garage sale score), complete with locks and dam, set up on the back porch and X-man pushing bits of bark around got a bit pathetic after a week or so. Necessary? Of course not.

The DVD's were railroad documentaries, a rare indulgence from Bob. He does say that if I didn't treat the kids so often there'd be some room for him to. Ouch. That one hit close to home.

The car stereo - number 5? 6? - is to replace yet another one stolen from Bob's car. It was about $100. I can imagine trying to search out a used stereo, complete with dangling wires, and coming across all of the previous occupants of the Honda's now mangled console. Like ghosts of Christmas past, but for crackheads.

Ah, well... Bob didn't really agree to sign on to the pledge, but has been supportive of the spirit of it. When we needed a new printer/scanner, he chose a "factory reconditioned" model, which is technically used and more mindful of resources. He's still trying to figure out how I can still be accumulating so much crap, used or not. If you showed up at our door, and I wasn't home, and you mentioned a passing interest in _________, he'd leap to his feet and say "Karen's got a mess of stuff for that. Want some? Come down to the basement & pick out what you want."

This is the part where I tactfully don't mention 1000's of CD's that just sit there taking up precious closet space...

Anyhoo - I'm somewhat amazed by how much is available in my usual haunts of Salvation Army, Unique, Goodwill and all those blessed garage sales that pop up like mushrooms after a soaking rain. I'm also humbled that I still can't quite get a grasp on my relationship with stuff and all the emotional baggage that comes with it, free of charge.

I've been pleasantly surprised by how little whining the kids do about buying things - got through Target the other day, nary a peep - but to see them at a garage sale calls to mind those game show prizes where they'd give you a shopping cart and 3 minutes to stuff it... And their first line of defense? "We won't tell Papa. "

Marvelous. I'll take all the money I'm saving and put it in the "future psychotherapy fund".

Actually, I don't think I'm saving money. I just have enough left so I'm spending it on different things; more indulgences but less guilt. The Pedal Pub, trip to Boston, the landscaping - worthwhile endeavors, enduring memories, and no worries about dusting or storage.

So far, so good.