Posts
1391
Joined
4/2/2008
Location
Grande Prairie
CA
Edited Date/Time
12/21/2012 10:26am
Anyone really really sick of things? The rat race, the money, the debt, the stress, all for crap we dont really need? Not sure why its hitting me harder this winter... maybe cause Im getting older. I make top 5 percentile wage, have a gorgeous house, lots of money in retirement savings, so dont get me wrong. But, sometimes when I spend time and reflect on websites like Mr. Money Mustache, and Early Retirement Extreme... It definitely makes me realize all the crap we chase is so hollow and worthless. People, family, friends, and health are far more important. I could seriously give up my 2012 450, house, crap.... to live a simpler less stressful life. I think I may have worked too hard from a young age. I wouldnt give it away, because I know that I worked harder than most are willing to, to achieve all this crap.
Point is.... was it worth it? I dont know. North America is jacked. Consumerism is a disease, that has polluted everyones judgement and lives. I hope everyone has a MEANINGFUL christmas, no matter what you believe in. Take the time to let the people around you know how much they mean to you, and slow down a bit. Heck, theres even a few of you losers I appreciate. But, not many. Ha ha!
Point is.... was it worth it? I dont know. North America is jacked. Consumerism is a disease, that has polluted everyones judgement and lives. I hope everyone has a MEANINGFUL christmas, no matter what you believe in. Take the time to let the people around you know how much they mean to you, and slow down a bit. Heck, theres even a few of you losers I appreciate. But, not many. Ha ha!
We like to travel the world, so that is what our fun money goes to, but other than that, we don't spend much.
Living this way creates a life of zero stress for us. We could both lose our jobs at the same time and it wouldn't affect us at all. We could actually pay the bills working at walmart. This also gives us a massive amount of power at our jobs. Not caring if you lose your job, gives you leverage over almost everybody at your work.
We started this lifestyle because we wanted to retire at 45, so, we cut out unneeded expenses and save as much as possible. We save about 85% of our income.
Also, we take really good care of the nice things we have. I have had the same movado watch for 14 years, same wallet for over 15 years, same oakley suglasses since 2003. We don't buy into the hype and feel the need to acquire new junk all the time.
The Shop
I'm retiring in about 4 years, and we're selling the house, buying a new RV and going out to live on the road for a few years. We're getting rid of everything that's not deeply sentimental, and we're traveling around until we are tired of it. Then we're buying a small house and we're going to grow as much of our own food as we can, and we're going to watch the sun come up and set every day.
4 more years, and we're out of here. The rat race is going to have to find some new rats.
I've always been happy with food on my table, a roof over my head, a reliable vehicle to drive, and a bike to ride. In the last 2 months, I've lost my mother to a cruel 4 year debilitating slow death after working like a dog most of her life. Not how I pictured her "Golden Years". Also my ex-father-in-law to cancer, his brother-in-law 3 days after being a pall bearer at the funeral, a guy I've known 30 years to lung cancer, and a friend over 20 years my junior just diagnosed with cancer. He's not even 30. The quest for material things in my life is even LESS important than it ever was. Just happy to have a few good people in my life to hang with, most of all my girlfriend. Who waits at home 2000 miles away while I do my 3 week sentence at work. Then I get a week off for good behavior.
(like we should be bitching, we're part of the problem)
I made my mind up for a similar goal a few months ago. I have accumulated way to much and work way to hard to sustain it all. It will take a few years to get to where I want to be, but I am committed to the change.
Whats funny is that not even two hours ago while this conversation was happening, my wife and I were having the same exact conversation! I think we are ready to make a change ourselves... I mean what is it all for? I look at the history of mankind and how short of time it has taken to degrade this far, shoot even if you throw out the industrial revolution and go back further, say a few thousand years it is still just snapshot in time. Yet the majority of the population acts like this is how it has always been...
I say no, we need to food, shelter and love.
We are / were in the process of finally getting our dream place on 20 acres and are now feeling like it's no longer worth the chase...
Life shouldn't have to be this complicated. You're right, it's consumerism that drives this bus.
I am really really getting tempted to sell it all, and just simplify. I was in a rather high end senior managment meeting the other day, where we are talking about layoffs, budget cuts, etc etc. I actually have been losing a little sleep over it, due to the human side of it. Its peoples lives, and it amazes me how callous some people are to it. I guess its just maturity, age and a softening of ones spirit that makes one a bit more self aware. We are finite beings, and we spend soooo much of that precious time chasing junk that takes away from the actual quality of that time, and the time we spend with the ones we care about. Dumb!
Bartziokas..... I got to admit, I knew that someone would say that, before I even posted this, and it was still funny reading that. Good stuff mister.
I'd rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on Earth. ~ Steve McQueen
I sure dont miss our horses though. Hay burning things.... lol My oldest daughter had a really gentle, slow old Morgan. It tipped over dead in the pasture of old age. That was a nice horse.
I know an artist who lived in Budget Suite to crank out art. I learned the danger of attachment from him. He had paint brushes, clothes, and pots and pans.... told me he had the frredom to leave anytime. I envied his life for years.... he had few things, imense amount of freedom, and lived his purpose
Pit Row
America will have to be on its death bed before we take radical action.
Its not that simple to say NA isnt jacked. People buy into it, I agree. However, they are submerged into it. Without some clear guidance, I dont think most people really realize how much thier lives really are controlled by that influence. The pursuit of happiness isnt generally taught to most, that it is not in purchases or material items. Thats part of why our system is crumbling. The core values that make a strong society are degrading for instant consumer gratification. It boils into most every aspect of our lives I think. I think for myself, I just need to invest more time in family and freinds than I have. I wouldnt say I was a crazy consumer, or shallow, but I have had the balance tilted too far to the work and achievement side. Everything comes at a price.
Rich died in a car wreck in 1997, and his friends went to his house to bring all his belongings to his family. They picked up everything he owned, took it back to Indiana and stored it all in a 8 X 10 storage building. Everything he owned fit in 80 square feet.
The longer and better we live, our footprints on this Earth should become shallower and our touch on the souls of other people should become deeper.
Checks out the book"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl. It's not religious or spirituatl, just a logical breakdown of what we really need- and that is to be dedicated to something larger than ourselves. He came to this conclusion after almost dying in a WWII concentration camp.
It's also a hell of a story about being in a concentration camp. Unfucking believable really.
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