Hey!

[thunderseed]

I am excited to be here, I'm sure I will find lots of ideas and encouragement for simplifying my lifestyle.

So far I've taken gradual steps to a natural, simple way of living and I still have many goals I am trying to work towards.

All of my life I lived with minimal things, in campers, tents, trailers, garages or bachellor suites and I just loved it. I liked having all of my stuff in one open room. But 4 years ago my parent's bought me a whole house. So now I'm a poor person living in a rich persons house all by myself, there is a big back yard with tons of fruit trees, a swimming pool, a hottub, and even a sauna. As you can imagine, over 4 years time I accumlated a bunch of random stuff in this house, that I've had to downsize.

The thing is, I'm still not used to living in a house with all its spare rooms and weird angles, I end up feeling suffocated and overwhelmed really easily. I don't know what to do with all the rooms in this house.

I need a minimal theme because I need it to feel more spacious and because clutter really lowers my mood and stresses me out.

So far, I've downsized, and gotten rid of a lot of stuff and I do cleanses regularily. I'm even down to having just 1 plate, 1 bowl and 3 mugs to minimize doing the dishes. I still find that my main problem is not that I have too much stuff (since I really don't have that much stuff anymore), it's that I'm messy in general. Embarassing, but true. I'm trying to work on cleaning up after myself but it's proving to be really difficult.
I need to find ideas on how to motivate myself to keep my house clean on a regular basis instead of letting it get to the point where it's too overwhelming to clean.

I don't wear makeup anymore and have switched to a natural life as much as possible, I don't use any chemicals and even make my own shampoo and soap out of fruit and stuff I have in the fridge, and my skin and hair is much healthier due to these changes.
I got rid of Facebook and social networking sites, I rarely go on the Internet, I don't go on forums, but I thought this was a great exception. I don't drive, and I cut out a lot of things I feel are unhealthy in my life, I'm sure you get the idea.

So I'm looking for ideas and tips on a lot of things.

[awakenedsoul]

Hi thunderseed. Welcome to the forum. How nice that you have fruit trees. I've got some, too. I love them. I edited down my Facebook so that all I see is the inspiring stuff. I blocked all the political and religious posts. Now I'm really enjoying it. I'm also careful who I accept as a friend. (on Facebook. Well, IRL, too.)

[Float On]

welcome!

[thunderseed]

Hi thunderseed. Welcome to the forum. How nice that you have fruit trees. I've got some, too. I love them. I edited down my Facebook so that all I see is the inspiring stuff. I blocked all the political and religious posts. Now I'm really enjoying it. I'm also careful who I accept as a friend. (on Facebook. Well, IRL, too.)

Thanks awakenedsoul. That's cool that you also have fruit trees. This year, it was so hot the fruit came super early, so early that I didn't realize it, so all my plums are dried up right now haha and I'm not sure what happened to my apples... I think someone came in my yard and took them all this year because they are all suddenly gone. I have a bunch of pears, but they are the really hard pears, so I'm never sure what to do with them.

I don't condone Cyberspace at all. It's like a zombie apocalyspe. Everywhere I go I see people, young and old, glued to their stupid smart phones. I've seen people get into accidents because they are so addicted to it. Every time I go to a restauraunt with someone, they ignore me and start flipping through their cellphone because they can't go one second without wifi. What's even scarier, is I look around and I see every single person in the restauraunt on their stupid cellphones, trying to get wifi. People don't care about real life anymore. They are just zombies, all of them!
"Did you see that post on Facebook?" they ask me. No longer do people talk to me about anything else, it's always about Facebook. I always tell them, "I'm not on Facebook, remember?"
It's rather horrifying how much their lives revolve around Facebook or the Internet, and all those weird internet trends. It's truly sickening to me, but I guess I am very old fashioned. It's kind of ironic that I'm a young person who carries around a book admist a bunch of old people who carry around the newest gadgets. I don't know what this world is coming to but I don't like it.
But the cool thing is, once I tell them I don't support Facebook and I hate technology, it gets them to think of other things to talk about, which is nice. When they around me they can get a break from that addiction.

I don't like the fact that people don't seem to have lives anymore, literally, all they do is spend their whole life on the internet. I have a friend who plays this creepy game called Second Life, needless to say he literally thinks it's a better life and so he is really sick due to never eating properly or never working out. I try to hang out with him, but he chooses his artificlal cyber life over reality. What ever happened to the good old days where you would actually go outside and hang out with people in real life.
When I got rid of facebook, it was a huge relief. No more fake relationships, the minimal people who truly care about me phone me and actually make the effort to get together in real life and that has definitely raised my quality of life.

When I got rid of forums, it was another huge relief. I am a sensitive Empath, so every time I write something like this, I can sense whenever someone reads it. If I happen to accidentally piss someone off or offend the whole world of cyberspace, I can feel it. It's unnatural.
We are literally tapping into a whole community of thousands of people right now, and billions more that can see everything you are writing. You have no idea who is reading your posts, you have no idea what kinds of aweful energies they are sending you, what kind of nasty thoughts they are thinking about you, and unfortunately I do believe that has consequences on your spirit. That's why so many people are so sick. It's like, once you get lost in cyberspace you can never get out. The reason why it's so addictive is because you are tapping into billions of peoples addict energies.
You probably wouldn't stand on a stage in front of billions of people in real life, and shout out your opinion, knowing you could anger the whole crowd, so why do it on the internet? It's not a very healthy thing to do. No matter how safe they tell you it is, it's never safe enough. Whatever you write on the internet is available for the entire world to see. Deleting your internet presence is really hard to do. The internet is a sketchy place to be in general, and I don't much like it at all but I am hopeful that this forum might give me some positive ideas.

The biggest reason why I left facebook is because I disagreed with the content policy. More and more people I thought I trusted began posting graphic violence and videos of people being murdered. I kept reporting these images and videos. Most of the time facebook admins were happy to remove until I unfortunately found out that facebook has a very sick, twisted content policy, when it comes to graphic violence, they will allow it under certain situations, for example if someones skull is being crushed, it is allowed on Facebook. Anyway, I will not support murder footage or any violence or graphic videos like that, ever and as long as people are supporting facebook, they are also supporting that content policy which means they are also supporting murder.

[Tussiemussies]

Hi thunderbird,

Just wanted to welcome you to the forums...I don't have too much to add except that I approach Facebook the same way as awakened. I only have art, educational, spiritual, and old friends from high school on there. I do have some environmental feeds that concern me. So it is very enjoyable for me. A little too much!!!

[thunderseed]

Hi thunderbird,

Just wanted to welcome you to the forums...I don't have too much to add except that I approach Facebook the same way as awakened. I only have art, educational, spiritual, and old friends from high school on there. I do have some environmental feeds that concern me. So it is very enjoyable for me. A little too much!!!

Thanks, and what are environmental feeds?

[ApatheticNoMore]

I'm not sure what happened to my apples... I think someone came in my yard and took them all this year because they are all suddenly gone.

I hear this speculation about disappearing apples sometimes (mom was saying the same thing), but if there were small apples on the tree (assuming it fruited at all that is and the fruit reached a decent size), what probably got the apples is some kind of critter, squirrels perhaps (kinda cute) or rats (not so cute) or something like that.


I don't like the fact that people don't seem to have lives anymore, literally, all they do is spend their whole life on the internet.

I thought all we did is spend our lives working :~) (sadly that one often seems very true)

[thunderseed]

Do rats eat apples? My neighbour said his dogs caught a giant rat that was bigger than a cat, coming from my yard into his. I didn't know rats could get that big. I had racoons around last winter, but I haven't heard them around or seen them around since. They were living under my house for awhile, which was annoying.

And yeah, but it could be a good thing if your work is something you love. Come to think of it, I don't actually know many working folk these days, even my parent's have retired.
It seems to me that there are a lot of people in my town who are unemployed, but that might just be because I am also unemployed so then all the people I see and meet during the day are obviously also unemployed, since people who work usually work during the day.

[Gardnr]

Welcome! To downsize your "new" living space, close the doors to rooms you don't want/need. Pretend they aren't there. Don't go there. Heck, hang a piece of art you love, or a blanket, or a quilt you love over the doorway so it looks like a wall if the door bugs you. Let them be.....there for resale. I once helped an anesthesiologist friend move into a beautiful new home. When we walked in the kitchen she said "oh, I just have this for resale purposes:~) cracked me up!

Focus on the space you do and create a space you love. Your sleeping quarters, your kitchen/living space. Voila! Down to 600sq ft!

Since you describe yourself as messy, perhaps you need storage that is not closed, but rather open. A small amount of shelving where you can "lay" the stuff you love, rather than having to search/open cupboards/dressers/drawers.

No one says you must fill the house. Create a home and be blessed not cursed by the generosity of your parents.

Enjoy that backyard. Your own nature haven. Create a meditative personal space back there.

You deserve to feel comfy in your home. Make peace with this gift?

[thunderseed]

Welcome! To downsize your "new" living space, close the doors to rooms you don't want/need. Pretend they aren't there. Don't go there. Heck, hang a piece of art you love, or a blanket, or a quilt you love over the doorway so it looks like a wall if the door bugs you. Let them be.....there for resale. I once helped an anesthesiologist friend move into a beautiful new home. When we walked in the kitchen she said "oh, I just have this for resale purposes:~) cracked me up!

Focus on the space you do and create a space you love. Your sleeping quarters, your kitchen/living space. Voila! Down to 600sq ft!

Since you describe yourself as messy, perhaps you need storage that is not closed, but rather open. A small amount of shelving where you can "lay" the stuff you love, rather than having to search/open cupboards/dressers/drawers.

No one says you must fill the house. Create a home and be blessed not cursed by the generosity of your parents.

Enjoy that backyard. Your own nature haven. Create a meditative personal space back there.

You deserve to feel comfy in your home. Make peace with this gift?

Thank you, those are really good ideas!

[iris lilies]

welcome, thunderseed.

Yes, creatures steal fruit from the trees. Just yesterday I wrote a post about how squirrels here have decimated out fruit trees--they've taken all of the apples and plums, earlier in the spring they stripped peaches and apricots. I would think that rats would so the same thing. DH calls the squirrels "tree rats."

[thunderseed]

welcome, thunderseed.

Yes, creatures steal fruit from the trees. Just yesterday I wrote a post about how squirrels here have decimated out fruit trees--they've taken all of the apples and plums, earlier in the spring they stripped peaches and apricots. I would think that rats would so the same thing. DH calls the squirrels "tree rats."

Does this happen every season for you or are the critters just more active this year? Because this is the first year I've had missing apples since I've lived here. I'm surprised they didn't eat all the plums and pears too.
I would love to have peaches! I wonder if a scarecrow would work.

Well if rats are anything like those little mice they would be able to climb trees. I just can't imagine a giant rat being able to climb a tree. I went on a solo kayaking trip last summer and spent the night on a gulf island that was infested with mice. I was in a hammock that had a mosquito net barrier, and all the mice were climbing up the trees and trying to find hiding spots on my hammock from all the bigger predators lurking around that night, needless to say, I didn't get much sleep that night lol. They must have been brought over by boats and ships because there was only a couple of houses on that island. Anyway that's the first time I learned that mice could climb trees, I had no idea they could.

[SteveinMN]

Welcome, thunderseed! I hope you find this forum a comfortable respite from your view of the electronic world.

Personally, I love the Internet and most of what it has enabled. Forums like this one, for example. How else would I have met such a great collection of kindred spirits? These folks have been invaluable in the progression of my simple life.

But, then, I am realistic about what passes for privacy these days; I'm fine with establishing boundaries with others (known and unknown); my computer and phone spend far more time un-looked at than fussed over; and I don't look at anything just because it's right in front of me. The responsibility ultimately is mine.

I live in a larger city. I liken the Internet to such a city. You do have to be aware of your surroundings and to be prepared for dealing with people a certain way (not always in fear, either). There are parts of larger cities which can be risky to visit and may best be avoided. In return, though, there are opportunities in larger cities that exist nowhere else. I'm guessing you do not live in a larger city?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to what you contribute here!

[thunderseed]

Welcome, thunderseed! I hope you find this forum a comfortable respite from your view of the electronic world.

Personally, I love the Internet and most of what it has enabled. Forums like this one, for example. How else would I have met such a great collection of kindred spirits? These folks have been invaluable in the progression of my simple life.

But, then, I am realistic about what passes for privacy these days; I'm fine with establishing boundaries with others (known and unknown); my computer and phone spend far more time un-looked at than fussed over; and I don't look at anything just because it's right in front of me. The responsibility ultimately is mine.

I live in a larger city. I liken the Internet to such a city. You do have to be aware of your surroundings and to be prepared for dealing with people a certain way (not always in fear, either). There are parts of larger cities which can be risky to visit and may best be avoided. In return, though, there are opportunities in larger cities that exist nowhere else. I'm guessing you do not live in a larger city?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to what you contribute here!

I live in a small town and love it. I'd honestly hate to live in a big city with all its gross smog and pollution and noise pollution and just way too many people and overwhelming things and ugly architecture. Buidings are ugly, to me, nature is beautiful. I grew up in the country on a dairy farm before moving to this town too, so I actually sometimes get annoyed about this city, despite how small it is. I really hate technology maybe everyone should stop encouraging my rants lol. They just installed these smart meters, I think they are going to get us to start paying for water soon, but you can bet I'm protesting that. I'm still not used to having neighbours and all the things that come along with city life.

And I suppose you could have met kindred folks in real life, by attending a club. At least, that's what I do haha. I like to join all sorts of clubs, meet new people. I honestly don't trust people online. Maybe it wouldn't be these folks you meet - well, maybe it would be since it's sometimes a small world - but I'm willing to bet that if you joined a real club, you would have better and stronger relationships with people. Honestly, I don't get how people seem to think internet relationships are anywhere close to being the same as real relationships.

I understand that a lot of people seem to believe that internet relationships are authentic and fulfilling and/or are just the same as friendships in real life, but you could never know for sure if I am who I say I am, and would any of these people that are kindred spirits, literally come over to your house and hang out with you like actual flesh and blood friends would do? Are they really, truly friends, do they really, truly care about you...
I reckon that deep relationships that are established online as well as long distance are quite rare, not impossible, but very rare, and definitely never fulfilling enough, because you always end up wanting to meet the person for real.
I do have a very close friend whom I met on a forum so I do believe it's possible but in all the time I've spent wasting my time on forums that has happened only once, we've been emailing back and fourth for years since, but the online, long distance thing really reared its ugly head when he just stopped emailing me for a period of time quite recently actually, and I thought he was dead. I was so concerned but had no other way of getting a hold of him. It's not the same as it would be if he were here in person. When I thought he had died, I realized just how terrible it was that I never got to meet him in real life and although I was looking up obituaries in Ohio, I was really sad that I wouldn't be able to go to his funeral because it's so far away and I have no way of getting there. He's not doing well right now, still alive thankfully, but going through a hard time and there's nothing I can do because our relationship is based on a computer screen.
If it was in real life and one of my friends in town was having a rough time, I'd be over there right now. Can't do anything over the internet, because that's all it is, the internet. It's not real. It's not a good enough replacement for real relationships. You can't touch someone online, you can't see their facial expresions when they talk, you can't truly be there for them.

I feel exactly the same way about phones too though. Everyone who knows me is quite irritated by the fact that I don't text and that I don't like talking on phones, but that's just me, I am not fond of technology and how separated I think it makes people. I make the effort to show up in person when people want to make appointments, instead of doing it over the phone, and I get really insulted when people tell me important news via text.
For example, my sister recently texted me that she got engaged. It's so impersonal... Why wouldn't she take the time to come visit me and tell me in person? If I had something important like that to tell a loved one, I would want to tell them in person. Granted, whenever I have anything to say to anyone I prefer to tell them in person, because typing something or texting something or talking over the phone all seems very impersonal to me.

[SteveinMN]

I live in a small town and love it. I'd honestly hate to live in a big city with all its gross smog and pollution and noise pollution and just way too many people and overwhelming things and ugly architecture. Buidings are ugly, to me, nature is beautiful.
Nature is beautiful -- until it isn't (hurricanes, algae blooms, etc.). On the other hand, I've seen jewelry and sculptures and water pitchers and cars that are truly beautiful, too, even if they're not "natural".


I understand that a lot of people seem to believe that internet relationships are authentic and fulfilling and/or are just the same as friendships in real life, but you could never know for sure if I am who I say I am, and would any of these people that are kindred spirits, literally come over to your house and hang out with you like actual flesh and blood friends would do? Are they really, truly friends, do they really, truly care about you...

I reckon that deep relationships that are established online as well as long distance are quite rare, not impossible, but very rare, and definitely never fulfilling enough, because you always end up wanting to meet the person for real.
In today's society, there must be some acceptable ground short of "if it's not real-life it isn't happening". People move for school, for work, for familiies. They work odd shifts. They're preoccupied by child care or being part of startup companies or caring for elderly parents. Sure, it's great to meet in person. But that it can't always happen does not invalidate a relationship. Especially these days when thousands of miles can separate friends and family.

I wrote last week in another thread here about two people who tracked me down (via that evil Facebook) to tell me that, now that the tornadoes in their lives had settled down, they wanted me to know that they appreciated some things I had done for them in the midst of the storms. Yes, they probably could have visited a public library and maybe found a publication that had my name and address/phone number in it. But neither one of them can make the trip to where I am now to express their appreciation in person anyway. It may be bits and bytes and electrons, but reading those notes made me feel good -- both for their having landed on their feet and progressing, and for the part I played in that, however small. Maybe it's impersonal to you but I'll take happiness and gratitude any way it comes.


I feel exactly the same way about phones too though. Everyone who knows me is quite irritated by the fact that I don't text and that I don't like talking on phones, but that's just me, I am not fond of technology and how separated I think it makes people.
There's nothing wrong with feeling that way -- as long as you realize most of the rest of the world has moved on from that point of view and that holding that point of view does not make them bad people.

As a corollary, I belonged to a real live social organization maybe 15 years ago that had both coworkers and retirees. The retirees were complaining that they weren't hearing about club events soon enough. Most of the club's communication was done by email and they didn't have PCs and they didn't think having a computer was a requisite to belonging to the club. Of course, they were right -- it wasn't. Of course, neither was having a phone. But when people are volunteering what little time they have to manage a social organization and can notify 28 out of 32 members with one email delivered with a push of a button, that email gets sent. And the four who have to be called individually or get letters dropped in the mail? Well, that didn't always happen.

Not that people should just let technology or pop culture wash over them. But standing out is not without risk. And people seem to like the way things are right now.

[thunderseed]

Nature is beautiful -- until it isn't (hurricanes, algae blooms, etc.). On the other hand, I've seen jewelry and sculptures and water pitchers and cars that are truly beautiful, too, even if they're not "natural".


In today's society, there must be some acceptable ground short of "if it's not real-life it isn't happening". People move for school, for work, for familiies. They work odd shifts. They're preoccupied by child care or being part of startup companies or caring for elderly parents. Sure, it's great to meet in person. But that it can't always happen does not invalidate a relationship. Especially these days when thousands of miles can separate friends and family.

I wrote last week in another thread here about two people who tracked me down (via that evil Facebook) to tell me that, now that the tornadoes in their lives had settled down, they wanted me to know that they appreciated some things I had done for them in the midst of the storms. Yes, they probably could have visited a public library and maybe found a publication that had my name and address/phone number in it. But neither one of them can make the trip to where I am now to express their appreciation in person anyway. It may be bits and bytes and electrons, but reading those notes made me feel good -- both for their having landed on their feet and progressing, and for the part I played in that, however small. Maybe it's impersonal to you but I'll take happiness and gratitude any way it comes.


There's nothing wrong with feeling that way -- as long as you realize most of the rest of the world has moved on from that point of view and that holding that point of view does not make them bad people.

As a corollary, I belonged to a real live social organization maybe 15 years ago that had both coworkers and retirees. The retirees were complaining that they weren't hearing about club events soon enough. Most of the club's communication was done by email and they didn't have PCs and they didn't think having a computer was a requisite to belonging to the club. Of course, they were right -- it wasn't. Of course, neither was having a phone. But when people are volunteering what little time they have to manage a social organization and can notify 28 out of 32 members with one email delivered with a push of a button, that email gets sent. And the four who have to be called individually or get letters dropped in the mail? Well, that didn't always happen.

Not that people should just let technology or pop culture wash over them. But standing out is not without risk. And people seem to like the way things are right now.

I just love hurricanes and earth disasters, but I understand what you mean. People can create a lot of beautiful things with their imaginations. I still don't think buildings are one of them, although I am fond of some off grid architecture. I swear people could use their powers to create many better things, or maybe even reinvent architecture so that is is one with nature or at least more aesthetically pleasing. Sometimes I think the things we look at on a daily basis can really influence our moods. I don't want to be looking at pavement all day long, that's for sure.
And I have to admit I am in love with antique cars. None of these modern cars today, the old, loud ones that really ruin the environment LoL. My dad has a 1969 superbee and a 1966 charger! We are dodge fans, although I keep trying to convince him to buy more cars.

Honestly, sometimes I do think it makes them bad people, or at least people who are lacking in morals and ethics. When you go to a restauraunt with someone you should be paying attention to them and talking to them, not playing on your cellphone, that's just polite, but most people these days have forgotten how to be polite, how to have morals... I don't think a lot of people have decent morals anymore. It shouldn't be considered ethical to tell someone that someone has died over facebook, or to text your sister that you are getting engaged. It's all so impersonal and unethical. Sometimes I wonder about this society...

Some people like the way things are right now, but I've met an increasingly huge amount of people who are really not happy with the way the world is headed.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I think if your friends are taking social phone calls while talking to you it's rude (barring emergencies of course). But a stranger at a restaurant answering calls, as someone who is on call for work sometimes in off work hours, I understand it.

I think a lot of the things about society have actually been that way for a long time (certainly before the internet was so big because I'm old enough to remember). Starting when? I don't know really. With the adoption of television perhaps. With the automobile? Shrug.

[thunderseed]

I think if your friends are taking social phone calls while talking to you it's rude (barring emergencies of course). But a stranger at a restaurant answering calls, as someone who is on call for work sometimes in off work hours, I understand it.

I think a lot of the things about society have actually been that way for a long time (certainly before the internet was so big because I'm old enough to remember). Starting when? I don't know really. With the adoption of television perhaps. With the automobile? Shrug.

Well I'm only 27 and things have changed so much since I was a kid. I sound like such an old person saying this lol but back in the day when I was young we used to play outside for hours, we were rarely indoors, we never had cellphones or the internet. Computers back then were giant bulky things that we only used to practice typing on at school. When we wanted to get together with friends we didn't call them, we simply just walked around the neigbhorhood or went to the usual hang out spots until we ran into eachother. We were excited to just play a few hours of nintendo, but we didn't play video games all day long like kids do today. Our parent's let us play out in the dirt and manure, and today parent's freak out when their children get dirty, but because we got dirty all the time we never got sick as much as kids do today.
Back in the day, people were more polite. The town I live in used to be so friendly. Now no one even makes eye contact or says hello. People would actually talk to eachother instead of stare at technology devices. It has changed so much that I really don't recognize society today in comparison to how it was back then.

[Stacy]

Hi, thunderseed. I agree a lot with what you say about how people abuse technology. If I'm talking to someone and they start looking at their phone, I stop talking to them. That tells me that they don't want to talk to me. I have a SIL who's staring at her phone all the time. This has made it hard for me to get to know her, because she's cutting herself out of the conversation.

I love the internet, though. It has opened my whole up to countless ideas that I would have never imagined before I had it. But all good things must be had in moderation. I leave it alone when I'm around other people, until there's a question someone has that requires I look up the answer.

[rosarugosa]

Welcome Thunderseed. I don't carry a cellphone (we actually broke down last year and bought a $30. Tracfone, but it sits on the kitchen table most of the time. I work in Boston, and when I see everyone walking around and riding on the trains and buses all staring at their phones, it reminds me of a low-budget horror movie, and I'm one of the few who has escaped the "Death Ray from Outer Space" or something. I read paper books on the train & the bus.
The people I dine with know enough to turn their phones off and put them away in the restaurant (at least most of the time).
Nature is the best, but living in New England, I must say that I really love so much of the old architecture. The brick and granite buildings in these old port cities are just wonderful, with great little cupolas and widow's walks and such. Trees are my very favorite things, but I'm glad I get to live in a house, and don't have to reside under a Camperdown Elm :)
Technology is truly a double-edged sword. I've been on this forum long enough to feel like I know and really care about many of the people here. Some of them have done meet-ups when geography & circumstances favored it. I can count quite a few people who I met online (mostly FB, but one on Dead-Net) and subsequently went on to meet in person. So I do believe internet relationships can be valid, but certainly not a substitute for person to person interactions.
I look forward to building a relationship with you on the SLF forums if you decide to hang out with us :)

[thunderseed]

Welcome Thunderseed. I don't carry a cellphone (we actually broke down last year and bought a $30. Tracfone, but it sits on the kitchen table most of the time. I work in Boston, and when I see everyone walking around and riding on the trains and buses all staring at their phones, it reminds me of a low-budget horror movie, and I'm one of the few who has escaped the "Death Ray from Outer Space" or something. I read paper books on the train & the bus.
The people I dine with know enough to turn their phones off and put them away in the restaurant (at least most of the time).
Nature is the best, but living in New England, I must say that I really love so much of the old architecture. The brick and granite buildings in these old port cities are just wonderful, with great little cupolas and widow's walks and such. Trees are my very favorite things, but I'm glad I get to live in a house, and don't have to reside under a Camperdown Elm :)
Technology is truly a double-edged sword. I've been on this forum long enough to feel like I know and really care about many of the people here. Some of them have done meet-ups when geography & circumstances favored it. I can count quite a few people who I met online (mostly FB, but one on Dead-Net) and subsequently went on to meet in person. So I do believe internet relationships can be valid, but certainly not a substitute for person to person interactions.
I look forward to building a relationship with you on the SLF forums if you decide to hang out with us :)

Haha yay, it is good to meet someone else who is likeminded! I bet New England is a beautiful place to live. That is cool that you have actually met up with people from the forum, I'm guessing the meetings turned out well.

[rosarugosa]

I didn't meet up with forum members, but I know some of them have met up, I believe in the Seattle area. I've met up with folks I met online on FB.

[Selah]

Welcome, Thunderseed! This may be begging the question, but if your parents gave you the house, then it's yours. And if you don't feel good in it, can you sell it and find a better place that is more suitable to your taste and lifestyle? Or are you just kind of stuck with it, for family or contractual reasons? Anyway, I agree that just because you have a space, it doesn't mean you have to fill it. Keep decluttering, close the doors to the spaces you don't need or want to use, and just build a house within a house, so to speak, that works best for you.

Or, get creative with some of the rooms that you don't need; for example, just because something looks like a bedroom or a study doesn't mean it has to be used as such. You might repurpose those rooms to do other activities more closely aligned with your lifestyle, e.g. hydroponics, sewing, home brewing, candle making, etc.

[thunderseed]

Welcome, Thunderseed! This may be begging the question, but if your parents gave you the house, then it's yours. And if you don't feel good in it, can you sell it and find a better place that is more suitable to your taste and lifestyle? Or are you just kind of stuck with it, for family or contractual reasons? Anyway, I agree that just because you have a space, it doesn't mean you have to fill it. Keep decluttering, close the doors to the spaces you don't need or want to use, and just build a house within a house, so to speak, that works best for you.

Or, get creative with some of the rooms that you don't need; for example, just because something looks like a bedroom or a study doesn't mean it has to be used as such. You might repurpose those rooms to do other activities more closely aligned with your lifestyle, e.g. hydroponics, sewing, home brewing, candle making, etc.

Thanks for the ideas. My parent's bought the house for me to live in but I rent it from them, so it's not like I have complete ownership.

I have talked to them about one day downgrading, selling this house and them buying a cheaper, smaller and more sustainable place that I could rent, and for awhile my dad was interested in that idea because he is always looking for land to buy and it would benefit them to have a caretaker living on the land.
But he is not convinced a smaller, sustainable and off grid alternative is going to cost any less and as far as I can see after adding up prices, it may actually cost more to downsize rather than staying in this house.

Also I really love this house, just not sure what to do with rooms. I've been thinking of just leaving the rooms empty but it seems like a huge waste.

Yeah so far I've created one big room into an art studio, really I don't have much stuff in there and just an easel and paint but I like the big room and spaciousness.

I've been thinking of turning one of the rooms into a sewing room, but really most times i enjoy hand sewing in front of the tv.

I have this amazing whale collage mural, that fits on a whole wall and I absolutely love it. I saw it in an elementary school while I was playing badminton at the gym there, and so I kept phoning the principal asking if I could buy it from them and I loved it so much that I literally said I would pay any price at all! I just had to have it.
Amazingly enough many weeks later, the principal phoned me and said they were going to just throw it away because they needed the wall space and I could have it for free if I took it down myself, it would save them the trouble.
So it turns out the collage is made up out of little peices of paper with beautiful images on them that all form this giant image of a killer whale, stuck with glue to the wall, and it took me a long time of carefully trying to take these papers off without ripping them in half.
It also took a long time trying to reassemble it at my house, it was the biggest puzzle Ive ever had to do.
I put it on a huge peice of cardboard, but now Im thinking of transferring it to an actual wall in my house, I'm just not sure where. I'm thinking of putting it in one of the empty rooms but then im not sure what to do with that room, I guess it could just be a relaxing room with a couch in it, where I can look at the mural.
But I already have a meditation/relaxation space in my house, and another yoga spot out on the sundeck. I am really not good at interior decorating or trying to figure out what to do with spaces. Even after I figure out a spot to put something, I always end up moving it around again.

[SteveinMN]

I have talked to them about one day downgrading, selling this house and them buying a cheaper, smaller and more sustainable place that I could rent, and for awhile my dad was interested in that idea because he is always looking for land to buy and it would benefit them to have a caretaker living on the land.
But he is not convinced a smaller, sustainable and off grid alternative is going to cost any less and as far as I can see after adding up prices, it may actually cost more to downsize rather than staying in this house.
There's that absolute thinking again! ;)

The choice is not "so-big-it-makes-me-uncomfortable" house OR "smaller, sustainable and off grid alternative." There are a million choices in between, and casting the choice in terms of complete opposites is pretty much setting yourself up for disappointment or inaction. How about a duplex or townhouse, or just a smaller house that by its very nature is more sustainable, needing less heat/cooling, less material to keep it up, etc.?

[thunderseed]

There's that absolute thinking again! ;)

The choice is not "so-big-it-makes-me-uncomfortable" house OR "smaller, sustainable and off grid alternative." There are a million choices in between, and casting the choice in terms of complete opposites is pretty much setting yourself up for disappointment or inaction. How about a duplex or townhouse, or just a smaller house that by its very nature is more sustainable, needing less heat/cooling, less material to keep it up, etc.?

Not this time lol, it's just what I was interested in lol. I've always lived in smaller places and loved it. I've always wanted to live in a little off grid cabin by a river or lake or in the country since I am a country gal and not too fond of the city, and I proposed the idea to him because I thought it would be cheaper as well and not just for them but for me to live in long term, but like I said, it's not really. It's actually more expensive here right now to go with a wind mill or solar panels, it's cheaper to just stay with electricty and all the modern appliances.

Anyway, there's nothing wrong with wanting to live in a small off grid place! Lots of people are doing it now but it's really expensive (here) right now.

I would hate living in a duplex or townhouse, besides I like the place I'm in now and am not interested in leaving it. I was just talking about how I had talked to my dad in the past about it before, it was a couple of years ago when I was really missing the country and wanted to get out of the city. I had been living in a camper before that so it was a huge adjustment to moving into a house, and I was really sad when I had to sell my camper to help pay for rent to live in here.
But now I actually like being in town just because it's close for me to walk to anywhere I need to go and I have quite a big yard so it's not crowded like some neighbourhoods, and there are forests and oceans and rivers near enough so it's not the end of the world.
Maybe someday in the future though I'd like to get a lake house or a little cabin by a lake. Maybe one day when I get married and settle down and have a family. It doesn't really matter I have my whole life ahead of me, I'm still young. I've even thought of getting a house boat. I would love to be out on the water as much as possible, it's my favourite thing. But for now I'm here and I plan to stay here for long term and my parent's bought it for me so that I could have a secure place to rent for long term. Maybe in the future that'll change but not any time soon.

[SteveinMN]

Anyway, there's nothing wrong with wanting to live in a small off grid place! Lots of people are doing it now but it's really expensive (here) right now.
For the right person, there's nothing wrong with it at all. Me, I'm a city boy. I'd miss having a coffee shop and a Thai-food place nearby. :)

I was just pointing out that some streams are too big to cross in one jump.

[thunderseed]

For the right person, there's nothing wrong with it at all. Me, I'm a city boy. I'd miss having a coffee shop and a Thai-food place nearby. :)

I was just pointing out that some streams are too big to cross in one jump.

Yeah that is true.

I am happy here in my house. I've made it mine in the years I've been here, I wouldn't want to part with it. I am still adjusting to living in such a huge place, everyone I've brought here has told me they wouldn't be able to live here alone because there is a lot of upkeep and a lot of work. I do all the landscaping myself too.

When we first bought this house it was a huge mess. We had to make so many dump runs, and the yard was grown over like a forest of weeds. I've landscaped it all, created lots of mulched areas and gardens and have even dug and built 2 ponds with a stream and a mini waterfall myself, of course the blue herons around keep eating all my gold fish and koi fish no matter what I do lol.

I hope I don't ever lose this place, but if I have to, then I'll be okay. Even if I become homeless, I'll be okay, it's not like it's not something I haven't done before.
I guess what I'm trying to say is sometimes I do go to extremes, I am just an extreme person in general, but I also do a lot of planning and preparing for practically any scenario that could happen, because it's not like I want the worst for myself, right. If that makes sense. For example, when I go on extreme wilderness adventures, I don't do it blindly, I take my time in preparing and learning and I'm careful so that I don't die out there.
My love for the wilderness really has nothing to do with my financial worries. In other words, I'm not forcing myself to like living in nothing but a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere simply because I am worried I'm going to lose it all, or because I want to prove anything to anyone or because I'm trying to be more extreme for some other psychological reasonings, it's simply because it's a passion of mine and I always do it lol. I just love the wilderness.
It would suck a lot if I did lose my house and stability because I've come to really love it but I'm just saying it's not like I would be unhappy for long if I had to live with a lot less.
I'm sure logically I would never suddenly become homeless, but I do spend some time considering that scenario and what I would do if it were to happen. I'm not sure I'm making any sense. I guess what I'm saying is I can be equally comfortable living in a tiny place with nothing, as I am living in this big house with plenty, but in the time I've been here I've actually been learning to accept the things I hate, for example that technology can actually be a good thing and can help me be healthier, and that living in town is a good thing since I can actually get around to places, etc.
Who knows, maybe one day I'll turn into a constant city dweller lol.
It has taken me a lot of getting used to, but I can't say I hate having a hottub and a pool and a sauna lol, and I do love having enough money to eat well.
Hopefully I never have to cross a stream that is too wide to jump over, but sometimes I don't have the best of luck so I like to be prepared just in case if that makes any sense.

My boyfriend lectures me and says, if I wanted to, I could set my standards a lot higher and own a mansion lol. I wouldn't go that far but he also sometimes thinks I just settle for less because I think i have to, but it's more because it's what I'm familiar with.