primitives think maybe we have too much

[franksolich]

Your kitchen was larger than my last apartment.

I know it's a reasonably large kitchen, but it looks even larger because it's so empty.

Each of the four rooms here--the kitchen, the dining room, the bedroom, the living room--is 26' x 32', but it looks as if long ago the place had six rooms.  (The attached bathroom is 12' x 18'.)

And the dining room, the bedroom, and the living room are kept just as sparse as the kitchen.

The living room, for example, not counting the built-in bookshelves, has a couch, a recliner, and a floor lamp.  No need to have anything more cluttering it up.  The bedroom has a single-sized bed, a bureau with mirror, and an armed chair; that's it.  The dining room's the most crowded room, because I have the 1920s Sears, Roebuck table expanded with all its leaves so that it seats 14, one at each end and six on each long side.  There's also the buffet with the telephone parked on it.

The 5' x 5' table (a table, not a desk) on which this computer sits, is in the alcove between the dining room and the living room.

<<<likes elbow room.

I tell you, it's a breeze to clean this place; one whizzes right through.

It'd look like the inside of a full trash-compactor, though, if a primitive lived here.

[lastparker]

I imagine primitives, given their propensity to collect stuff just for the sake of having stuff, if primitives lived here, the kitchen would be crammed full of things, things they really don't need or use.  And it'd be pretty dirty too.

I think this old picture I got off the cooking and baking forum supports your argument very well, especially considering that odd sign that the DUmmy actually posted in THE KITCHEN.

[USA4ME]

AngryAmish

Do you like fruit in winter? I do. not available in the 1970s.

Oh, so that must be why all the grocery stores used to shut down the produce section during the wintertime in the 70's.

 

What in the world is this nutter blathering on about?

.

[BlueStateSaint]

I think this old picture I got off the cooking and baking forum supports your argument very well, especially considering that odd sign that the DUmmy actually posted in THE KITCHEN.

The telling sign--the one in the upper left corner.

[franksolich]

Oh, so that must be why all the grocery stores used to shut down the produce section during the wintertime in the 70's.

 

What in the world is this nutter blathering on about?

I think the primitive's point is that with unregulated transport, hence cheaper transport, there's more sorts of produce available year-round, than there used to be.

I can vaguely remember as a child in the Sandhills, that at certain times of the year, certain sorts of produce weren't available there, while they of course were available near their origin.

Nowadays, although the quality may vary over the year depending upon the season, those things can be found out way here all year round, because of cheaper (i.e., unregulated) transport.

[franksolich]

I think this old picture I got off the cooking and baking forum supports your argument very well, especially considering that odd sign that the DUmmy actually posted in THE KITCHEN.

This reminds me.  Only primitives, and only primitives, upon coming here and seeing there's no television, no radio, no stereo, no VCR player (or whatever), and that this computer doesn't do movies or songs, have ever complained, "Oh, there's nothing to do here."

Decent and civilized people have no trouble finding things to do here.

I'm reminded of December 2012--the December before this last one--when the femme decided she was going to do her Christmas baking here, instead of at her place.  It made sense; the kitchen here's big and there's plenty of room to do a lot of things.....not to mention that when one's done, it's easier than Hades to clean up.

She came here with a friend from high school whom she hadn't seen for eleven years, and another friend of hers from the big city.  I disremember why, but by coincidence there was a fourth woman here at the same time.

So.....they came to do Christmas baking, and baked up a storm.

In the meantime, the clouds had unloaded several feet of snow; they were stuck here.

They were stuck here three and a half days.

During which time they baked every sort of Christmas cookie imaginable, in varieties and quantities for which they hadn't planned (but happily all the ingredients were here).

They did this for three and a half days, besides all the usual standard typical girl-gabbing.

I spent most of the time reading.

At night, it was as if a slumber-party, all these late-20s, early-30s females indulging in whatever teenaged girls do at slumber-parties.  (I spent most of the time reading, so didn't pay much attention.)

They still insist it was sheer joy, being stranded here where "there's nothing to do."  They wanted to try it again this past December, but by then Nebraska was locked in the worse Ice Age since the beginning of time, and so it wasn't possible; just too damned cold.

Myself, though, I got rather burned out on women for a couple of weeks afterwards. 

[JohnnyReb]

They did this for three and a half days, besides all the usual standard typical girl-gabbing.

Myself, though, I got rather burned out on women for a couple of weeks afterwards.

I guess, some times a hearing impairment just isn't enough.

[thundley4]

The telling sign--the one in the upper left corner.

It looks like a pile of snot.

[BlueStateSaint]

It looks like a pile of snot.

The sign:

PLEASE USE THE TRASH CONTAINER FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN TOILET TISSUE.

Behind the wallet and the glass.  They need reminding.

[BattleHymn]

Gross!  Good find, parker!

[thundley4]

The sign:

Behind the wallet and the glass.  They need reminding.

  I've only seen those signs in bathrooms.

[obumazombie]

Coach is right in that we should own our "stuff". It shouldn't own us. To that end (aside from sentimental possessions) I have been quite successful at not owning 1 of anything I couldn't afford to have 2 of.
We are here to use things and love people. Not the reverse.

[franksolich]

I guess, some times a hearing impairment just isn't enough.

Because the femme was here, it was much more tolerable than it might've been.

There's a natural tendency among people--both female and male--to wish to include all who are around them at any particular moment; after all, it's not decent and civilized to shun someone who wishes to be in on things.

It's an admirable tendency, even if one's doing it just to be "nice."

However, there are exceptions.

If some sort of barrier exists that makes communication difficult, sometimes it's just too much trouble to be worth it, for both persons involved.  Each is trying to be polite, one trying to include, the other trying to be included.

But it's like laboring a mountain to bring forth a mouse.

I am by nature and genetics (just as the rest of my family had been) outgoing and gregarious, an enthusiastically sociable social animal.  There's this barrier, though; I simply can't hear, and it's a great deal of trouble--actually physically wearying--to figure out what others are saying.

As the femme figured out years ago, the best way to deal with me in a group is simply by leaving me alone.  I can't ever recall being "hurt" from being ignored; and after all, God ignores no one, and so what does it matter?

And if it's truly important and truly necessary to be "involved," one naturally slips in, using one's own imaginative and creative means of paying attention, and reacting.

I am the one with the problem; let me deal with it.

Cook-outs, for example, are very popular here.  The place is, logistically, a "natural" for entertaining, not least because everything's so accessible and it's so easy to clean up afterwards.  There are streaks of several evenings in a row during spring, summer, and autumn, that there's people here for supper, rather than in their own more-crowded homes.

I'm usually off to the side, nowhere near the "center" of things, and it suits me because it's too much trouble to be included.

When I first moved here, this being nearly invisible bothered many people (who thought it was discourteous to me), but it no longer does, and things are great.

[delilahmused]

I agree that we do have too much stuff.  But I see the real costs of living being government made.  Rules, laws, regulations, taxes, licenses, insurances, that make life difficult for the middle class.

What's too much? Who gets to decide? If you've worked hard for what you have, even if others think it's too much, how should we deal with that? There are ways to reduce people's income (or take what they already have) so they won't have too much but all of them involve the government taking from people what isn't there's to take.

Cindie

[freedumb2003b]

This reminds me.  Only primitives, and only primitives, upon coming here and seeing there's no television, no radio, no stereo, no VCR player (or whatever), and that this computer doesn't do movies or songs, have ever complained, "Oh, there's nothing to do here."

Decent and civilized people have no trouble finding things to do here.

I'm reminded of December 2012--the December before this last one--when the femme decided she was going to do her Christmas baking here, instead of at her place.  It made sense; the kitchen here's big and there's plenty of room to do a lot of things.....not to mention that when one's done, it's easier than Hades to clean up.

She came here with a friend from high school whom she hadn't seen for eleven years, and another friend of hers from the big city.  I disremember why, but by coincidence there was a fourth woman here at the same time.

So.....they came to do Christmas baking, and baked up a storm.

In the meantime, the clouds had unloaded several feet of snow; they were stuck here.

They were stuck here three and a half days.

During which time they baked every sort of Christmas cookie imaginable, in varieties and quantities for which they hadn't planned (but happily all the ingredients were here).

They did this for three and a half days, besides all the usual standard typical girl-gabbing.

I spent most of the time reading.

At night, it was as if a slumber-party, all these late-20s, early-30s females indulging in whatever teenaged girls do at slumber-parties.  (I spent most of the time reading, so didn't pay much attention.)

They still insist it was sheer joy, being stranded here where "there's nothing to do."  They wanted to try it again this past December, but by then Nebraska was locked in the worse Ice Age since the beginning of time, and so it wasn't possible; just too damned cold.

Myself, though, I got rather burned out on women for a couple of weeks afterwards.

Frank, you have a MUCH more interesting life than many of us.

We all can agree that "interesting" doesn't always mean good (twin tornadoes anyone?) but your life narrative just keeps moving.

And I am 99.453% sure I SPEAK FOR ALL CCers in saying we all appreciate your sharing it with us.

You have a book in you: I suggest you go back, scour you posts here and elsewhere, and write it!

:)

[freedumb2003b]

What's too much?
Cindie

That is the easiest answer in the world.  To a liberal, "too much" is:

More than me.

[obumazombie]

That is the easiest answer in the world.  To a liberal, "too much" is:

More than me.

Some would quote Marx.

[Big Dog]

What's too much? Who gets to decide? If you've worked hard for what you have, even if others think it's too much, how should we deal with that? There are ways to reduce people's income (or take what they already have) so they won't have too much but all of them involve the government taking from people what isn't there's to take.

Cindie

Well said, Cindie.

[Big Dog]

I agree that we do have too much stuff. 

Dori,

I didn't think I'd have to say the same thing to a conservative that I'd say to a DUmmy, but I do.

If you believe you have too much, unburden yourself.

[GOBUCKS]

There's no difference between "stuff" and money, just two different forms of wealth.

Of course, the DUmmies also say that people, except them, have too much money.

[BattleHymn]

There's no difference between "stuff" and money, just two different forms of wealth.

Agreed, but where does that leave people like Judy the Addled grasswipe, who has lots of "stuff"? 

[Big Dog]

Agreed, but where does that leave people like Judy the Addled grasswipe, who has lots of "stuff"?

It's her stuff. More accurately, it's her wealth, her expression of the natural right of Property.

A hoarding DUmmy is naturally contradictory; but DUmmies are naturally contradictory about a lot of things.

[obumazombie]

It's her stuff. More accurately, it's her wealth, her expression of the natural right of Property.

A hoarding DUmmy is naturally contradictory; but DUmmies are naturally contradictory about a lot of things.

Libs want to share stuff, just not theirs. They want everyone else to be forced to at the threat of a gun. About that they are rarely contradictory.

[Dori]

Dori,

I didn't think I'd have to say the same thing to a conservative that I'd say to a DUmmy, but I do.

If you believe you have too much, unburden yourself.

I keep planning too, but I don't seem to get very far with it.  It always amazes me when I pack a bag and go somewhere, just how much "stuff" I can live without.

[GOBUCKS]

Agreed, but where does that leave people like Judy the Addled grasswipe, who has lots of "stuff"?

Well, when you have heaps of stuff that other people have set out by the road on trash day, you still don't have much wealth.

It's kind of like having barrels of cash, but all of it in small-denomination Zimbabwe currency.