While I like the ideea of this lifestyle, I can't do it. I simply love my tools too much. And I have a lot of them. And lopts of parts. At a first look, some might looks superfulous, for example, I have this wierd star-shaped screwdriver. Most of the time, I don't use it, but boy, when I use it, does it save me a lot of time.
I want to live like this too, but I need tools. I need automotive tools. I can't afford mechanics bills, nor trust the workmanship. I need tools to repair watches--which turned into a side business. Plus I have home contractor tools. It's the tools that has me waited down.
I have a library I can thin down, but it's hard. It's 99 percent refrence. And the first editions--well I like them more than some people. I wouldn't have ever started the library, but didn't think books would be so digitally available.
I have a couple of vaccumes I could get rid of, but who would cut my hair? Flobee--and they do work, if you have a little bit of coordination. I hated going to the hair salon.
That said--if I had to go leave real quick, I would take all my watches, and jeweler's tools. I could fit everything in three legal sized boxes. I would take another three legal sized boxes of books. I would leave my tool chest, and put all tools in six legal sized boxes.
I might need to move quick in the future. I'm not sure where I will go. I won't pay Bay Area rents again. I go out at night, and the people I would interact with moved away. The Bay Area is just not that fun anymore. Never thought I would say that, but then again couldn't imagine living in the Midwest.
I am greatful I never had a kid. Never thought I would say that. I like them, but I never thought life in America would be this ruthless.
I gave away my inheritance, from a pretty brutal father. At the time, I didn't think I would ever need it, nor wanted anything from the man. I gave it all to a family member. I should have kept some of it. It was a lot too.
On the positive side, when I'm dying, I won't need to make to many amends. I haven't screwed over anyone--I can recall. My exes don't want to keep in touch. One told me, "You can be really hurtful. You have hurt my feelings more than any other person." She's now seeing women. I knew I was kinda a handful, but I didn't intentionally want to hurt her feelings. I just couldn't continually agree.
I thought I was reading an excerpt from some cult book of some kind. I think it's the honesty that resonates for me. Thanks for sharing, marincounty, and keep it coming.
Edit - just realised mc has been behind many of the most interesting comments I've read over the last few months. Might not agree with it all, but enjoy reading them!
Nothing wrong with that, I'm fairly minimal in the stuff I own but I have a tonne of cycling stuff (all of which is used, UK climate means you have to change up gear a lot) and tools since it's just not practical to buy those when I need them.
