I need to vent. Is that okay?

[enola]

My youngest daughter puts everything she can get her hands on, on e-bay. Then again she is a stay at home mom and just plain has more time on her hands. She has a friend that does this too. So they watch each other's kids twice a week for packaging and mailing.

 

[chiques chicks]

I sit at break at work and listen to people discuss funny you tube videos. They worry aboit the latest video game. They fret about missing something on their "social" media.
I tell them I have none of that. ( OK, I watch a YouTube video once in a while). They are astounded! What do I do?
Between the animals, the garden, the woods, where would I find the time? Honestly doubt I could play a video game. Hands are so arthritic and stiff from 50 years of hard work. No need for someone to create an alternate reality for me, I create my own.
I worry about silly things, do I have enough wood for the winter, which plants are doing well, have I can enough food. I'm by far not isolated, the store is only three miles. I'm not self sufficient. I go past the mall every day on my way to work. I choose to live this way.
It's air conditioning! It ruined the country! People used to go outside in the evening, sit on porches. It was the cool spot. They knew their neighbors. They communicated. They interacted. Air conditioning drove people inside and isolated them in their cocoon of the house with a glowing screen to tell them what to do, what to buy, what they needed. Am alternate reality. Face to face contact disappeared. People became isolated. People needed something to fill the void. "stuff" is that something.
Yeah, I don't really have ac. (OK, one room has a little window unit) I sweat a lot, lol.

 

[rancher hicks]

I think our biggest issue is that other people honestly believe that they can relieve themselves of their guilt of over buying or being wasteful if they give their excess to someone who isn't wasteful. It is an acceptable excuse for their shopping addiction, but they don't buy me what I need or want or can use, they buy useless stuff to replace their old useless stuff-and make themselves feel better by giving it to us and making us promise to honor, love, and obey it- till death do we part. It is a junk shotgun wedding.

And now that I understand it- BYC is such a great therapist- I am going to refuse stuff from here on out. Maybe they aren't friends worth keeping if something like a junk refusal ends the friendship.

The friends that give me lightly used clothes that fit- I am so grateful. But the ones who hand me size two (?) -people come that small? really? If you cut me in half and then quarter that-maybe.
Someone gave me a top that I like and I would wear, -if I were six. (?)

Rancher, we need to stand up for ourselves look these people in the eye and risk offending them by saying, "NO"

It is our fault for taking it.

I have no doubt I have bigger issues than this. Such is life.

As for folks who get offended or expect me to keep stuff til death do we part have bigger issues too.

I've heard it said that the Kids have not really left home until all their stuff is out of the attic.

 

[rancher hicks]

I sit at break at work and listen to people discuss funny you tube videos. They worry aboit the latest video game. They fret about missing something on their "social" media.
I tell them I have none of that. ( OK, I watch a YouTube video once in a while). They are astounded! What do I do?
Between the animals, the garden, the woods, where would I find the time? Honestly doubt I could play a video game. Hands are so arthritic and stiff from 50 years of hard work. No need for someone to create an alternate reality for me, I create my own.
I worry about silly things, do I have enough wood for the winter, which plants are doing well, have I can enough food. I'm by far not isolated, the store is only three miles. I'm not self sufficient. I go past the mall every day on my way to work. I choose to live this way.
It's air conditioning! It ruined the country! People used to go outside in the evening, sit on porches. It was the cool spot. They knew their neighbors. They communicated. They interacted. Air conditioning drove people inside and isolated them in their cocoon of the house with a glowing screen to tell them what to do, what to buy, what they needed. Am alternate reality. Face to face contact disappeared. People became isolated. People needed something to fill the void. "stuff" is that something.
Yeah, I don't really have ac. (OK, one room has a little window unit) I sweat a lot, lol.

This is why i don't have a FB account. BYC is enough for me to handle.

I love folks saying "i don't have enough time to garden" Oh yes you do, get off the computer or from in front of the TV. They may laugh that I crochet but I can watch TV AND crochet, so I have something to show for my time.

 

[3goodeggs]

My mother would not let me leave a spare diaper at her house when my son was a baby.

Obviously, I am out of the house... and I have her junk too.

But I am throwing it out. How may empty plastic cool whip tubs should a person be expected to store?
You have empowered me!

I will do my lone ranger impression.
To the dump to the dump to the dumpdumpdump. ... or the recycling bin, the appropriate item to the appropriate place.

This has been a good thread for me. I got rid of the duck sauce last night.

..although I do cut open the soy sauce and pour it into the soy sauce bottle.

 

[enola]

I am presently preparing for one huge yard sale.....

What doesn't sell I will put out by the road with a FREE sign for one weekend and then it will go to Good Will.

 

[rancher hicks]

DW has a bazillion issues of Victoria mag. She never looks at them. I've been taking them to the doctor office and leaving them.

 

[3goodeggs]

I would do that with the Smithsonian's.