The Useless Consumer

I couldn't take it.  I just got too stressed out and simply broke down.  Reverted to my old habits.  Always, with the promise, just a week off, to let me get rebalanced.

I think I'm having some serious balancing issues.  After all, one of my thoughts behind starting this whole project was to live a more simple life.  But my life is so chaotic (at least it feels like it), that these additional steps seem to just make things more complicated!

This is the thing about me.  I love coming up with ideas for projects.  Mapping them all out, oh how I adore the planning!  Something in me just sang as I typed out, Week 1, I will do THIS!  Week 2, I will do THIS!

But there is always a struggle in me, between Polly Planner, and Rebellious Rita.  I can only stick to plans for a few weeks, a month at most.

So now I'm wondering, do I stick with this as planned (hop back on week 5?), or do I drop it all together (as I usually do?), or do I recreate it, and try something a little more organic, and oh, I don't know, realistic? P'shaw!  How interesting is realism?  I want the drama!  The excitement!  But, I guess I only want the drama for 3 weeks.  And then I want rest.

So, I'm going to put together a new little plan.  In the meantime, let me know what you think I should do!!! 

 

Okay, I've updated my plan a bit, and wanted to give y'all the 411.  Just a few minor changes.

First, looks like I have to scratch (for now) recharging my 'portable electronic devices' by solar power.  :(  I'm bummed about this.  The device that I got doesn't seem to work.  I brought it with me to the beach last weekend, and there was PLENTY of sun.  And when I went to plug in my goods, it gave about 3 seconds of a charge.  So, I need to look into why this is happening, if I can fix it, or else I need to return in to REI.  Thank goodness REI has a good return policy, because this baby costs $100!  Enough to make it work , you would THINK.  Sigh, and it was so promising at first.  I was able to recharge my phone once.

So!  In its place, I'm going to throw in a new step.  I am going to leave my lights off as it gets dark, and instead will use candelight.  I think this is going to have several benefits, one it will save on electricity, and second, I think it will be better on my body, and make me go to sleep earlier.  Which means I can wake up earlier.  And life, I'm sure, will be better.  Because I sure as hell have a hard time waking up in the morning, which gets me in to work late, which gets me home late, and then I can't do anything besides watch tv.

But of course, no tv!  That is the challenge for this week.  And though I cheated last night, and watched the finale of the Biggest Loser, I do intend to stick with it.  Though the tweak there is that I'm going to allow myself to watch TV on Sundays.  Then I can catch up on my tivo'd programs, but still have the rest of my life to myself.

Hmm... what else.  Oh yes!  Because of my miserable failings at trying to get rid of stuff, I've decided to reduce it to getting rid of only 3 things a week, and we'll see if I get any better at that.

I guess that is it for now!

 

This has been a bit of an intense week, hence the lack of posts.  Broke up with my boyfriend, had some medical stuff to deal with, intensities at work and school, and now I'm down at the Oregon coast for my brother's wedding.  Which has put a bit of a kink into my whole project.  It is really hard to only spend money one day a week when you are travelling.  I suppose I could've been more diligent, but I haven't.  So, hear I sit with my iced latte that I paid money for, in a disposable cup, such a failure.  :(  But I am not giving up!  I intend to be solidly back on the wagon by Sunday, and to do my best until then.

I thought now would be a good little chance for a recap, on how everything is doing.

From Week 1:

• Get rid of 5 things a week via craigslist.org, freecycle, etc.

       The first week I barely slid by, as I reported, getting rid of three bags of clothes, one pair of shoes, and a smelly bath mat (of note, because of that posting, apparently I come up first when you google "ortlieb cat pee".  Which, apparently somebody did.  Why???  Bizarre.)  The second week, I only got rid of my ortlieb bike bags.  I meant to sell a lot of books that weekend, but that is when I broke up with my boyfriend, and everything kinda got put on hold as I dealt with all the emotional crap.  Which has led me into this week, Week 3, and I haven't done a damn thing.  I suppose I still have Sunday, but I'm not really going to fool myself there.  But!  I could grab my five items and post them on craigslist, and hopefully have things back on track for Week 4.  Who knows, maybe I'll go crazy and put 10 items to try to catch up.

• Gather all waste I create (whether it will be thrown out or recycled) and display it in my house for 1 week

       I know, I still have to post the pictures.  They're coming.  Probably the next post.  Then I think I will try this experiment again in Week 5, to see how things have changed.

From Week 2:

• Only spend money one day a week (probably either Saturday or Sunday)

       For the most part, this has been working out quite well.  Last Sunday, the only thing I ended up buying for groceries were more bagels & cream cheese, as I realized I still had plenty of food from the week before, and didn't need to buy any more.  Also, I find it oddly stress relieving.  I often feel overwhelmed with the amount of choices of things to buy, and the pressure that I must buy something or I will regret not having it later, whatever it is.  That somehow this thing is going to impove my life, and make things better.  But then really, I just end up with a lot of crap and a lot of debt.

• Recharge as many of my electronics as possible with solar power

       I'm struggling with this one, which is sad, because I was so excited at first!  I'll post more about this later, with a pretty little picture of the device that I use.  I was able to recharge my phone, a bit awkwardly, but not able to recharge my iPod, and ended up having to hook it to my computer to recharge.

From Week 3: 

• No more paper napkins, disposable plates/cups, or tissues

      Aside from two coffee cups on this coastal trip, I've been doing quite well on this.  :)  Nothing too exciting to say.  I use plates.  Done.

• Use my bike as my main transportation

       This is great, a good reason to get back on my bike.  Now, of course I didn't bike down to Oregon, I took the train to Portland, and then carpooled to the coast.  But, I have been biking back and forth to work, which I haven't done for awhile.  I'm excited to get my leg muscles back!  And, I always love how great/happy/energetic I feel after riding my bike!

 

So, that is the story so far.  I'll hopefully be able to grab some more time for more updates soon!!

So far this has been an interesting week, you know, with the whole only spending money only one day a week thing.  I confess, I did have a little slip up the first day- I caved and bought a breve latte, a bag of cheese popcorn, and a chocolate donut.  It was crazy how much I was craving it!  I needed chocolate.  I couldn't resist.  Food is such a way for me to treat myself when I'm tired or feeling crummy, so this experiment is really challenging me in that way.  For instance, I felt kinda tired today, and the thought that popped into my head, instead of "go buy a delicious coffee beverage and a tasty chocolate muffin", was "you should go for a little walk every afternoon".  Woah!  Where'd that come from?!

Another thing, I find myself needing to be creative.  One morning, I was dying for a iced mocha.  I REALLY wanted an ice mocha.  But, I fought myself.  And ended up satisfying myself with some chocolate chips, a glass of water, and a cup of coffee.  All three of those combined in some odd way to scratch my itch.  Slightly pathetic, but it worked.

And oddly, I've found myself being really hungry.  Perhaps it is the idea of deprivation, that I can't have whatever I want, that my body is rebelling.  I end up eating two lunches- an early one at about noon, and a late one at about 3.  Which I guess is no different than usual, as at 3 is when I often go grab some snack items from the cafeteria.  But now I'm becomming more conscious.  Accepting that this is just more of the schedule that my body needs.  So, for instance, today I brought in some leftovers from last night's dinner, and realized that I was going to by munchy again in the afternoon, so I only at half of my lunch at noon, and then finished it up at 3.

They do say, after all, that it is better for us to have lots of mini-meals throughout the day, instead of just three big ones.  But, with no instant gratification of buying something delicious that someone else makes for me, I'm going to have to actually prepare things for myself.  Egads.

But I have realized that I need to loosen the chains on this particular challenge (especially since it is suppose to last for 11 weeks), and say that when it comes to food, I can only spend money 1 day a week, but give myself one bonus evening a week for a social food event (i.e. going out with friends for some snax).  And, for everything outside of food, I can only buy what I need.  Really, need.  Not think I need.  Not, this will fix all my problems if I buy this. But need.  And I'll post those items as they arise, and you can call me on it, if you think I'm overstepping it!  I make this amends, because tonight I need to go buy my textbook for my class, and I can't wait until Saturday, because of homework assignments. 

Homework!  That reminds me, I better git! 

Now, to week 2!  This coming week I will once again be getting rid of 5 items, one of which will be the Ortlieb bags.  I also will have to figure out my little solar power device that recharges cell phones, iPods, and cameras.  I'm sure you'll be hearing more on that soon.  And lastly, and the scariest one, is that I will only spend $ one day a week. 

I don't know if you realize how much I eat out.  My typical day:   A triple Americano and bagel & cream cheese from the work cafeteria.  Then, for lunch, often some tasty sushi, a cherry coke, and cheezy popcorn, also from the workplace cafeteria.  A few hours go by, and I'll pop back into the cafeteria for perhaps a bit of chocolate, another coffee drink, or some salty treat.  Then, I come home, and will order something to go from one of my local restaurants, if I'm not going out with friends.  Seriously, I spend almost $400 a month on dining out, and of that, I give back to my work about $150 that I spend in the cafeteria.  Oddly, this doesn't seem bad to me at all.  Which is, of course, crazy.

So the idea that I'm actually going to have to bring in my own food, and worse <gulp> cook!  It truly is shocking.  I seriously might go into shock.  I'm going to have to actually leave my debit & credit cards at home.  Otherwise, I'm sure I'm going to be very, very tempted.

Honestly, I'm also very excited about it.  I have this perverse thrill at the thought of being restricted, of having to live more simply, more real, and be more creative.  Yeah, remind me of that at day three.  I haven't figured out how this is going to work with my social life.  I'm pretty sure it is going to bug the hell out of my friends.

 

P.S.  Sorry for the crappy photo.  Sigh, camera phones.  I'm working on getting my digital camera up and running, and I will stop torturing you all with such horrid shots.