The Vent and Rant Thread

[Katsunami]

I've had it. I'm shrinkifying my life.

I have the 'problem' that I'm interested in too many things. Everything I do basically requires too much time: playing chess and go, playing organ and piano, studying for a second degree. Besides that, I also like to read books, watch movies, and play games. As I said, I basically don't have time to be bored.

Also, because of circumstances, I have two TV's, an 8 year old laptop, an 8 year old desktop, a new laptop, two monitors, and two audio systems (one connected to the old desktop, and a hi-fi one). From the past, I have two camera's and five lenses, as between 2004-2009 and 2011-2014, photography was a major hobby.

After thinking about it, I came to the following conclusion: I'm mediocre at most of my interests except at studying for the extra degree, because I have too many, and there is too much technology that is either out of date, or doesn't get used enough.

The solution is easy: Quit it, sell it, or throw everything out of the window. I'm going to drastically downsize.

- Organ vs. Piano use: 20% vs. 80%. The organ goes. My music tastes with regard to playing have shifted drastically; Movie themes and Broadway pieces are not fit for the Hammond drawbars. I still think the Hammond is a beautiful instrument, especially in a song mix, but as a solo instrument, I came to prefer the piano + orchestral sounds.

- Chess vs. Go: 5% vs. 95%, for the last 5 years. I'll only study Go from now on, and drop Chess to playing casually, if I feel like it.

- Reading, listening to music, playing games, and watching movies will obviously all stay, but in that order. I'll uninstall all games I have and archive all of them and the save games, leaving only the one game I'm playing installed. I'm not going to play multiple games at once anymore.

- I'll only keep the new laptop, the old laptop as backup, the bigger TV, and hi-fi system. Everything else will be sold or given away.

While doing that, I'll throw out everything else I don't need anymore... like 10 year old computer stuff such as cables, boxes, etc. I'll also wipe unneeded data from the laptop, update all the backups, and only keep what I need/want. (Which is, basically, my music library, e-book library, and important documents.... and that's it.)

I'm not going totally minimalist, but I have the feeling that I'll only be keeping 20 or 25% of the stuff that I have now. The goal is that, if I need/want to move (which is a possibility in the near future) I can fit everything in one van... and if I really wanted to, to be able to sell everything except the piano + stand, which can be disassembled and shipped in a flight case. The only other things I'd then need to move would be my two laptops, e-reader, and tablet which can be done with a trolly.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I've had it. I'm shrinkifying my life.

I have the 'problem' that I'm interested in too many things. Everything I do basically requires too much time: playing chess and go, playing organ and piano, studying for a second degree. Besides that, I also like to read books, watch movies, and play games. As I said, I basically don't have time to be bored.

Also, because of circumstances, I have two TV's, an 8 year old laptop, an 8 year old desktop, a new laptop, two monitors, and two audio systems (one connected to the old desktop, and a hi-fi one). From the past, I have two camera's and five lenses, as between 2004-2009 and 2011-2014, photography was a major hobby.

After thinking about it, I came to the following conclusion: I'm mediocre at most of my interests except at studying for the extra degree, because I have too many, and there is too much technology that is either out of date, or doesn't get used enough.

The solution is easy: Quit it, sell it, or throw everything out of the window. I'm going to drastically downsize.

- Organ vs. Piano use: 20% vs. 80%. The organ goes. My music tastes with regard to playing have shifted drastically; Movie themes and Broadway pieces are not fit for the Hammond drawbars. I still think the Hammond is a beautiful instrument, especially in a song mix, but as a solo instrument, I came to prefer the piano + orchestral sounds.

- Chess vs. Go: 5% vs. 95%, for the last 5 years. I'll only study Go from now on, and drop Chess to playing casually, if I feel like it.

- Reading, listening to music, playing games, and watching movies will obviously all stay, but in that order. I'll uninstall all games I have and archive all of them and the save games, leaving only the one game I'm playing installed. I'm not going to play multiple games at once anymore.

- I'll only keep the new laptop, the old laptop as backup, the bigger TV, and hi-fi system. Everything else will be sold or given away.

While doing that, I'll throw out everything else I don't need anymore... like 10 year old computer stuff such as cables, boxes, etc. I'll also wipe unneeded data from the laptop, update all the backups, and only keep what I need/want. (Which is, basically, my music library, e-book library, and important documents.... and that's it.)

I'm not going totally minimalist, but I have the feeling that I'll only be keeping 20 or 25% of the stuff that I have now. The goal is that, if I need/want to move (which is a possibility in the near future) I can fit everything in one van... and if I really wanted to, to be able to sell everything except the piano + stand, which can be disassembled and shipped in a flight case. The only other things I'd then need to move would be my two laptops, e-reader, and tablet which can be done with a trolly.

Good luck.
I cleaned out my crafts recently. I recently set up a small tv in the library, so I can pretty much listen to tv shows while cross stitching.

[wodin]

Take up golf.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by wodin

Take up golf.

Why would I do such a thing? If this is some sort of jest, I'm not understanding it.

(If you might be implying that I'm extremely rich: I'm not. I just keep my living expenses to the lowest minimum possible, and I don't drink, smoke... and if I go on a vacation, I've not been abroad for over 15 years.)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Why would I do such a thing? If this is some sort of jest, I'm not understanding it.

(If you might be implying that I'm extremely rich: I'm not. I just keep my living expenses to the lowest minimum possible, and I don't drink, smoke... and if I go on a vacation, I've not been abroad for over 15 years.)

I do believe he was attempting a joke.
Or he was teasing about not having enough time consuming hobbies.

Though now you have me curious as to why you think his suggesting you play golf has anything to do with your economic status.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Why would I do such a thing? If this is some sort of jest, I'm not understanding it.

(If you might be implying that I'm extremely rich: I'm not. I just keep my living expenses to the lowest minimum possible, and I don't drink, smoke... and if I go on a vacation, I've not been abroad for over 15 years.)

It's only that golf is the biggest time waster that I could think of, and it's addicting. I got hooked on it a few years ago, and ended up wasting hours per week. Had to go cold turkey. It was awful!

Spoiler:

It IS fun though.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Though now you have me curious as to why you think his suggesting you play golf has anything to do with your economic status.

In the Netherlands, golfing is mostly seen as a rich man's pastime, or the hobby of an (often pompous) ass who wants to be seen as better/richer than he really is. In short, golf mostly doesn't have a good standing here, among most people. I have been under the impression that this belief is also true in most other western countries, but I may be wrong there.

[covingtoncat73]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

In the Netherlands, golfing is mostly seen as a rich man's pastime. I was under the impression that this is the case in most western countries, but I may be wrong there.

No, you're right. Golf gear is expensive.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I've had it. I'm shrinkifying my life.

I have the 'problem' that I'm interested in too many things. Everything I do basically requires too much time: playing chess and go, playing organ and piano, studying for a second degree. Besides that, I also like to read books, watch movies, and play games. As I said, I basically don't have time to be bored.

I understand on the range of interests. Mine are quite broad. Fortunately, indulging those interests is mainly pursuit of knowledge, and while that takes time, it doesn't occupy storage space.

Keyboard instruments are special fun there.

I once shared a house with two housemates, and one of them played piano. There were two upright pianos in the house, and the harp from a grand piano on the porch. We all went away for a long weekend (to attend an SF convention.) When we got back to the house, the piano harp was gone. We were mystified. The harp weighed about 300 lbs. To steal it, you would need a pickup truck and four or five strong backs to get it off the porch and onto the truck. And once you did, then what would you do with it? Where do you fence a stolen piano harp, and what can you get for it? We had no idea...

Another old friend named Don had a hobby of collecting and restoring antique keyboard instruments. His house was littered with pipe organs and player pianos. He worked for IBM at the time, and IBM wanted to transfer him to a new location. They would pay the relocation expenses, and a contract mover came by to do an estimate.

A few days later, Don's boss called him in. "I just got the estimate from the movers. Nobody has eleven pianos!" Don replied that they had counted keyboards, and there were only eight physical instruments. His boss said "We'll make you a deal. We'll move the pianos, or we'll move the books. Your choice!" "Fine.", said Don. "You move the pianos! We'll move the books!"

Don is retired these days, relocated, and remarried after the death of his first wife. I asked the last time I saw him if he still had the instruments, and he said he did, tucked away in storage. He second wife happened along at that point and asked what we were talking about, and Don hastily changed the subject.
______
Dennis

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

In the Netherlands, golfing is mostly seen as a rich man's pastime, or the hobby of an (often pompous) ass who wants to be seen as better/richer than he really is. In short, golf mostly doesn't have a good standing here, among most people. I have been under the impression that this belief is also true in most other western countries, but I may be wrong there.

Rich is relative. Golf gear is expensive. So is membership in a club with a course to play on.

You need to be comfortably well off to afford it, but whether you need to be rich depends on what you mean when you say the word. Golfers I encounter would likely describe themselves as middle-class. (And tend to be older, with grown and flown kids and a paid off mortgage, so they have the disposable income to devote to golf.)
______
Dennis

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

No, you're right. Golf gear is expensive.

"Expensive" very often is a matter of priorities.

I live alone. I could afford a much bigger apartment than the one I have now. Why should I? I'm gone each day from 8.00 until 19.00, and I sleep from 0:00 until 7:00. Effectively, I'm 'at home' only between 19:00 and 0:00 and in the weekends... if even that. If I am, I'm mostly sitting in either the computer room, or living room. Thus, I live as small and cheap as possible.

I think a €1500 per person vacation of 2 weeks is bloody expensive. I'd rather buy a laptop that will serve me 5+ years.

I think smoking a pack of cigarettes costing something like €5 a day is a waste of money. That's €1.850 a year that I can spend that some others can't.

And so on...

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

In the Netherlands, golfing is mostly seen as a rich man's pastime, or the hobby of an (often pompous) ass who wants to be seen as better/richer than he really is. In short, golf mostly doesn't have a good standing here, among most people. I have been under the impression that this belief is also true in most other western countries, but I may be wrong there.

I kind of figured that was your thinking. Out here we have both public and exclusive courses. Yes, it is thought of as either a rich man's game or a huge time waster.
Or in many cases, the pompous ass applies.

But then I once met the guy with the biggest house in town. Much to my pompous ass father's dismay, I told the guy exactly what I thought of him.

As another poster pointed out Golf gear can get expensive.
But nearly all hobbies are like that. They can get expensive. None are really cheap.
Back in the craft room, I have some $10 a yard cross stitch material and I have some $76 a yard cross stitch material. Note: I did not pay near that.
You can get embroidery floss from 47 cents a skein to $5 a skein.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

No, you're right. Golf gear is expensive.

Not really, you can buy a bargain basement set of clubs for around $100. Top of the line for a couple of thousand.

Green fees are another story, nine holes twilight start at around $30 at a municipal course and rapidly go up from there.

[Cinisajoy]

On cigarettes, we quit almost 10 years ago.
That money put a very nice down payment on a car and a few years later a nice truck.

Let's see our next vacation counting lodging, food and gas will run around $300. That is for 2 people.
It may wind up closer to $400 depending on what all we do.

Lodging will be $18 a night.

[covingtoncat73]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

On cigarettes, we quit almost 10 years ago.
That money put a very nice down payment on a car and a few years later a nice truck.

Let's see our next vacation counting lodging, food and gas will run around $300. That is for 2 people.
It may wind up closer to $400 depending on what all we do.

Lodging will be $18 a night.

Cool! I might go to the Gulf National Campgrounds in the Fall. It is an inexpensive trip.