I don’t know if I’m madder at our country (think debt ceiling, politics, greed), our Church (think scandals, reneging on Vatican II), or the world (think environmental degradation, abuse of power, wars, poverty). I could go on, but that just makes me madder. So how do I let go of my anger? Lately I’ve been […]
Living Lightly
Susan Vogt on living more simply but abundantlyBrowsing Posts in Beyond Stuff
As my friends and family can attest, I am frugal and thrifty – to say the least. (Our kids often have less flattering terms for it.) So, when a fellow rang the doorbell and offered to do some yard work for us, my first impulse was to say, “Thank you, but No, we would do […]
One of the first persons to respond to my blog asked the question, “Are you also giving away non-things – ideas or suggestions for programs or talks? Can you let go of any of these intangibles?” That idea has been haunting me for quite awhile since I am a freelance speaker and writer and my […]
Aarrgh! I just got a new computer and that should be good because my old one was dying, but – the adjustments to upgraded software are a headache. I’ve also been walking with my parents lately as they try to make decisions about possibly moving to a retirement center – also a good thing that […]
Since I’ve been doing this blog a number of people have said to me, “I hope you’re not getting rid of your husband, Jim!” We would both laugh and then go on. Jim’s a keeper, but I would like to address the issue of our adult children. Although once a parent, always a parent, none […]
So let’s talk about recycling. Now that I’ve faced the demon of recycling electronics, what about all the more normal recycling we do. You know – the paper, glass, plastic, and cans. Recycling these things doesn’t feel as virtuous as giving a needy family clothes, dishes, or toys. Technically, it’s not really giving something away […]
As I continue to look around my home and consider what more to part with, I often feel some pride in cleaning things out or virtue in passing stuff on to those in need. As I dig more deeply into this process, however, I realize that a bigger challenge is to let go of bad […]
I don’t’ think it’s fair to count our kids’ elementary and high school trophies and plaques as things to give away since they are of no use to anyone else. Still, I counted 22 trophies and 30 award plaques stored in a cedar chest that could be put to better use. (Trophies take up a […]
In my never ending effort to save money, I discovered that our family was probably paying more than we needed for our cell phone. After consulting the internet and various young adults – who are the experts in this realm – I decided to go with a different cell phone provider. Over a year I […]
…charitable fundraising. With the Christmas spirit rising and the tax write-off deadline looming, generous and astute people are considering making monetary donations to charitable causes. If you’ve ever given to anything (and I hope you have) the downside of that gift is that we are both on mailing lists for worthy causes. The worthy causes […]
We’ve had a lot of company since our homeless family moved out a couple months ago. Fortunately, the father now has a job so they can afford a small apartment but that’s a story for another blog. Today I’m reflecting on the one semi-permanent house guest, three Mexican visitors, three Danish teachers, and three contra […]
Normally I might feel a little guilty about leaving good literature in doorways, but it’s campaign season and actually this is one thing I feel virtuous about. It’s not that I enjoy walking around all afternoon trying to find addresses and knocking on strangers’ doors, but I feel it is my duty. I have no […]
Speaking of souvenirs, I recently returned from a conference with a number of international participants. It never ceases to amaze me how generous other people are – especially people from other countries. In addition to sharing their talents of singing, dancing, and laughter, the Koreans and Hawaiians showered us with little gifts. Of course there […]
Giving away trinkets is one thing, but what about when trinkets are mementos of a foreign trip and you’ll probably never go to that country again? That is the question I asked myself when I stared at these Pepsi bottles. About 20 years ago our family was part of a month long family exchange program […]
As a writer, I spend most of the day, most days, at my computer. Over the years, several of the more common letters have rubbed off (like the E, R, and T). I only realized this when other people tried to use my computer and weren’t sure where these letters were. I started to feel […]
I’ve been avoiding books till I summon up the courage to make some hard decisions. The Encyclopedia Britannica set was an exception. Not only was it published in 1961 but it was missing the “C” volume – probably used as a booster seat years ago. Who uses hard copies of encyclopedia anymore? I called the […]
I recently took a trip and rented a car. Now I don’t fancy myself a picky person but I found myself a little annoyed when I discovered it didn’t have cruise control and this was a six hour drive. I then realized that I had forgotten my CD’s (to keep me awake) and conditioner for […]
First you should know that by temperament and choice I am very frugal. (My kids have a less flattering word for it.) Next you should know that I got my first manicure about several months ago (at age 62) when my daughter “treated” me to it during our mother/daughter rendezvous in Egypt. I have never […]
Giving away items that remind us of important events are a dilemma. Do I give away my wedding dress? No – even though my daughter may never be interested in wearing it. Giving away a tux that a relative made for my husband’s Kindergarten graduation was a little easier. It was charming but it was […]
Giving away words in the form of a compliment, greeting card, letter to the editor, saying the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer, or putting out a political sign can take time and thought. I’ve been trying to be more conscious of words these days – both acknowledging a talent in another and refraining from complaining. […]
