Three Tips for Simplifying Your Life and Being Freer

Living free is something each person has to define for his or her individual life and circumstances. We live in complicated times and for the mainstream more traditional lifestyle in most developed countries it is only going to get more complex in the future. One major step towards living freer and happier is to simplify your life as much as you can, allowing for your specific circumstances. So, here are three tips to help you live a simpler life.

#1. Simplify your Financial Life. There are numerous ways virtually everyone can do this. First, eliminate as much paper from your life as possible. This is good for ecology as well since it saves trees and all the energy to make paper and transport it in numerous ways. It also saves space and time since you don't have to handle, file and store the paper You can do this by receiving all your bills (or at least all that are available) electronically. Then pay them electronically.

Second, you can also simplify your life by eliminating extra bank accounts. You can use one or two accounts and simply maintain several ledgers for different purposes on each account, again, electronically. There are several very inexpensive, simple and efficient home bookkeeping software programs available. Some of these programs will even schedule and pay your bills.

Third, use debit cards in place of paper checks whenever possible. But, here's an important hint. Make sure your debit card is issued through Visa or Mastercard. Many banks are now charging a service fee whenever you use your debit card and enter your pin code. However, if you simply choose to use the same debit card, with the Visa or Mastercard logo on it, as a credit card (even though the funds will still be debited directly from your checking account) you will not be charged a fee by your bank.

Finally, eliminate extra credit cards and close accounts that you are not using like old department store accounts (Sears, JC Penny's, Target and so on). Select one or two, credit cards with low APR's, especially if you must carry a balance. However, I highly recommend you pay off each card every month and don't carry any balances. Keep your credit limits reasonable. The higher your limits the more tempted you'll be to buy stuff you don't really need. You may also want to consider keeping one high credit limit card, with the lowest possible APR, for emergencies. You might want to just keep it in a safe deposit box or a small home safe. Only use it for real emergencies like paying a hospital deductible, should the need arise. One other note, be careful when you close credit accounts. Make sure the issuing agency notes that closing the account was at the customer's request. Also, don't close them all at one time. All of these account closings will be reflected on your credit report (which you can and should check regularly on line) and it could be detrimental to your credit if not handled properly.

#2 Simplify your Wardrobe. Whether you care to believe it or not, you, like most other people (except those who have already simplified their wardrobe) only wear about 20% or your clothes. Like so many aspects of life, Pareto's Principle or the 80/20 Rule applies to your closet. Check it yourself. First of all, I recommend that you stop being a slave to fashion. I know! I know! We all want to look cool and chic. I've been there and done that. I had the bell-bottom slacks, the leisure suit, and the Nehru shirt with the big medallion. I fell right in lock step with the rest of the fashion lemmings.

Here's the thing. A good, simple, basic wardrobe never goes out of style, saves a fortune, always looks good and appropriate and makes your life so much simpler in choosing what to wear each day. Now, I know that women are really drawn into this fashionista stuff. And even worse, women's clothes typically cost so much more than men's clothes. However, I know many women who have just a couple pairs of neutral slacks, a couple easy to care for skirts, a few tops that go with the slacks and skirts, a few different belts and scarves and other accessories and, viola, they can mix and match those few items to create all kinds of combinations. They always look great. The same goes with sports wear like shorts and tees or tank tops. 

Men can apply the same ideas. Depending on your situation men can usually get away with two or three pairs of comfortable, quality shoes. Women should be able to do the same, again, depending on your specific situation. Keep underwear simple, practical, comfortable and easy to maintain. Ladies, I know you like to wear all kinds of sexy, frilly lingerie. So, have one or two sets for "special occasions," but remember I'm trying to simplify your life to make you freer and happier. Always think . . . comfort, ease of care, economy and least amount of space. 

Think of it this way. You are going on a trip. You can carry one bag with you and it's a backpack. You have to haul that backpack everywhere you go. How light can you make that backpack with enough clothes to get you through one to two weeks without having to wash anything? Now, let's make it a bit simpler. How much do you need to go for four or five days? This applies to both men and women.

At another time we'll talk about make-up, jewelry and other "stuff" that is nice, but expensive, can be distracting and is very often unnecessary.

#3. Simplify your Menu. Even those of us who think we have a very economical and simple diet are probably spending way more than has to be expended and the meal process is likely much more complicated than you realize. Interestingly, there is an opposite supposition. Eating out all the time, consuming fast food because it's fast and efficient and relatively inexpensive and eating all kinds of things that are bad for us.

Now, believe me, I love food as much as anyone. I am not a gourmet. I'm not impressed or usually satisfied with the food at a four or five star, very expensive restaurant. I'm not saying that it's not good or worth the price (mostly paying for the ambiance). I'm simply saying that I am very happy with good, properly prepared, simple foods. I honestly believe that most people are like me in that manner, however, because of peer pressure with co-workers, friends, family and so on, we end up eating food that is more expensive than it has to be, takes way more time to prepare it and is probably not the best for a long-term, life sustaining diet.

Here's what I do and suggest. Figure out what you like to eat. I don't mean McDonald's Big Macs, Arby's roast beef and the Colonels best greasy chicken with its secret herbs and spices. Break them down into meal categories i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner. By the way, there is nothing wrong with eating breakfast food for dinner and lunch food for breakfast and so on. Variety is still the spice of life.

Select good, health-sustaining foods. Make sure you include lots of fruits and veggies. Watch out for too many grains and pastas. I love a good slab of cow (beef) from time to time, but decent cuts of beef can be pricey and we don't need all that much (if you're a vegetarian or a vegan you don't have to worry about this - but you are missing out on something good - oops, I'm editorializing, sorry). We need some protein in our diets and there are lots of ways to get it including eggs, chicken, fish (lots of fish is good) and other protein-laden foods.

My professional speaker friend in Dallas, Texas, Ed Foreman, always expounds on the concept that we should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. Many nutritionists promote this idea, as well.

Again, the idea is to simplify our lives to make us freer and happier. So, do I want to deprive myself of some of the nice pleasures that food can provide? Absolutely not! But, what I do want to do is have a simple, easy to prepare, nutritious, life-sustaining and economical diet that I really enjoy and can then enhance by the occasional excursion to a new (to me) or unique restaurant (not the chain places) or even just a favorite fast food place. I like Subway sandwiches; 6" is plenty, saving the other half for another meal. I load the sandwiches with all the spinach, tomatoes and other veggies they can cram on it. I usually only have them apply vinegar for a dressing because it flavors the "salad (with my meat and cheese of choice) on bread" without adding any calories. Oh yeah, and I like the taste that way.

For those of us who travel either in motor homes, vans, trailers or even backpacking, there is a limited amount of space available for food stocking. So, I've created a list of the basic foods I can mix and match and eat day in and day out. The list is pretty simple, yet, allows for lots of diverse flavors while being nutritious. And it's all designed to require simple preparation, thus saving me time, money and energy (since energy is a big consideration when living off the grid for periods of time).

So, there are three tips everyone can put to work to simplify one's life. None of them are hard to implement, however, the results will be to realize less stress and more freedom and that makes one's life happier and more harmonious.

I'll expound on these three ideas more in the future and I'll add more simplification tips as I go along.        

Well, The Simple Life Just Isn't Simple - YET!

Blogging is supposed to be about making regular postings - at least somewhat regular postings. I guess up to this point it's been simpler to not post then to make the time to post. Well, I've said this to myself before - and I'm saying it again. "Get with it!" So, I'm back again.

Actually, there has been a lot going on. I really am working toward The Simple Life and a big part of that is extracting myself from a very complex industry that seems to either take up too much of my time - or leave me too brain dead to want to make time to share my thoughts.

I'm in the process of becoming a former book publisher. Dismantling a trade book publishing business is definitely not simple and that is probably what has kept me in this business for the last several years. Well, I finally bit the bullet, took the plunge, jumped off the cliff - I'm dealing with the complexity and pain (in a certain part of my anatomy) as I get out of the book publishing industry and re-invent myself.

There are a lot of steps to making this very major life change and re-invention of who I am, but at age 62, as difficult as it is - I also find it exciting. Actually, I've dubbed it my "Fourth Life." It's like another way of being "born again" only this doesn't involve any kind of religious conversion. I'm still defining what this Fourth Life really means to me. I'll let you know as I define it.

But, here is the basic plan:

1. Sell off, give away or trash just about everything - except necessities, of course, like clothing and such, the basic tools of my trade(s) and a few things of sentimental value (we all have some of those things - they keep us grounded and remind us of where we came from).

2. Complete dismantling and extracting myself from the publishing business.

3. Determine what I will do to generate an on going income from new revenue streams. I have a lot of knowledge, wisdom, experience and talent to call upon - but it MUST be based on virtual businesses that can operate on the Internet from anywhere - whenever I am anywhere I choose to be - including overseas. I can't go backward and retrace my tracks. The world and the recording and publishing industries have changed too drastically. Tape duplication is no longer an option since it's an obsolete industry. So, I have to synergize my thinking and experience into something forward thinking. I have several ideas to work from.

4. Another reason for downsizing and getting rid of all the "stuff" that has accumulated over a lifetime is because step 4 is to move into a large motor home which will become both my home and my office - probably for the next several years. Yep! The plan is to be a 21st Century gypsy, with Internet based businesses and relying on technology for taking care of just about all of the normal business and day to day living requirements. I want to "See the USA (and Canada) the RV way!" I want to criss-cross this nation, visit all the wonderful "off the interstate" places that make up Americana and meet all the people who live there and learn about them. I want to share what I know and have learned with those I meet to hopefully make their lives better in some way. My life will automatically be better because I will have met so many neat people.

So, at the moment, that's the basic plan. I'm going to put notes and signs up everywhere to remind me to blog at least a few times a week, if not more - just so I can get this entire adventure down - and make it available for anyone interested in reading it - and I hope, gaining some kind of useful insight from my experiences.

That's it for this posting. I didn't think I'd write this much this time. but, it's a New Start in a Brave New World. Your comments are solicited. More soon, maybe even tomorrow.

A Quiet Sunday Afternoon in the Country

Well, it's a nice quiet, peaceful and pleasant Sunday here in the northern Shenandoah Valley. It's currently partly cloudy and the temperature is about 50 degrees, about 8 degrees below the normal temperature for this date. The six horses that board out in the pasture are doing what horses do - grazing. They are still feeding on large rolled bales of hay since the grass has not started to turn green and begin growing, yet. But, it's always pleasant to look out the window and see them there. Sometimes I'll feed them some apples or carrots and just hang out with them. They seem to enjoy the attention and it kind of keeps things in perspective as I stand in the midst of these large, yet gentle animals.

The spring and fall are my two favorite seasons. I really like the moderate temperatures and, of course, in the spring everything is coming to life again. The trees are all in red buds, the forsythia are brilliant yellow and some of the other early spring flowers are blossoming. It's like seeing life start all over again. The fall is just the opposite. The heat of summer begins to temper, the leaves on the trees slowly, at first, begin to change color. Then all of a sudden, almost overnight, they are brilliant and within a few days, they turn brown, a strong wind from some kind of early wintery front comes through and blows most of them off the trees and then all is dormant until the return of spring. This has been a fairly unusual winter this year. January was the warmest January on record in this area - we had quite a few spring like days. Actually, we had very little really cold weather this year and there was only one snowfall that required me to call in my "plow" guy to open up the nearly 2/10 of a mile gravel roadway from the main road to my garage. We may have had one other very light snowfall, but it was gone virtually overnight. We've actually had almost no precipitation during the month of March and this is creating a pretty serious draught condition as well as a somewhat critical forest and brush fire condition. We've had about .04 inches of rain so far this month - and the record for the lowest amount of rain in this region dates back to 1910 when only .57" fell for the month. Unless we have some serious rain, this month may set the new record.

Some of you who follow this blog may be familiar with Elaine St. James. Elaine wrote at least three books I'm familiar with about simplifying one's life. The book that has had the most impact on me is her Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter. As I went through the book and looked at her 100 ideas, I noticed that some of them I had already adopted and implemented. Others were things that made sense to me and I marked them as ideas I wanted to implement in my life. Still other ideas just didn't seem to move me one way or another and I put them off until some later time when I could revisit them and see if they made sense then. And there were several that didn't really apply to me since they were really gender specific.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is just looking to make a complicated life a bit simpler, slower and more relaxed. There are several considerations a person can make when they decide to simplify their life. Some are simple, easy and don't require drastic and, perhaps, traumatic changes. The other extreme could extend to pulling up stakes from your inner city, traffic filled life and moving to a suburban, rural or even, in extreme situations - a wilderness location complete with log cabin, dirt floors and outdoor "facilities." Elaine's books don't really go in the extreme direction. Basically, you can make changes that will make life better and simpler and slower and more relaxed wherever you are.

For example. some of the immediate things that I had already done or decided to implement for my life were to discontinue receiving a daily newspaper. I get most of my current affairs from National Public Radio, I'm not all that interested in local politics, social functions or who stole what from whom or what redneck shot his wife - or vice-versa. I can always get the local "poop" from my friends in the area who still subscribe to the local "fish wrapper." Another two ideas I buy into regard shopping. I have cut my shopping time in half and I buy in bulk on some items. I created a shopping list (saved on my hard drive) that lists everything that I like to eat or need for basic sanitary, grooming and utlitiy requirements. When something is available in bulk that I can use in a reasonable amount of time (months, not years) at the local Costco, I buy those items and store them. When there is a sale on some kind of food item at Costco, like boneless pork loins, at a substantial savings, I purchase the bulk amount and simply wrap and freeze them in individual servings. I've, both, saved money and saved time since I don't have to shop for these items again for a while. By taking my list and shopping in only three places for these items, I go in, know where the items are, get them and get out. And, I don't have to actually do any serious shopping but once a month in most cases. This is a big time saver and also eliminates dealing with crowds.

One very big thing I want to do is downsize my living quarters. Since I work at home, I do need a certain amount of space to do what I do to earn a living. (If you're interested, I'm writing another blog called "Making Money at Home - Living the American Dream) But, where I am now has become a burden, so it's time to condense, compress, whatever. In early May I'll be spending a week in central Florida at an over 55 active adult community there. Yes, I am over 55, actually, I'll celebrate my 61st birthday later this week. I don't feel 61 or even think 61, but I am and that does give me pause to think about my lifestyle for the next 15 or 20 years, God willing. I've never been interested in being a resident of Florida and I don't know that after this trip I'll change my mind. But, as the old cliche says, "The mind is like a parachute, it only works when it's open. So, we'll see what we see.

As I keep posting here, I'm going to indicate what I've done to make my life much simpler then it once was. I don't necessarily advocate that you need to do what I've done, but if it makes sense, then why not try it. Now, I should also say, that I am not an extremist. I have absolutely no plans to move to a log cabin with a dirt floor. That's fine for those who choose to do so and it was necessary for our pioneering ancesters to do it. But, I do enjoy creature comforts. I am simply looking to eliminate clutter and "stuff" in my life. I'm looking to have to spend the least amount of time doing domestic and maintenance chores. I'm looking to have as much free time to do things I want to do, be that travel, reading, writing this and some other blogs, creating podcasts (and I will be creating one for The Simple Life and Making Money at Home in the near future). As a single guy with a number of dreams I'm hoping to achieve before I kick off, I want the least number of obstacles hindering or blocking me from doing the things I really want to do. So, as I go along with this topic, I'm going to be posting ideas, both, that I've implemented for myself and that aren't right for me, but may be great for you. Use them if they work for you. And, if you have some things that you are doing that you'd like to suggest to me, please send them along as comments or even e-mail me at ed@oakhillpress.com. That's all for this posting. Thanks for reading and do comment if you have anything to contribute.

Enthusiastically,
The Virginia Sound Guy

Sheesh! Finally Back Again - after nearly a year!

Keeping up with a blog is simple, right? Yeah, right! I started this a a project to help myself make progress in the simplification process for my own life and thought, perhaps, it might help a few others who are wrestling with similar issues. Well, I guess it's quite obvious - I haven't done very well at this up to this point. I'm hoping to redeem myself, though.

Lots of things have happened since last April. Far too many to go into here. But, some are significant enough to touch on over the next few postings. I guess the most immediately significant simplification process I've undertaken has just happened. My small publishing business had a staff of five of us - myself and four others who worked for me. Basically, I've let three of the four others go. Only one remains. I've also cut back my operating hours (for the public) from 9 AM - 5 PM Mon-Fri to 9 AM - 2 PM Mon - Thurs. I've determined to outsource as much as I can so we'll basically be a consulting/sales and marketing operation. So, far I've been able to decommission three computers of the seven on my network and a fourth will be following in quick succession. Getting rid of four computers and elimination all from being wireless to the three remaining computers being on the wired network is making things a lot simpler. Boy, what a load this is taking off me. The extra hours that I'm not committed to being in the office (which co-incidentally-is also where I live) is allowing me more time to pursue other professional interests as well as some personal things. So, this is making life better, too.

More about my down sizing and other things I'm doing along this line in my next posting. Thanks for stopping by.

Where Did The Time Go?

Here it is, the end of April already, my last entry was in February. What happened to March and the rest of April? Obviously, the concept of blogging requires some discipline. And living a simple lifestyle also requires some discipline in this very hectic, complex world. I have to spend some time thinking and possibly rethinking my intentions both for this blog and for the simplification of my life. If I can’t make a daily entry or even one every other day, then my life is still too complicated. There are still way too many things to deal with between family issues with a troubled sister, business and involvements with other organizations and people’s lives. Each has to be addressed individually. Each has to be addressed directly. Although, it would seem, decisions should be fairly simple and straightforward, at least for me, that isn’t so. Back to the drawing board! This is a process and I must focus in on it if I will be successful and be able to help, assist, and guide others who would like to achieve a simplified lifestyle.

The Virginia Sound Man

Not as Simple as I Thought!

Okay! So, just because I've titled this blog 'The Simple Life' doesn't mean this is going to be simple, I guess. Since February 16th I have added a couple postings - and I guess I did something wrong. It all seems simple enough, but the postings never appeared. Well, if at first you don't succeed . . . you know the rest.

So, here it is 8 days after I started my blog and I'm hoping my second post (actually my fourth, I think) will actually publish. Here is a lesson I've already learned about The Simple Life - it's complicated to simplify your life. It doesn't seem to matter what it is, as you take steps to simplify your life, outside forces react and complicate things. Point in fact - I have some broken CRT computer monitors. They are taking up valuable and much needed space in my book warehouse - it used to be the garage, but now it houses all the office book inventory that we need to fulfill orders for various buyers including Amazon. So, I can't take them to a local dumpster, that's not legal. No, I have to take them directly to the county landfill. But, can I take them at my convenience? Of course not. I can only take them between 7 AM and 1 PM on the second Saturday of any given month - and I have to pay a fee of either $8.00 or $12.00 per monitor for the landfill to accept them. So, now I have to figure a way to get them there at the prescribed time and be sure I have the necessary cash in pocket. Of course, as long as I'm making a trip to the landfill, I might as well find as much other stuff to go on that same trip. A simple process - getting rid of clutter and junk has to be orchestrated. Obviously, I'm not living the simple life, yet. But I keep working toward it and anticipate enjoying it.

Now, I actually have made some headway in simplifying things. For example, I have streamlined and simplified my grocery shopping by implementing some of the strategies in Elaine St. James book Simplify Your Life. First, I created a shopping list on my computer that includes all the regular items I purchase plus some space for special requirements not normally on the list. I preprint this two sided form and use magnets to keep several of them on the refrigerator. When I know I will be needing something, I mark it on the list and where I normally purchase it. Then when I know I'm going to a particular part of town where one of the stores I shop at is located for some reason, I grab the list and buy what I need from that store. The list is great, I mark it when I think of it and then I don't stand the chance of forgetting what it was. My list also makes my shopping quicker because I know right where to go and I don't spend a lot of time wondering up and down other aisles lined with thousands of tempting things I don't really need or want.

Another idea from Elaine's book is to Buy in Bulk! Of course, this may not work for everything, but I buy my toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, seasonings and several other items this way. The result is I don't have to shop for many of these items for between three or so months and perhaps a year or longer. And, another advantage of buying in bulk is the cost savings since the items cost less in bulk.

Here are some other things I've accomplished. I have stopped the daily newspaper. I seldom read it when it was coming everyday and it would just accumulate in an ever growing pile. So, ultimately, I'd have to eventually find time to bundle and tie them up, then load them into the car, haul them to the dump and properly dispose of them in the newspaper recycling dumpster. It cost me money to get the paper I didn't read and then it took extra time and energy to get rid of them. I also dropped call waiting on my telephone. It always annoyed me when I was on a call with someone and I'd hear this little beeping sound telling me to rudely interrupt the person I was having a conversation with because someone more important then them might be calling me and "I'm really that important." I hated that feature, so it's gone and I wish other people would get rid of it, too. But, I guess it might be important for some people to have it for possible emergency situations. But, I didn't want it so it's gone and I don't have to pay for it. I've also trained myself not to answer the phone just because it's ringing. My business phones have voice mail and my personal line has a digitial answering machine. The caller can leave me a message and I'll call them back. I'm still waiting for a telemarketer to leave me a message, hasn't happened, yet. Now, I'm not disturbed and have to stop what I'm doing every time the phone rings. And, of course, I call the other party back when I'm free of whatever I was doing. I've also reached a point of not answering the door just because someone is standing at it ringing my doorbell. If I'm not expecting anyone and I'm busily engaged in some activity that I'd like to complete, like some simplifying project, then why do I want to stop doing what I'm doing just because someone comes to my door unexpectly. If it's an emergency, they'll be persistant, if it's not, they'll just leave. This doesn't mean I don't asnwer the door every time it rings. No, I just don't answer it when I don't want to be interrupted for whatever reason.

Well, as you can see, it can be simple things or complicated things - but ultimately, the goal is to eliminate anything that isn't needed or wanted in order to just make life simpler. Every little step that you decide on and implement is one step closer to having less steps to living The Simple Life.

Until next time, this is the Virginia Sound Guy . . . signing off for now.

Day two - moving forward or sliding back?

Today I was out of the office and home running around West Virginia doing site inspections for the annual Veteran Speakers Retreat in the end of August. It was a brisk day, but a nice day for a drive through the Wild and Wonderful West Virginia eastern panhandle. WOW! I didn't think it had been that long since I've travelled some of the routes and roads I was on today - but I couldn't believe the development that has gone on in rural WV. My first stop was at The Woods Resort in Hedgesville and there were a bunch of new traffic lights, shopping centers and strip malls that I never saw before and new housing communities and townhouse developments everywhere. The Washington DC area is pushing its way into WV. I thought it was bad around my area in Winchester. Surprise! Surprise!

We (I met my co-coordinator of the retreat) John Daly and his soon to be bride, Dana, at the Woods. The Conference Coordinator, Kathy and the rest of the Woods staff were terrific to us, showed us around and we had a very good feeling about the place - pretty much decided this is it for this year. We enjoyed lunch overlooking Walden Pond outside the Main building at the resort and then headed to Harpers Ferry to the Hilltop Hotel - an historic structure with grand views of the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. But, unfortunately, the 1888 structure just wouldn't do for our veteran speakers. So, that was a disapointment. John and Dana headed back to Chevy Chase, MD, from whence they had come and I made a quick stop at the newly renovated Cliffside Inn - now known as the Quality Inn Conference Center. They've done a nice job of renovating the property, the sleeping rooms are very nice and the restaurant is very nice, too. However, the ballroom, the only area large enough for our group is barely adequate due to the pillars located throughout the facility and creating poor sight lines. In a pinch, we could make it work - but the hands down winner is The Woods Resort.

This was a pretty simple day generally speaking. Nice driving, nice scenery, three stops, one easy and quick decision and now I can move on with the beginning phases of promoting the retreat for this year. John and I decided to utilize the VSR Web site this year as a way to provide a lot of the information we would have tried to pack into a mailing. This will simplify the promotion and delegate some of the work to others on the planning committee. I readily agreed to this since it will make my involvement simpler and less time consuming.

That was pretty much the day. I didn't do much when I got back other then a phone call and discussion about working on my own book with Jane, my executive administrator, who bought an interesting and very informative e-book she was sharing with me that should make writing my book much simpler and faster.

That's it for today. Now to call Carolyn and see how her day has been and then to start reading the book BLOG by Hewitt and learn more about this whole blogging concept.

The Virginia Sound Man

In The Beginning . . .

Today is the first day of the rest of my life and if you're reading this first posting on my first blog, you are part of the rest of my life. Welcome to my world.

This is a new adventure for me. I have been working toward simplifying my life for about the last 15 years or so. Let me tell you, I haven't moved very far off the starting line in the quest for most of those 15 years. Now, as I approach 60 years of age, I look around me at my physical life (home and "stuff"), my professional life, my relationships (I guess this would be called my social life) and other aspects of my life - like my dreams and goals. Boy, is life (still) complicated. So, after rereading my friend's book (Jeff Davidson), Breathing Space, published in 1991 and Elaine St. James books, starting with her book, Simplifying Your Life, I'm determined that I'm going to simplify my life so I can spend more time doing the things I enjoy and want to do and eliminate as much of the stuff I don't enjoy and don't want to do. This does not mean I'm forsaking society, my computer (obviously, or you wouldn't be reading this), my cell phone and my surround sound home theater. I'm not going to wear homemade clothes made from burlap bags. I'm not going to live in a one room cabin with dirt floors and outdoor plumbing and no electricity. You get the idea. What I'm going to do is to keep everything that I use, like, brings me joy and contentment and eliminate all or as much as is humanly possible of everything that takes up space and serves no useful purpose, takes up my time for which I get no joy or contentment, takes up my energy by draining me as in toxic relationships, commitments that need to be eliminated and so on.

This is not a simple task - simplifying ones life. But, with the small amount of progress I've made over the past 15 years and I'm working at with diligence currently, there is a lot of fulfillment and joy. With each thing - tangible or intangible I eliminate, I feel stress relief and a little lighter. What this blog is about is my "adventure" and my experiences in going through this ongoing process of simplifying and then maintaining the simple lifestyle. I'm not sure if I'll be posting to this blog everyday, I doubt it. But, I will be doing it as frequently as I am moved to do so (I hope that's pretty frequently). I have several objectives in doing this blog. One is to chronicle my experience and progress. A second is to share ideas and experiences with others who are either on a similar quest or who want to start simplifying their lives. Third, is to take what I'm learning and through developing a series of audio programs, perhaps a book or two (I am a publisher of books, after all) and workshops, inspiring and guiding others through this life changing and life reinventing experience. I'm just one year removed from being a bonifide "Baby Boomer", but the Boomers are all reaching this point where we've lived through the 70's, then the 80's and finally the 90's. Most of our families are grown and we are left with all the Stuff of those last 20 or 30 years. There is a movement to downsize and simplify - while those coming behind us are buying bigger houses, more cars, more stuff of every kind and their lives are cluttered by work, social commitments, obligations, etc. When I see those coming behind us, I have to shake my head and be thankful I'm past that phase of my life - and I still wonder how I made it this far.

So, this will end my first posting. Nothing too exciting here, it's just an introduction. But, check in from time to time and see the progress, contribute an experience of your own, throw out an idea or two that may or may not work for me and others reading this blog. But, watch as my "load" gets lighter and my life gets brighter. And every once in a while, you'll see some breakthroughs that warrant celebration. And, I know there will be some setbacks and backsliding from time to time also. Downsizing some 40 years of adult life and eliminating the "spoils" that have accumulated in just a year or two is going to be a daunting task.

Til next time . . . Virginia Sound Man