Friday, September 17, 2010

Why I blog

Day 5 of SITS Back to Blogging Competition (sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen & Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances) is to answer the above question.




Honestly, I write because I have a lot to say.  (Shocker.) I have opinions and passions (strong ones) and, in real life, as in non-blog life, I often forget to filter them (not always a good thing).  But here, I can just write! And write and write and write.  No one really has to read everything, but I pretend they do.

Many of these opinions centre around sustainability and living a non-wasteful, conscious life.  It's not an easy way to live and often requires a lot more energy and patience than the easy, advertised way.  I get very frustrated with the latter and the fact that we are being pressured to live that way by, seemingly, everyone/thing around us.  I try to spread the word of not being so materially obsessed, but still being able to respect objects and the work that went into them, and not simply to love them for the moment they are trendy.  A respect for objects, the true materiality, leads us to buy things that may cost more, but that we know will last us for years. 

I am also a Christian - another non-easy path of living, which takes more patience and effort than our typical societal way of life.  It is also not that far removed from living a respectful life to others and our planet.  Being grateful for what I have and realizing I don't actually deserve any of it (why not someone else?  why not the thousands in this city who are homeless and unemployed?) has kept me level-headed about the process of renovating our 110-year-old house... especially when we learn something 'new' about it, like the ceiling thing.

It's an amazing feeling to know that I am not alone in these ideals and right now this dialogue and this continuous record of the renovation and the support I get from all of you guys is what keeps me from going absolutely insane.

So thank you for dropping by!  And, yes I like to talk, but sometimes it gets lonely talking to yourself, so leave comments, talk back, ask questions!

- a.

4 comments:

  1. I've been trying to live a simpler, less materialistic life. You're right. Society makes that tough. But finding fellow, like-minded bloggers makes it a little easier!

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  2. Karen, it definitely makes it much easier! I have recently been reading this little book.

    I bought it for $5 at Homesense and it's wonderful. Based mainly on Taoist ideas, it really brings home the value we put on 'stuff'.

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  3. I am trying to reuse more of what I have or try to thrift and reuse more of what someone else has! Welcome to blogging and expressing yourself! I don't get a lot of creative release in my day job - so my blog is really that outlet for me. BTW - loved your Restoration Hardware idea!

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  4. I try to buy as many things at the ReStore as possible - to save money AND to reuse/reduce items that go into the waste stream.

    Oh. And I go to the library :)

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