"My people call it "juice.""
Annie has noticed that people's reactions to our living in the RV - especially this winter - are strongly gender-divided. Women say "Are you warm enough? Do you have enough insulation? Do you need to borrow a space heater?" Non-RV men roll their eyes so far back that their brains feel violated and slap them back up front. She asked one such man to explain why.
I think with guys, we strive for more, bigger and better, and in this we are encouraged, not just by the corporate overworld, but by our fellow disciples. I equate comfort with space for my STUFF. I equate wealth with comfort and the presence of STUFF. Every now and then I get sick of all that and I go on a rampage getting rid of STUFF. Then I come to my senses and go on about the business of getting more STUFF. A motorhome is just more STUFF. One does not live in his STUFF, you can live for it, just not in it.
I asked if I could quote him here; he said he was just channeling George Carlin anyway.
Have you experienced this? What about you men? How have your friends responded to this crazy RV situation? What's your take?
14 comments:
Well, I do wonder if you are warm enough! And if you miss the kitchen.
But it is one way to keep the house clean.
Thanks! Most of the time we really are warm enough, other times we turn a dial and get warmer. And, Duofold is my new best friend!
I can't say I miss the kitchen, because I never met a kitchen I couldn't ignore. Hopefully Annie will comment on the cooking part. I like cleaning up this kitchen better, because there is no way to let things go too long.
I'm a man, sort of, and I love the idea. I was born to be a hermit living in a trailer anyway, so this kind of living situation appeals to me in a big way. Rock on!
I don't get many positive responses from people of either gender in my non-RV life, but the reasons for their discomfort seem to vary.
More people than I expect do understand the desire to simplify and live more cheaply, though.
A lot of (again, non-RV) people just think I've gone off the deep end or am having a mid-life crisis. Living with others disapproval of me has been another big part of this growth process. (I was pretty paranoid about what people thought of me most of my life.)
Hope you two are staying warm!
Take care,
Jennifer
This must be a theoretical discussion. If you are so cavalier as to drink fruit water, the opinions of others don't really matter, do they?
Interesting about the gender-divide. I guess only some men and some women get it.
Hope the cats are doing their part to keep you warm!
you know in the grand scheme of things it is just 'stuff'..and some have the mentality that the one with most 'stuff' wins!..well we want to lose!!!
We agree with Bigdawg. who really needs all that STUFF? Less, is really MORE!
Some people are happy with a lot of STUFF. Some people are collecting a lot of STUFF looking for happy.
TRavel Safe
Dawn & Denise
I'm wondering where you two are imagining you are as you live in your RV outside of your house (if you are imagining, that is). I would be next to the ocean, with the beach within walking distance. The sun would be shining and the temperature would be in the 70s...or maybe low 80s. This is probably a great way to get the kinks out before you hit the road. Good idea no matter what anyone else thinks.
Kim, you crack me up. We throw discretion and decency to the wind.
John - ha! Yes, you are a man, but I like how you don't take it to extremes. I can definitely see you doing this sort of thing.
Jennifer, you have hit on the source of my discomfort, which is that part of me cares. Not the biggest part, but it's there. Which is why it makes me really happy to have select friends who either "get it" or pretend to, and the non-mainstream RV community that we've recently found.
Dawg, you know it! Annie and I spent some time this spring cleaning out my dad's meager belongings, and I was SO GLAD that he hadn't hoarded his STUFF for someone else not to treasure. Clarified what I don't want to leave behind, either.
2Some, I like that wordplay. Collecting stuff looking for happy. That's really what happens, isn't it?
Jeana, most days I'm in the desert with a sky so blue that blue cries "no fair!" We are definitely learning the eccentricities of the rig's systems. And, thanks! I agree.
hhaah i love the gender differences! that was so funny, "men no live in stuff, just accumulate"grunt grunt.lololol
I don't miss any of my "stuff". And I had a four bedroom, two bathroom, furnished in every room and nook and cranny, house.
And still I have too much "stuff" living in a small RV. Who knew !!! LOL
I see us there already. I walk around the Duck asking Annie Do we still need this? How about this? This? Are you done with this?
We started with a 4 BR/2.5 bath house three years ago. We even had six garage bays - thank goodness we never filled those to the rafters. Made it down to a 1 BR/1 bath house. Now we're (getting) down to the RV.
Some of my less creative friends have made the statement 'But you are going to be homeless'. My reply is that I won't be homeless, I will just be houseless.
Michael, I think it's a lot for most people to wrap their heads around, and they project their fears onto you. Which I don't find helpful, because I have enough of my own fears! Fears-off, people!
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