Friday, May 25, 2012

a laptop and a suitcase.

So.
Tomorrow we pack up the last of our stuffs, put everything into storage and move into an available spare bedroom. (Thanking our lucky stars for supportive family members). A temporary situation while we wait for word about an offer on a home. At the moment, I'm zen. Multiple panic attacks over the past few months has apparently prepped me. (Or maybe this is just the calm before some F#CKINGSH*TSTORMFROMH%LL type fall out. We'll see.)

So, yes. Zen. And actually kind of excited. I'm heading to the Illustration Masters Class in two weeks and my laptop + wacom tablet are basically all of the art supplies I am bringing. It feels refreshingly un-burdened.

It has me remembering this article from a few years back; The Cult of Less, Living out of a Hardrive. Here's an excerpt:

"Let's face it - digital files, applications and web services are replacing the need for many of the physical goods that pepper our homes, crowd our desks and fill our closets. From online photo albums to virtual filing cabinets to digital musical instruments, hi-tech replacements are becoming ubiquitous. But as goods continue to make the leap from the bookshelf to the hard drive, some individuals are taking the opportunity to radically change their lifestyles...
Since boxing up his physical possessions and getting rid of his home, Mr Yurista has taken to the streets with a backpack full of designer clothing, a laptop, an external hard drive, a small piano keyboard and a bicycle - an armful of goods that totals over $3,000 (£1,890) in value. The American University graduate, who spends much of his time basking in the glow emanating from his Macbook, earns a significant income at his full-time job as a travel agent and believes his new life on the digital grid is less cluttered than his old life on the physical one. "I don't feel a void living the way I'm living because I've figured out a way to use digital technology to my advantage," Mr Yurista explained. Mr Yurista feels by digitising his life, he no longer has to worry about dusting, organising and cleaning his possessions. And he says his new intangible goods can continue to live on indefinitely with little maintenance" ~read more

An intriguing concept (one that relies heavily on first world privilege, I might add.)  My situation is different; I'm not a trendy single 20something; I have a kid, a dog, a cat, a partner who likes to garden, plus I do miss the messier aspects of traditional art making.

BUT... Still. We'll be getting our feet wet in the idea for the next two months.

Here goes.

5 comments:

Wendy Wagner; said...

It's like, for two months, you're practically an American ronin.

Whoah.

galen dara said...

that works very well for me :D

Andrew Penn Romine said...

Ronin, eh? Do you get a katana, too? :P

galen dara said...

YES! please, thank you ;)

Ariella said...

Does that mean you'll be at the Patch? That would be awesome.

I know what it's like living with pretty much nothing. All of our stuff was in storage for 6 months living in Texas 8 years ago. 2 kids, one car, furnished apartment, no computer and no cable. We had clothes and a walmart set of college dishes. We spent a lot of time at the library.