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Keeping up with a blog can be a lot of work. I have an editorial calendar, but it doesn't change the fact that I have to make time to get shit written. My goal is one post per day. Some months, I exceed that goal. Other months, I fail to meet that goal.

Recently, there was a fellow who was working at a recycling place that buys metal from people. I won't share his name even though his picture and story appeared in Mug Shots. The guy stole $50,000 by printing out false tickets and pocketing the cash. The reason his story interests me is because of his lifestyle prior to being terminated and arrested. He liked to buy things. He wore really nice clothes and was an avid golfer. Knowing of other people that were thieves, I saw a common pattern. Most of the people that I see stealing don't do it out of need but do it out of greed. They love to buy shit they don't need.

I'm weird in that I'm not big on buying shit. I never have been. I've always lived a frugal lifestyle. I got a promotion once with a large raise, and everyone piled on criticizing me for driving the same old car I was driving before. I admit it didn't look too good by then, but I drive things until they disintegrate. In other areas of my life, I sit on thrift store furniture. I wear clothes from Walmart and Goodwill. I am writing this with a computer cobbled together from two other computers. If I won the lottery, very little would change in my material existence.

Material possessions do little to enhance the quality of my life. I measure the things I buy by what their purpose is. By this measure, a thrift store couch is as functional as a brand new couch. A used car achieves the same purpose as a snazzy new Lexus. It gets you from Point A to Point B. On that basis, my life is qualitatively no different from anyone else except I don't fret about making monthly payments. I don't have any.

I find happiness in the things I do and not the things I own. Having too much stuff actually interferes with doing the things you enjoy. By having less, there is less to maintain, and you don't have to work so much or do work you hate to pay for shit you probably don't use anyway.

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