Foo - Unnecessary possessions.

My boss (more like a brother) and I were talking about the elimination of the Pontiac line and I was complaining that I won't be able to get the last of the last Trans Ams. He told me that it would be hard to get since others (collectors, people industry related) will be trying to obtain one. Then he asked: "How often will you drive it?" Well....probably not a whole lot. "What are you going to do with it?" Put it in a car show? "What benefit will you get from owning it?" I uh....um........I....... "In my opinion, Siu - that is a perfect example of an unnecessary possession."

Well thank you for bursting my bubble. :mad:

So today when I went to REI for their huge Anniversary sale, the parking lot was full, the lines snaked around the lobby. People were walking around with their arms LOADED with stuff. You'd think it was Christmas!! So I went around, found a whole bunch of stuff and started to load myself up. Woo HOO!! :D

But the more I walked around, I realized that everything I had was.......well, unnecessary. I didn't need this jacket, I didn't have to have this blouse. I already have a helmet. Do I REALLY need another folding knife? My mountain bike shorts still do the job. Suddenly I heard his voice. UNNECESSARY POSSESSION. One by one, I put it all back. Except for a $7 knife sheath. :o

*sigh*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So now it's your turn.

What weakness did YOU have for an unnecessary possession?

I released a soul from under my dominion after reading this thread.

It helps to not have any money. :notamused:

Yes. I'm guilty. I think I'm pretty close to the end of my run at senseless consumerism - and it's really a matter of my underlying attitude changing - possibly due in part to getting older. Not that that's why Siu is contemplating the subject though. I'm old enough to be her dad or uncle. :o

Do you own possessions or do they own you?

I recently bought a handlebar mount for my Magellan (car) GPS. Does something like that count?

I released a soul from under my dominion after reading this thread.

Was it the soul of a stripper? If so, then you might be a clown.

Do you own possessions or do they own you?

:lol: I actually had control THIS time. But I can't help think how nice that jacket was. And that knife. And how ON SALE they were! :cry:



I recently bought a handlebar mount for my Magellan (car) GPS. Does something like that count?

Was it necessary?

Yes. I'm guilty. I think I'm pretty close to the end of my run at senseless consumerism - and it's really a matter of my underlying attitude changing - possibly due in part to getting older. Not that that's why Siu is contemplating the subject though. I'm old enough to be her dad or uncle. :o

I'm in the same boat as Zorro....consumerism has no interest to me. I am looking to simplify my life, not clutter it up.

less stuff = smaller footprint, less shiz to be attached to.
woot!

good job siu. congrats on the new knife.

The Trans Am is an easy example, though, Siu. It starts to get tricky when you think about things that seem more necessary to our lives. Is a computer really a necessity? Is a bike really a necessity? That jacket you were looking at, did it perform better in windy or rainy or cold conditions than another jacket you have and if so, is it really unnecessary?

Sometimes it can get tricky, Siu. My philosophy is that if I haven't used it in the last 6 months, I really don't need it. This helps me get rid of stuff but also makes me smarter about what I do have.

Of course, I have a buttload of bikes that say different. :p

I know, UA.....it's just that I really went there for the sheath and hoping to get that jacket. You are right. I do have a better jacket here at home and summer is right around the corner. I saved money. Money that I can spend at the bike shop in Colorado. :thumb:


less stuff = smaller footprint, less shiz to be attached to.
woot!

good job siu. congrats on the new knife.

I didn't get a knife even though it was a good deal. I got a sheath for a knife that I already have.

Do you own possessions or do they own you?

When I had a ski boats, motorcycles, snowmobiles, more motorcycles, more etc.....I learned the above lesson and sold most of what I had....

oh ok i thought you said sheath knife. its friday.

Pretty much everything is unnecessary.

For example, imagine your house burning down with everything you own in it. What would you be completely and utterly devastated to lose that couldn't be replaced? Probably not much.

Which isn't to say that you should get rid of all your possessions and be a monk or anything. Just, well, it's stuff.

Pretty much everything is unnecessary.

For example, imagine your house burning down with everything you own in it. What would you be completely and utterly devastated to lose that couldn't be replaced? Probably not much.

you didn't just say that. . .

I guess it is sorta true. Except for the XO-1, some art a friend made, and a piece of sterling
silver cloisonne that my aunt made that I hope to give to a woman some day.

How philosophically correct do you wish to be? Once we get past basic shelter, food and clothing nothing is truly necessary. That means, of course, we could live the lives of our nomadic forepersons (being non-gender specific).

I am sitting in a room full of non-essential items, piles of laundry with clothes that fill the same purpose again and again. I am sitting on a couch, but I could easily sit on the floor.

Clearly, we all have to decide what things are necessary for the lives we wish to live. I assume we all enjoy using computers and riding bikes, though with Jsharr I do so only hesitantly. I often have thought my life would be easier if I didn't have two cars, but my choice to be a parent does not make that an easy decision.

Anyway, make choices that work for you, not based on claptrap from even well-intentioned loved ones. Or, you could try finding a special friend with an 02 Trans-Am...:innocent:

I have a nagging suspicion that body kits will be readily available to make Camaro's say "Trans Am". If you have a car that looks like a classic Camaro, it shouldn't be too hard to dress it up as a Trans Am.

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the last Trans Am was made in 2002. You shouldn't have much trouble finding one of those. Now a newer Camaro might be a different story...

http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/06/2010_Camaro_convertible_leak.jpg

Can a wife be a unnecessary possession? (at least for those who are not getting any)

http://www.autoforecast.com/images/2009_pontiac_trans_am_rendering_by_kevin_morgan.jpg

Can a wife be a unnecessary possession? (at least for those who are not getting any)

No. But Pheard definitely counts as one.

http://www.autoforecast.com/images/2009_pontiac_trans_am_rendering_by_kevin_morgan.jpg

omg its 1977 all over again

I've been getting better about looking at something, deciding if I really really like it, do I already have something like it (keeping duplicates to a minimum), and is it a really really good deal? I usually shop at Goodwill or yard sales, so a good deal is a buck or two.

On the other hand I have 5 bikes and a shameful amount of bike gear and camping gear.

omg its 1977 all over again

I don't think I could survive the 70's again.

I don't think I could survive the 70's again.

I think the smoke would be better (and legal too bonus! depending upon the state you live in)

Lets see, I dumped an older ATV today for 5 milk cows, does that count? (I really have a weird life...)

aren't pontiac trans-ams basically Holden Commodores?

no wait, different car... G8 or something.

I'm trying to get rid of one of my bikes :innocent:

I think the smoke would be better (and legal too bonus! depending upon the state you live in)

Yeah, posession charges are unneccessary.

Responding to Siu's original post, I moved from a big house to a small house 2 years ago. It required that I get rid of a lot of "stuff". I found it very liberating to get rid of things I had been hanging onto that really had no relevant meaning any more.

I have also trained myself to ask "Do I really need this?" when I'm shopping as well. It keeps me from spending money on stuff I really don't need.

Responding to Siu's original post, I moved from a big house to a small house 2 years ago. It required that I get rid of a lot of "stuff". I found it very liberating to get rid of things I had been hanging onto that really had no relevant meaning any more.

I have also trained myself to ask "Do I really need this?" when I'm shopping as well. It keeps me from spending money on stuff I really don't need.

How much would you charge me to be friends with my wife for a week?

Responding to Siu's original post, I moved from a big house to a small house 2 years ago. It required that I get rid of a lot of "stuff". I found it very liberating to get rid of things I had been hanging onto that really had no relevant meaning any more.

I have also trained myself to ask "Do I really need this?" when I'm shopping as well. It keeps me from spending money on stuff I really don't need.

Try moving to a foreign country and see how much you get rid off.
:o

i like unnecessary possessions. i've got 2 cars, over 30 computers, 6 bicycles, over $10k in comic books, original artwork, steamship ephemera, a several thousand volume personal library, etc.

(and no money. go figure. no debt, either - so that's a plus.)

do i need any of this stuff? not really. but it makes my life more comfortable or enjoyable, and i don't feel a lick of guilt about it.

i empathize with the desire to own the last T/A (though i don't share it). i know three people who own "special" cars (more than that, but these three kind of fit the example better). one has the first Jaguar XJR-15 prototype (it was converted from one of the XJR-9 chassis that ran at LeMans in '88), one has the first Mazda IMSA GTP car ever built, and one has the red MG SV-S (only two were built; the other is silver).

and all of them use their cars; the Mazda's a track car only, but the other two see street duty on a semi-regular basis (the MG more than the Jag). all three cars bring pleasure to their owners and others: what's wrong with that?

how much would you charge me to be friends with my wife for a week?

$498.00

I have a collecting urge that is well controlled--mostly. I find the oddest things
to become obsessed with. I had to go to Santa Fe NM to visit family this weekend.
I saw some really cool vintage silver work and one thing led to another. After talking
to a relative who makes fine silver jewelry I bought some vintage Mexican silver
jewelry in anticipation of giving to a gal if I ever fall madly in love again or selling
it down the road to reap some profits.

^^^I would like to learn how to make silver (or gold) jewelry...

It is a cool medium of artwork. I really like silver myself. My aunt did
fine cloisonne with wacky new age subject matter--really fine work
with insane detail. I have one of her pieces.

Get on ebay and search on Taxco silver. Some of it is junk but the
range is cool.

Getting rid of stuff and living light is consistent overall with my somewhat
Buddhist tendencies--but I am less than perfect at the execution of those
tendencies and values.

Funny this thread came up. I received my income tax refund and was considering getting either a new road bike or a new recumbent. I was really pumped up to get something. Suddenly I came across similar thoughts as you boss, Siu.
Maybe I'll just save the money and use some of it to buildup the bikes I do have and maybe make one of my Schwinn Letours more race worthy. Why do I need 9 bikes for?
I do admit, the Fantom Uno (http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/uno.htm) keeps calling me.
Ernest

I'm trying to sell off or give away some things in anticipation of the boyfriend moving in. Once I start weeding it's hard to stop, I get such a euphoric feeling from getting rid of things. I might keep the velvet coat for a halloween costume though, It'd make a great pimp suit. :p