BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Night Owl - and CF List - EMPOWERING

I guess it doesn't help that everything costs so much these days. And our grandparents/parents didn't have things like computers and cell phones and Internet. For us, though, (me and DH) these things are necessary for our jobs. Otherwise, we wouldn't have them.

It gets me very upset when DH sees a big screen TV and says "we HAVE to have that!"

I say, "we don't HAVE to have that. Our TV is fine." He says, "I just want it, I know we don't NEED it!"

But it drives me crazy. It seems so materialistic. I'd rather have a bigger house with less [censored] than a small house with lots of [censored]. I want to use my money to go traveling and stuff. I don't really care about having electronics and stuff. Stuff that just breaks anyway, and then you have to get something bigger and better.

lngilbert, I am totally on the same page with you! I am such a minimalist and try really hard not to buy stuff I don't need. DH constantly wants fun new things. It took me a year to convince him he didn't need a shiny, expensive cell phone that plays mp3s - our old phones are fine! And don't get me started about how much he wants a big flatscreen TV.

And I understand about the whole friends-comparison thing. DH tends to do that, too, but compared to his friends, we're loaded (which is absolutely hilarious). Some of my friends aren't doing too well, but then I have others that make six-figures. I hate comparisons. They don't prove anything.

DH's friends all have 4-5 gaming systems, big screen TVs, etc. I think that's where all this is coming from. I suggested we invited them over for a game night, and he declined because he's too embarrassed because we don't have as much.

I'm Bohemian, so I've been raised that you keep everything and reuse as much as you can before you buy anything new. Therefore, we do have a lot of [censored] because I'm a pack rat and I don't throw ANYTHING away. (I'm getting better!) What do I need my childhood toys for? I don't know. Sometimes I like to just get them out and look at them and reminisce.

At least I'm not like DH who will go to an antique store and just buy [censored] because it's cool - like the double-sided toaster that doesn't work. He just wanted to have it. Grr. Now it sits collecting dust in our bedroom.

I can't believe you live in Chicago! Seriously, I could be saying the stuff you are. I'm a pack rat, too (you never know when that old college thesis will come in handy, and yes, I do need that ribbon I won in the art show in junior high). I'm trying to get better, but at least my stuff is organized and stowed away.

DH is into unconventional art, so I have a real fire hydrant, waiting to be made into a coffee table, just sitting around my house. He brings home anything and everything that he thinks is interesting, and it's usually broken and sits around for months. A nasty, cracked ashtray in the shape of a woman lying down... Two or three car stereo amps that have sat on a shelf for three years.

It'd be different if our house was more than 900 square feet and the basement didn't flood every winter.

I love Washington, we are going to visit BIL in Oregon this summer. While there, we are going to Seattle where I am getting a tattoo of an orca. We've been to the San Juan Islands twice, and I swear I must have been an orca or something in another life. I feel so connected to them, I wish we could go every summer. We're going to try to go while visiting BIL (start and end trip in Oregon.) I've never been into tattoos, but I really want to get a Haida orca tattoo. I found a good shop in Seattle where I want to get it done so that it means even more ...

I almost went to school in Washington to do marine biology but I didn't want to be so far from my family and farm ... and if we were to ever move, we'd either go to upstate New York or Washington.

Washington is beautiful - I was born here and even thought I've been all over the states and Europe, I can't imagine living elsewhere. The mountains are close by. I can go to Seattle whenever I want, but live in a friendly small town. I live up the hill from a boat launch, so I can kayak whenever I feel like it. An orca pod comes through our part of the Puget Sound every year, so I can go watch them play only yards away.

And people think it rains here a lot, but it's only during certain times of the year. The summers are amazing. It's snowed a couple of inches about five times this winter, but then it melts quickly so no huge traffic worries.

Maybe we could meet up when you come to Seattle? I could show you some of the places off the beaten track. Have you been there before?

Wow, we are way off the original posting...

I flew to Seattle the first time (I was with the Shedd Aquarium.) That's all I've seen, pretty much! When I was with the Shedd, we went kayaking and male orcas were going right under our kayaks, we could look over the edge and see their saddle patches. It was AMAZING! When DH and I went, we went kayaking and got surrounded by a family of seals. They were very interested in us, and we couldn't go anywhere (can't paddle within what, 200 yards?) They were less than 20 feet from us. DH was having panic attacks. He is afraid of things that live in the water. He thought they were going to eat us. I was in heaven!

I have adopted a whale from J-Pod (Ruffles, J-1) since I went with the Shedd, that was 1997. I also adopted a young male orca for my nephew. Next year I'll probably adopt another for my youngest nephew.

The J-pod goes through here, but it's the L-pod tends to hang out and stay for a couple of weeks. What a neat idea to adopt a whale! I tend to adopt sections of the rainforest, but I like your idea better.

DH and I go kayaking on Hood Canal, and during the summer, a pack (or whatever you call them) of seals live in a certain area. We paddle through there and stay a good distance away, but they get very curious and swim over to check us out. They carry their babies on their backs, so we could even see their teeny little faces watching us. It's awesome! I used to be afraid of the water, so I can understand your DH's feelings, but these seals are so cute and friendly. We always end up finding at least one seal when we're out kayaking - I like to pretend it's looking out for us and I call it our safety seal. And I always have to name them. The last I saw was named Frank. I name every animal I come across. The hummingbirds living in one of our trees are Marco and Penelope. DH says I'm weird, but I can't help it. Am I mental or what?

That is awesome! I love the naming of all the animals you see. I've done stuff like that on occasion, and people think I'm crazy. :-)

sd