Well, I still don't have internet access at home. I have my DSL modem all connected to the phone line (the working one in the kitchen) but now the problem is my ethernet card. Somehow between it working just fine for cable internet in my last place, and moving here, it decided to stop working. The technical speak is that it isn't "bound" to the TCP/IP.

So, this weekend I'm going to find myself a new ethernet card and figure out how to install it in my computer -- and hopefully have internet access!!

My dad stopped by yesterday. He brought me a house-warming gift from my Aunt. It's one of those bed pillows with a built-in massager, a drink holder, and side pockets for reading materials/remotes etc. It's something we saw in Brookstone a few years ago for $150 that I really liked (but NOT for that price!) then this past Christmas we saw it again in Foley's for $29.95. It still isn't something I would have spent my money on, even though I really like the idea of it. I need to get some D batteries to make the massage function work. She's getting me something else too that she ordered from the internet, it might be here by Friday, whatever it is.

I really do appreciate her thoughtfulness and generosity. Sometimes though I get so frustrated because I am trying to simplify my life - have less "stuff" to figure out where to store. It's just crazy to me how much "stuff" I have, even though every time I move I purge a ton of things. Most of the "stuff" that accumulates between moves are things that are given to me - either as gifts, or as pass-on's (like from my parents, since they divorced I have "inherited" a king-size bed, a computer desk, dishes, etc. etc.) Again, I appreciate everything - but ... I was perfectly happy with my twin bed, my computer desk, the amount of dishes I already had, etc.

I hope I don't sound like an ingrate. It's just that the amount of stuff I have has a direct relation to my cost of living. What do I mean by that? Well for one thing, if I had to pay for my electricity, then every new electric appliance acquired would add to my bill. Another thing (far larger than the electricity) is the square footage required to adequetely arrange/store all the "stuff". Then of course all the "stuff" which requires maintenance, or requires me to purchase more items to make it work (case in point - my Tivo!).

If I were to start over completely from scratch, I think I would be in a studio apartment furnished with a daybed (both a couch and a bed), a computer desk, a tv, a dresser, one set of bookshelves, enough dishes for one week for one person, and one set of pots and pans, one set of silverware. Or .... I could just live in one of those fully furnished extended stay places and whenever I needed to move, I'd be able to fit everything into my car! (Of course I wouldn't be able to have my cat then, so that wouldn't be quite so perfect.)

Okay, enough rambling for today.

KIF,
Laura