Thought for the Day - July 18,00

Subject: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Peter T.
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 09:26 AM

Continuing on from yesterday, another quirk I have noticed in friends (I don't seem to go in for this one) is what I call Spartan Hedonism -- having almost no possessions or furniture, and espousing a simple lifestyle, but with the most incredibly expensive sound system, or Italian hiking boots, or musical instruments (?). I have a friend whose house is essentially empty except for a grand piano and the world's most expensive sound system. I have other friends, whose style of dress ranges from the rustic to the crummy, but if you look closely it is all Gore-Tex or some other space fabric. I am not being critical: just amused. It is a bit as if a wandering Buddhist monk had an eating bowl made out of titanium. And I am reminded of just such a story: the philosopher Wittgenstein, who was Spartanism personified, gave a student of his who was going off to fight in the Second World War a silver cup for his knapsack with the remark: "water always tastes better drunk out of a silver cup."

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 09:46 AM

Since this is a continuation Peter, is there some chance that Bonnie is gonna' get nekkid here again? I got in late and missed it yesterday........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Peter T.
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:01 AM

I think she has gone strip curling.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:11 AM

Aw damn......I tried to warn her off on that broom thing yesterday, but I guess I was too late.....

But your thought reminds me of the early 70's when the big thing was "going back to the land." All those folks with a ton of money and the hippie-wannabe attitude bought property out in the country, built expensive A-Frames, and commuted to the new mall in Land Rovers.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Naemanson
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:14 AM

There is something to be said for having the bare minimum. And if you have to live like that why not make sure that the little you do have is the best you can get.

For years I watched my father buy the absolute cheapest model of whatever he bought. And I watched his temper flare when it broke down. I determined that I would not walk that route. How many people started out in music with a Sears $49.95 plywood and plastic guitar? And how many of them moved on to do something with there music. How many more would have done better if they had purchased a good quality instrument and found it easier to play?

Wittgenstein may have insisted on drinking out of a silver cup but he probably didn't have more than one.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: sophocleese
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:35 AM

A few weeks ago my parents had to rent a vehicle. The only one left on the lot was a four wheel drive sport-jeep-thingy. My dad was very amused as it looked rugged and adventurous on the outside but when you got into it you could adjust the springiness of the individual seats. A far cry from the beat up old jeeps, trucks and cars he used in his earlier life for field trips in the Rockies and other places. Ahh the joys of "roughing it".

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Allan C.
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:47 AM

Yeah, that is much the same kind of irony I saw when watching an Animal Rights (Don't Buy Furs! etc.) demonstration in front of a shopping mall here. Two of the demonstrators were wearing obviously expensive real leather boots.

At one time I possessed only about three boxes of stuff and a guitar. Virtually everything I own now (except for some of my musical instruments) came from the Salvation Army or yard sales. So I have very little of actual cash value. It has, however, taken a surprisingly short time to accumulate a heck of a lot of stuff. I could dump all of what I own now and go Spartan again, I suppose. But I kind of like having my things.

I think we had a thread sometime ago about what possessions one would rescue in the event of a disaster. I think if I could only take what I could carry, then my guitar, my fully loaded backpack and my "Complete Works of Mark Twain" would suffice for quite a while. Of course, I'd miss the computer and you guys a whole lot. But I think I could get by quite well with just those three things.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:19 AM

Peter I must confess to be a pure bred Spartan Hedonist. I claim to have no possessions yet my white socks are made by Calvin Klein. I espouse living a simpler lifestyle with the most incredibly expensive essential toys, top of the line hiking boots from Trailheads, with banjos in every room. I dress like a Timberland billboard advertisement. My underwear are even lined with Gore-Tex.
Be critical Peter, you have every right to be amused.
I am a Canadian Jewish Princess wanna be wandering Jewish-Buddhist monket. If I am going to eat out of a bowl I would assume it will be gold plated from Sax Fifth Avenue.
"Chicken soup always tastes better served at the Ritz."

Bonnie who sends her white socks to the cleaners

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Amergin
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:30 AM

Uh thanks for telling us all bout your underwear.....was dying to know....

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: IvanB
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:35 AM

If left to my own designs, my wish list for musical instruments alone could insure that no bill got paid for the next ten years. Fortunately, I have a restraining influence in my life - I also enjoy having a roof over my head and food to eat. But I do think most of us have one area in our life where we're willing to commit an inordinate share of our resources. Yes, some carry it to extremes, but who am I to question their value system?

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Hyperabid
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 08:17 AM

Well

The current fashion in the UK is for female scarves called pashmina. They are made in india and a traditional arment there.

They are made from silk and cashmere and look for all intents and purposes like a well made warm scarf. Being the romantic sort I resolved to buy one of them for tother half's birthday.

Found one in a department store no problem and bought it! However, the bill for said neckwarmer.... US$300 - US$350.

Ouch. So much for rustic simplicity. It costs...

Hyp

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Willie-O
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 08:29 AM

You know how to spot a folksinger don't you?

S/He's the one with a thousand-dollar guitar and a fifty-dollar car.

W-O

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: L R Mole
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 09:16 AM

Haven't thought of this in years: a friend once said to me,"Yeah, I had to leave Berklee (music Institute--Boston); you go into their room, and they've got their instrument,a two-thousand-dollar stereo,[this was 1970], and a pound of pot, and that's all." Jazz guys.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 09:45 AM

We went to the home of an English concert pianist living in Massachusetts where he taught at University. His house was fairly ordinary, inside it was even sort of shabby, if neat and clean. Amongst the threadbare furnishings sat his pride and joy, a magnificent grand piano...it was the only thing that mattered to him in the whole world.

That was the first time I'd ever had English digestive biscuits.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - July 18,00
From: Jed at Work
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 10:03 AM

Mole - I remember Berklee students from Boston in 1970 ... played with a couple. The description seems quite appropriate! I also played with a percussion major from the New England Conservatory back in those days - it seems he also had the pound of pot, a fine old set of drums, and excellent work habits. Great drummer (even if he couldn't take the occaional Merle Haggard tune)!