There is a reason island nations are much more adept at small living than those of us in the United States, and especially Texas (where I hail from). As the Texas Board of Tourism slogan goes, “It’s like a whole other country” (pronounced with an “n” in front of “other”). And in Texas country everything is supposed to be bigger. By bigger people mean “better than you.” Well, I have come to not only disagree with this mentality but to actively combat it. I feel that small living is a challenge to character because the forced process of prioritizing our material goods and the space we choose to live in leads us to question the core of our selves.
David Mark Brown
Like Handing Out Condoms?
Question: Is providing free sleeping structures for the homeless like passing out condoms to the randy? I came across this article yesterday, via the Tiny House Blog, about EDAR (Everyone Deserves a Roof). Peter Samuelson has developed this little shelter that is a cross between a shopping cart and a commercial sized laundry cart. It provides mobility during the day for caring or collecting goods and a shelter at night.
“Extended Warranty? How Can I Lose?!”
I love Homer Simpson, but this is one quote I just can’t get behind. Am I the only one, or are there others out there that start to carve shivs from salesperson writing utensils when they hear the words “would you like to purchase the extended warranty with that?”
I’ve tried everything as a remedy to the extended warranty. I have tried buying cheep pieces of crap that can be replaced a dozen times before the expense adds up to the warranty. I have tried buying top of the line appliances that I figure shouldn’t need an extended warranty. I’ve tried bribing repairmen, making fake threats and even begging. None of these has worked, with one notable exception. (I begged a genius at the Apple Genius Bar to have mercy on me and my two year old imac that needed a new logic board. He looked suspiciously around to see if this was a Steve Jobs orchestrated sting operation and then kindly agreed to fix it for free!)