18. What We Take For Granted--Material Possessions



Favorite Soap at http://www.mistralsoap.com/

 To think creatively,
we must be able to look afresh
at what we normally
take for granted.
~George Kneller

In addition to a roof over my head and clothing,  if I could only have 20 material possessions, what would they be?

A lap top, blank journal, good pen, comfortable bed, feather pillow, high thread-count cotton sheets, camera, blow-dryer, coffee maker, mug that feels good in my hands, a refrigerator, stove, hot-water bottle, car, garden shovel, jasmine candle, gardenia soap, spa tub, down comforter and a radio.

What are your top 20?  List them before reading further. 

When the hypothetical question came to mind, my first thought was, "If I could only have 5 possessions, what would they be?"  My first five did not include a stove or refrigerator--possessions so taken for granted.  I had to increase the number to ten.   A few more thoughts and I realized it had to be 20!

If a bed is on my list, what good is it, if it doesn't have bedding?  Sheets, pillow, comforter--3 more items out of only twenty!  However, they are musts.

Does the "Spa"  in Spa tub really make it two possessions?  Ok, take off the "Spa."

If a coffee maker is on my list, what good is it without a mug?  As it is, a blow dryer is on the list, but no hairbrush!  I had to eliminate the hairbrush in order to include the jasmine candle.  What kind of life would it be if nice hair took the place of ambiance and treating the sense of smell?  I'll settle for a blow-dry while running my fingers through it!

Now I'm wondering if running water is a possession? What good is a tub without it?  How about a toilet?  More I take for granted.  I'd have to remove the coffee maker from my list, to get the running water, take off the candle, to get the toilet.

What about a chair?  Or chairs for guests?  Better to have the bed and bedding.  We can sit on the bed or the floor, using the pillow and comforter somehow for seating.  We'll  take turns sharing the coffee mug for any food or drink, since dishes don't fit into my top 20!  Therefore, probably need to drop the "Gardenia" in Gardenia soap since the soap will be used to wash the mug too!

I take so much for granted.  Is electricity a possession?  A furnace?  There goes the journal and pen.  What about wireless Internet access?  A possession?  Without it the laptop is useless.  Have to give up the blow dryer for wireless.   And what about gas for the car...a possession?  There goes the garden shovel.

Radio is an old habit, totally not necessary with Internet access. Take off radio.

What about a pot to cook in?  Take off the camera...and a utensil to cook with?

What's left of my 20 possessions?

1.  Running water
2.  Toilet
3.  Tub
4.  Soap
5.  Electricity
6.  Stove
7.  Pot to cook in
8.  Utensil for cooking
9.  Big mug
10. Furnace/heater
11. Refrigerator
12. Wireless Internet access
13. Laptop
14. Comfortable bed
15. Feather pillow
16. Down comforter
17. High thread-count sheets
18. Car
19. Gasoline
20. Hot water bottle for aches & pains

It just occurred to me,  take away 18 of those 20, and that's what the villagers in the Congo have left (where my husband visited last month.)

Creativity,

as has been said,

consists largely of

rearranging what we know

in order to find out

what we do not know.

~George Kneller

Monday, November 14, 2010
Cardio warm up, 30 weighted wall squats, 30 squats with side kick, 30 squats with front kick, step workout with leg lifts and kickbacks, chest and shoulder weight work and seated rows--all 3 sets of 12 reps each, plank, ab work, stretches

Tuesday, November 15, 2010
Light stair workout--80 (Calves just recovered yesterday from the 233 steps last Friday!)