The beauty of stuff

I´ve been without a permanent home for roughly six months. I haven´t been couchsurfing* the whole time, of course, because I have been the guest at the condo of the generous and welcoming J and S (the parents of N) in Gainesville. But I have been alternating between a home with extraordinary little furnishing and other people´s homes, and I now better appreciate the having of stuff. I´ve always leaned toward the minimalist side of the spectrum. When I was younger, I dreamed of owning just a few hundred items. However, it turns out that not only is stuff useful, it is reassuring to have it. 

It is a challenge when cold weather hits and you discover that there are not enough blankets for you and your houseguest. (Sorry about that, S!) It is nice when you own more than one bowl, so you can invite someone to lunch. And it is nice to know where the stuff is, and what it looks like. For example, I have cooked my go-to meal, spaghetti, in many homes in the last six months. I always know there will be some way to remove the noodles from the boiling water, but I don´t know if it will be a slotted spoon, a strainer, or a pair of tongs, and where I will find the thing. You can use quite a bit of brainpower figuring out how to conduct regular routines in new places, and I will be happy it when I end up in a more permanent place with furnishings. 

It has been interesting to observe the limits of my minimalism, and to appreciate owning things. But do not mistake my complaints - I still like my current life a great deal more than when I was working!

*Plus, most of my friends have actual guest rooms, and that is a 1000% improvement over living room couches. College-age me could only dream of this luxury.