Friday, June 19, 2009

The Power of Material Things

It's amazing how much power physical possessions can have over us. We get into routines of need and want that are very hard to break sometimes. Our material existence is bound up with all kinds of strange devices that are supposed to bring us comfort and make our lives more satisfying. For the most part, having nice things is... well, nice, but if we dwell too much on the items that we want and, for lack of money or availability, can't get, then it can be a terribly frustrating ordeal. There is a large list of fairly expensive things that we have been wanting to purchase for quite some time. Some are things that I want and my wife doesn't really care about and, of course, there are some that she thinks are necessities that I find kind of pointless. But in the end, we usually manage to agree that we need/want x items in the near future. This has proven to be an ongoing battle with temptation. We already have a significant amount of debt that eats into our monthly budget. We don't want to incur more right now. However, that big screen lcd tv has been waiting for us to give it a home for a couple years now, our king size mattress is getting lumpy and uncomfortable, our downstairs sectional couch is falling apart, our fridge is getting on in years, it would be really nice to remodel the downstairs bathroom, etc., etc., ad nauseum. So we debate endlessly on how to go about spending our money and very little actually gets bought that isn't an immediate need. And so the frustration at our lack of progress builds. I don't blame my wife. She and I have both been burned before by over-extending our finances. I try to tell myself that it's only "stuff" and it's not that important. But we have been raised in a culture that places great value on possessions, however shallow that may be in the grand scheme of life. I should be above that nonsense, but part of me is vulnerable to it. It's difficult to admit to oneself that buying frivolous stuff makes one happy and fills a void of sorts. I think it has a lot to do with the sense of power that comes with finally getting something that has been out of reach for so long. My wife fusses at me for "beating a dead horse" every time I mention making certain large purchases that we have been putting off. I know it's irritating to her to hear me gripe about such things. I hope she can forgive that particular character flaw because, in the final tally of success in this life, her happiness means far more to me than all the gadgets and physical comforts in the world.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

I Need Serenity...

For those of you familiar with the Firefly series and it's big screen follow up, Serenity, you may want to check out the pen and paper RPG version. We are planning a role-playing campaign using that setting and rule set and it looks to be a hoot. The rule book is written with the same wry humor of the source material and it gives some very in-depth information about the game world. I've already got a character in mind, a big, burly security type. Pretty standard with a couple of twists (always got to have twists, after all). Haven't got all the wrinkles worked out just yet, but I'm already looking forward to playing. We are just tiny little bundles of hopes and fears floating through the Black, but with a good ship and solid crew, no power in the 'Verse can stop us! Shiny!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Malicious Microorganisms

Once again, I have been assaulted by germy invaders that delight in tormenting me. A viral sinus infection, the doctor says. Nothing serious enough to be life threatening, of course. Not much the medical community can do about it. Just tough it out, sonny boy. Get lots of rest, drink lots of fluids. Purge you body, bolster you immune system, take over-the-counter drugs. Well, I knew to do all that already, so going to the doctor seems kind of pointness, after the fact. I can't just stop my day to day activities for the sake of getting "rest". I have responsibilities, after all. So, unless I'm completely debilitated, what I end up with is long stretches of low grade misery as I try to carry on with my normal routine. I'm tired of being subjected to the whims of non-sentient (supposedly) microcosmic forces that flare up whenever my immune system is the slightest bit stressed. I can only seek to focus on the positive right now. After all, had I lived even a hundred years ago, I would have probably died in early childhood. Now, I can at least look forward to old age, when the health problems will be much, much worse than merely annoying. That's a happy thought....