Things. Stuff. Items. Possessions. We started our upright career on earth as hunter-gatherers. These days, most of us are just gatherers. In terms of food, it's from Trader Joe's or your local Walmart, but we tend to spend our tenure collecting random life memorabilia to fill up our homes.
I recently got the flu and in an attempt to sit on my hands I watched the movie "Leave No Trace". I found it pretty boring and really wouldn't recommend it, but it approaches this subject of not needing more human paraphernalia to fill our voids. At one point the main actor states to another "we don't need more things." That rather anticlimactic line has stuck with me for the past couple of weeks. We really don't.
I just bought a home as a single dude. Firstly, I didn't realize that Target has over 250 options for curtain rods. When we're little kids and there are 32 flavors of ice cream at Baskin Robins that we have to choose from, that was training for curtain rod shopping. Funny side note, when I typed in 'stuff' to Thesaurus.com, a digital ad populated above it for curtains and rugs. Oh, the irony.
Back from that tangent, secondly, it takes a lot to fill a home. As much as I want to have everything perfectly decorated and in place, I can't help but wonder what is going to come of all the furnishings I'm adding to my collection post mortem? Morbid, yes. Perspective, yes.
I'm not hopping on the Minimalist train here. I'm sure Marie Kondo and a million other media sources can preach on that for me. In fact, I love finding something unique that I can look at every day that brings me a sense of appreciation. I also love the release of giving my possessions away to someone else who sees value in it.
Prior to the bank and I purchasing a home together, I spent the 3 years before slowly and strategically getting rid of as much of my stuff as I could. The feeling was freeing. I loved offloading at my local Goodwill. Something I put into practice was to have a running bag of Goodwill items. So every time I was organizing a closet or trying to find a good storage spot, I would mentally check whether it could go in my giveaway bag.
I loved knowing that at any moment I could get a truck and load up my entire life if I wanted to move. I get why people give away everything they own when they're elderly. They're looking back on years of experience and they know what's important. It's not their bedframe or curtain rods or Yeti cooler. It's the people they loved along the way.
Food, shelter, water, sex. The basic needs that motivate us to move around when we're awake. Care less about things. Care more about people. Yep.
New in my life: There's a good beer from a good state I'm diggin. Livin on love, buying on time. Sticking to my guns about bow hunting.
Keep smilin'
JM
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Downward Doggin'
I have a buddy who notices horizons more frequently than I do. I'll be following him to a location, we'll get out and he'll ask "Did you see that view?" Ashamedly I have to respond no. I'd like to think it's because I'm a damn good driver. 10 and 2 beats a view. I always say.
Although I am a diligent driver, that's not the reason I don't notice the good-looking surroundings along my course. Often times, I'll admit, it's because I'm too focused on my schedule or the podcast or a stressor in my life or the burrito I'm about to eat. I get wrapped up in the short term.
I feel that anyone who holds themselves to a schedule of sorts could admit the same selfish focus that takes over their day from time to time. We tend to forget about perspective and our long term values when we get in our productivity zone.
I'm not ragging on productivity. America is built on it. It's the reason Chik-Fil-A exists. (Don't ask me to explain that logic, I just really like Chik-Fil-A) In all seriousness though, I appreciate putting in 8 hours of work, checking off a to-do list and coming home feeling like a fulfilled worker bee. It's a good driver of motivation and you should be proud of a hard day's work when you're mentally and physically beat pulling into the driveway.
Sprinting is a great form of exercise but so is yoga. It's important to slow our roles from time to time throughout our day. Maybe it is as simple as leaving the office for a 10-minute walk on your break to clear your mind and let your eyes adjust to a non-screen setting. Or physically get up from your desk to go talk to Tammy in accounting instead of sending her an email. The communication will break you from your grind.
Your pile of work will always be a pile and your inbox doesn't stop filling up. That's not what we remember looking back as elders. We remember the conversations, relationships and the views along the highway. Pump the brakes along your route occasionally to enjoy the view. Your 80 year old self will appreciate it. Yep.
New in my life: Biologically I don't have eggs, but I'm building a nest. I've reached a new point of maturity, I now have a jar for old nails and screws. Compost, garden, veggies, repeat #shedrally
Keep smilin'
JM
Although I am a diligent driver, that's not the reason I don't notice the good-looking surroundings along my course. Often times, I'll admit, it's because I'm too focused on my schedule or the podcast or a stressor in my life or the burrito I'm about to eat. I get wrapped up in the short term.
I feel that anyone who holds themselves to a schedule of sorts could admit the same selfish focus that takes over their day from time to time. We tend to forget about perspective and our long term values when we get in our productivity zone.
I'm not ragging on productivity. America is built on it. It's the reason Chik-Fil-A exists. (Don't ask me to explain that logic, I just really like Chik-Fil-A) In all seriousness though, I appreciate putting in 8 hours of work, checking off a to-do list and coming home feeling like a fulfilled worker bee. It's a good driver of motivation and you should be proud of a hard day's work when you're mentally and physically beat pulling into the driveway.
Sprinting is a great form of exercise but so is yoga. It's important to slow our roles from time to time throughout our day. Maybe it is as simple as leaving the office for a 10-minute walk on your break to clear your mind and let your eyes adjust to a non-screen setting. Or physically get up from your desk to go talk to Tammy in accounting instead of sending her an email. The communication will break you from your grind.
Your pile of work will always be a pile and your inbox doesn't stop filling up. That's not what we remember looking back as elders. We remember the conversations, relationships and the views along the highway. Pump the brakes along your route occasionally to enjoy the view. Your 80 year old self will appreciate it. Yep.
New in my life: Biologically I don't have eggs, but I'm building a nest. I've reached a new point of maturity, I now have a jar for old nails and screws. Compost, garden, veggies, repeat #shedrally
Keep smilin'
JM
Monday, March 4, 2019
Vegans have feelings too
I work in a sometimes-controversial industry. When it comes to what people eat, they can get provincial, opinionated, argumentative and sometimes downright mean. I often hear people say, “you wouldn’t want to meet my friend, they’re a vegetarian,” in fear that I’m incapable of finding common ground with someone who may fundamentally oppose what I chose as a career path.
I used to be the guy who’d clap back at people who denigrated the agriculture industry, engaging in long back and forths on social media, aggravatingly checking my notifications to see how the person (often someone I’ve never met) opted to respond, and hurriedly pounding out a response with the slightest bit of self-assurance that this was the argument that’d put them in their place and make them understand how wrong and stupid they were.
It never was.
More typically, this would go on and on, pulling a few more innocent bystanders into the conversation with a “...well actually...” and snowballing until you had to begrudgingly separate yourself and move on. It was an exhausting way to spend my online experience.
It took a while, but eventually, I had to ask myself what was I accomplishing? Was I changing hearts and minds, or just showing my ass in the same way that the person who baited me into an argument had when they started it? Or was I just being a dick? Was it worth it?
I still engage in social media, albeit in a lighter version than years past, but I still observe the same behavior in the people I follow. Setting agriculture aside, we’ve all seen an argument play out like I described, and probably more so nowadays, on any matter of subjects; politics, music, sports, and on and on. And again, I come back to the same question: is it worth it?
I think about how an interaction like this would translate to real life (spoiler alert: Twitter is not a substitute for IRL-experiences). Sure, there are plenty of folks whose online anger translates into real life. But stepping away from your keyboard, you realize that most of these arguments don’t happen if you don’t have internet barrier between you, and you probably find more common ground face to face vs. trying to fit your quips into 280 characters. It gets harder to do every day, but I think pausing to realize that what’s going on in your phone apps do not positively reflect the total reality of day to day life can be a bit liberating when your online presence drags you down.
Especially in 2019, when we are bombarded by negativity from all sides 24/7/365, coming up for air from the depths of social media is probably more necessary than ever to keep perspective on the day-to-day.
So, do I actually hate your vegetarian friend? I know several very friendly vegetarians that I can find plenty of common ground outside of meat. We may not see eye-to-eye on some topics, but ultimately, we make our own decisions. I don’t want to be berated for my decisions, so I shouldn’t berate you for yours. Maybe that needs to be the Golden Rule in 2019.
New in my life: I have resolutions and I’ll tell you what they were in 2020, going to cash in those frequent flier miles this year, 2019 will be the year of #fillmyfreezer.
Keep smilin'
Dr. Arp
Travis Arp is an avid writer, hiker and traveler in Colorado. He works as a Senior Director at the US Meat Export Federation. When he's not traveling abroad working to better the US meat industry, he's either out on a mountainous trail with his wife and two dogs or enjoying a cold craft beer a local brewery.
I used to be the guy who’d clap back at people who denigrated the agriculture industry, engaging in long back and forths on social media, aggravatingly checking my notifications to see how the person (often someone I’ve never met) opted to respond, and hurriedly pounding out a response with the slightest bit of self-assurance that this was the argument that’d put them in their place and make them understand how wrong and stupid they were.
It never was.
More typically, this would go on and on, pulling a few more innocent bystanders into the conversation with a “...well actually...” and snowballing until you had to begrudgingly separate yourself and move on. It was an exhausting way to spend my online experience.
It took a while, but eventually, I had to ask myself what was I accomplishing? Was I changing hearts and minds, or just showing my ass in the same way that the person who baited me into an argument had when they started it? Or was I just being a dick? Was it worth it?
I still engage in social media, albeit in a lighter version than years past, but I still observe the same behavior in the people I follow. Setting agriculture aside, we’ve all seen an argument play out like I described, and probably more so nowadays, on any matter of subjects; politics, music, sports, and on and on. And again, I come back to the same question: is it worth it?
I think about how an interaction like this would translate to real life (spoiler alert: Twitter is not a substitute for IRL-experiences). Sure, there are plenty of folks whose online anger translates into real life. But stepping away from your keyboard, you realize that most of these arguments don’t happen if you don’t have internet barrier between you, and you probably find more common ground face to face vs. trying to fit your quips into 280 characters. It gets harder to do every day, but I think pausing to realize that what’s going on in your phone apps do not positively reflect the total reality of day to day life can be a bit liberating when your online presence drags you down.
Especially in 2019, when we are bombarded by negativity from all sides 24/7/365, coming up for air from the depths of social media is probably more necessary than ever to keep perspective on the day-to-day.
So, do I actually hate your vegetarian friend? I know several very friendly vegetarians that I can find plenty of common ground outside of meat. We may not see eye-to-eye on some topics, but ultimately, we make our own decisions. I don’t want to be berated for my decisions, so I shouldn’t berate you for yours. Maybe that needs to be the Golden Rule in 2019.
New in my life: I have resolutions and I’ll tell you what they were in 2020, going to cash in those frequent flier miles this year, 2019 will be the year of #fillmyfreezer.
Keep smilin'
Dr. Arp
Travis Arp is an avid writer, hiker and traveler in Colorado. He works as a Senior Director at the US Meat Export Federation. When he's not traveling abroad working to better the US meat industry, he's either out on a mountainous trail with his wife and two dogs or enjoying a cold craft beer a local brewery.
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