Monday, May 10, 2010

My 100 Things Manifesto!

Hey everyone! There is nothing cooler for a college student to do then write a manifesto. This would be a lot cooler if I hadn't stolen the idea from some other people, but still, I'll feel cool. I have decided that officially starting at the end of Mayterm, but partly starting now, I will spend one year with only 100 possessions to my name. I originally saw an article about this in The War Cry or YS or something and thought it was so cool that I googled it, at which point I found out that it actually originated with another blogger, David Michael Bruno, who wanted to cut some of the excess out of his life too. (http://www.guynameddave.com/100-thing-challenge.html)

Now some of you may be wondering why I would do something like this. I am an infamous packrat with a love of buying trinkets and oddities only to throw them away or put them in a draw for 6 months, how is it even possible to limit to 100? Well, that's why I've decided to do this. When I cam to America for college I had 2 large suitcases, 1 small suitcase, and a backpack. I now can't fit even half my stuff in those original containers. I have more than doubled my stuff in two years! At this rate by the time I graduate I might need to have a whole second room just for my stuff. It's stupid, and it's oppressive, and it needs to stop! So I'm going to put an end to it. Starting (hopefully) today I will limit myself to no more than 100 things. Everything else will be dealt with somehow, thrown out, donated, given away, something. But I just need to to something.

So that is my challenge for today. I am sorting my things and keeping only 100. Now, before you think I'm truly insane allow me a caveat or two. I have a few things that I'm not counting.

1. The essentials:
Tooth Brush
Shampoo
Etc,

2. Books:
I will confine myself to only what can fit on my three shelf bookshelf (which counts as one of my 100), but whatever fits doesn't count. I just can't get rid of all my books, I need them for schoolwork and also just because I love books. Also, textbooks don't count to that limit or to the 100 item limit, I need textbooks even if I don't want them.

3. CDs
Similar to what I am doing with my books I will confine myself to what can fit into my CD Case (meant to hold 80) because if I get rid of all my CDs then I'll just download all my music and that leads to all sorts of ethical arguments and...I'm keeping my CDs.

Other than that everything, my bags, my nerf guns, my electronics, it's all counting towards my 100 things. This should be interesting...Wish me luck. I'll update my blog with my list once I've got it all sorted out, but until then,

Your inconsistent blogger,
Chris