This thread has made me consider some of the things I loved about camp. When I worked at summer camp (which is situated in a nice little forest with a nice river, etc), I didn't have a lot of stuff. Basically, I had my clothes, sleeping gear, flashlight, bible, a few books, paper... Well, I had a lot less stuff than at home. I had a large bag (slighly bigger than a suitcase) of clothes, and misc, my sleeping bags, and what I had in my backpack. By the end of nearly 2 months, I had accumulated a little bit more than that. But still, even though I had so little compared with what I had a home, I had a blast. I am very much into computers, and it didn't bother me much that I didn't have access to computers much at all (this camp has a policy against campers bringing electronics aside from medical devices, watches, and flashlights. It mostly applys to staff too, but since we're staff, we can have some electronics to use on off time). Aside from the times that we had the sterio going in the staff lounge, the only music I had was my portable radio (a walkman/radio combo with the motors ripped out) and our own singing (we did a lot of that). Of course, there is plenty of "stuff" to use at camp (the costumes, art supplys, camping supplys, and a few other odds and ends), but on the whole, it was very simple living. Tv wasn't commonplace (for most staff). On the weekends the few of us staying would get together and watch a few movies, and have a great time (TV was a treat). I had a few hours of internet time on the weekend, and so on.
On the whole, it was a great, simple lifestyle. (And even though I didn't do much bikeriding, I lost 30 pounds... unfortunately, being back at home and not riding enough, I've gained them back). The best part about our simply lifestyle was that we could really enjoy the simple pleasures, and each other.
Camp is also a very rustic place. During the week, most of us slept in small cabins (uninsulated, 1 roomed, 8 bunks, 1 wood stove per cabin, no electricity or lights, just our flashlights), and that was awesome. Not only was it a great experience simplicity wise, but also a great growing experience for my Christian faith.
Anyway, as simple as our lifestyle working at a summer camp was, at home it doesn't ammount to the same thing. As I read this thread, I thought about my own bedroom and how I have this tendancy to collect a lot of junk and stuff I think I will use, but never do. So, a big thanks goes to this thread, because for the first time in a couple of years, I gave my room a major clean up. 3 orange mister clean bags of garbage out the door, plus a bunch of books and other stuff are going bye bye (I took out enough books and stuff that I was able to take out one of my bookshelves, and in its place, got a bedside table. My mom was going to buy one for like... $100, but I thought that in some ways that kind of ran contrary to my ultimate "simple living" goal. Fortunately, she thought of cart from an old hospital that was nearly the same size as what I was wanting in a bedside table, and so I now have a nice, lightweight, free bedside table.)
And since I am graduating this year, it will be a good idea to learn to live with less for Bibleschool and such. Not only that, but to learn not to buy/accumulate, it will be really helpful down the road. (Right now it's easy not to buy a lot, because the nearest major economic center is about 30km away, and I don't go there that often, and even when I do, not a lot catches my fancy. But even so, accumulating things is something that I need to work at).
But, yeah, I hope to continue eliminating various items from my room, (and even from my little hideout in the basement, maybe. Or maybe I'll take the easy way out of that and let my folks keep my little setup. It's not like I can see me taking most of that stuff with me anywhere).
Yeah, thats enough for my ramblings for now... thanks for this thread!