Contents of RauwLetter November 2009
- Rauw Energy is Going Commercial
- Oh the Money You Will Save
- The Authors are "Moving on Up" to the West Side - What to do...
- Thoughtful Stuff
- Referral Program
- Customer Coupon
The Authors are "Moving on Up" to the West Side - What to do...
We've sold our house and we're moving to an apartment in New York City. We'll be moving from a rather large house to a rather modest apartment. We'll need to pare down substantially. We can't bring a lot of the “stuff” we've been accumulating over the years and we're glad. What's all this “stuff” anyway?
The comedian, George Carlin, did a hilarious bit on stuff. His observations are very funny, “A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. You can see that when you're taking off in an airplane. You look down, you see everybody's got a little pile of stuff. All the little piles of stuff. And when you leave your house, you gotta lock it up. Wouldn't want somebody to come by and take some of your stuff. They always take the good stuff. They never bother with that crap you're saving. All they want is the shiny stuff. That's what your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get... more stuff!”
It's true! Over the twenty years of our marriage, my husband and I have moved from a tiny house to a larger house and then an even larger house and have always managed to fill each one up with, well, stuff. Stuff for the kids, stuff for the dogs, the chickens, the turtle, stuff to sit on, stuff to lie on, stuff to lean on. Stuff to serve from, stuff to walk on, stuff to keep us entertained, stuff just to look at. We've spent enormous amounts of time, energy and money accumulating stuff.
Don't get me wrong, all this stuff has contributed to a feeling of household coziness. Most of the stuff has been well used and has helped bring about a sense of family allowing us to invite hundreds of relatives and friends into our home over the years without having to bring their own chairs or plates or glasses or anything.
Now, however, now that we're moving, we have to get rid of all the stuff. Moving sale – check. Donation sites – check. Recycling centers – check. Westchester County, New York has many recycling days set up over the year where one can take household chemicals, e-waste such as old televisions and computers, old medications, plastic shopping bags, and personal papers for shredding. Recycling days are organized at locations all over the county. Locations can be found on http://www.westchestergov.com/. If you don't live in Westchester, check your county's web site for their recycling schedules.
Our hope is that after all the giving away, selling, and recycling, not much stuff will need to be carted off in a garbage container. The goal is to start our new life of “less stuff is more” by finishing our past life in as sustainable a way as possible. However, we are leaving one item of “stuff” behind - the Fuel Economizer attached to the aquastat on the boiler. The hard working Fuel Economizer will be increasing the efficiency of the boiler long after we're gone and that is good stuff.
