<![CDATA[Balance the chaos - Blog]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:58:20 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Minimal(ist) updates....]]>Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:17:52 GMThttps://www.balancethechaos.com/blog/minimalist-updatesIn my pursuit to balance the chaos....namely the annual planning process chaos...my other pursuits have tipped the scales in favor of passion, instead of simplification.  It is all about the balance.  I have continued to think on the future contents of this blog, and roughing out some ideas.  
  • Curation of bird sightings across the ABA area - disparate sources, and mounds of data could make that quite interesting.  
  • Future blog post on the question "Is Minimalism Conservative or Liberal?  Yes...and No".  
Yeah, I know, overwhelming amount of thought, am I right?  I still feel comfortable with what I have accomplished this week in regards to balance.  Low stress level at the end of the week, and some exceptional moments for my passions!!]]><![CDATA[Minimalist Game Day 17]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2015 10:48:32 GMThttps://www.balancethechaos.com/blog/minimalist-game-day-17I was given some great advice today by my mentor:-)  I have a spreadsheet tracking everything I am tossing, selling or donating already.  That is the details.  I shouldn't get bogged down in the details.  I live in the details every day at work.  I need to take the time to realize what the impact is on what I am doing.  I donated some clothes last week.  I had no feelings about it, because I am focused on that 500 items by 8/31.  Someone will get some nice clothes, and I cleared out 8 bags of stuff that was cluttering up my entryway.  I was able to consolidate closet space because of this.  Lastly completing that task is worth at least taking a second to take note of.  So big Hulk Clap to me!
photo hulkclapsmall.gif
Still what is left feels overwhelming to try to get through.  Not that I should be surprised, as this is what I tend to do.  Go in full blast and attack whatever it is I am focused on.  I have piles of murdered books stacked up, scanned and now waiting for me to go page by page in the PDF to verify everything scanned okay.  I've barely made a dent in the eBay listings (not that eBay's apparent 100 item limit has been imposed on me will help), and boxes of donated books still sit.  There is a game plan at least, and I see some light up ahead, as well as what else goes on that path.  Amazing that this all was started from a  comment about living in a Tiny house.   I'm still not convinced I can do it, but just the research on that lead me down this rabbit hole of Minimalism, Simplification, and a host of other "alternative" ways of living.  Not that I will be getting a full-on hippification.  I will do what always do...glean the good, what works for me, what fits my values, and targets what I want...and let the rest drift into the ether.  

I listened to a great podcast on Value of Simple today also with Ryan Avery.  I am definitely an old dog, wanting to learn new tricks.  This is one that I will try, as it fits right in with my desire to simplify (something I see starting to become a key to balance the chaos).  Multiple debit accounts, each for a specific purpose, and automatically deducted from your paycheck based on percentage.  Mine might look something like this (going through my budget in more detail should help me to narrow the numbers down):
  • Savings - 20%
  • Travel - 10%
  • Charity - 10%
  • Everyday "Stuff" - 60%

This is all down the road, once I get through the de-cluttering.  I already know I will feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulder once the "stuff" that is targeted to go, is gone.  Don't worry though I won't turn in to (much of) a hippie.  
hippie photo hippie.gif
]]><![CDATA[Minimalist Game Day 16]]>Mon, 17 Aug 2015 09:55:31 GMThttps://www.balancethechaos.com/blog/minimalist-game-day-16

Little progress today as several eBay items needed to be relisted. The sell side is falling a bit behind. I did manage to chop up all the softcover books I intend to scan, and managed the scanning of 25 of them.

Look for several quick lots to be posted on eBay in order to drain that side down quickly. Still not sure the "stress" from the owning of items matches the "stress" of the actions to get rid of them:-).

My secret weapon of book donation is still in the back of my pocket. So not sweating it too much. I realize this is just a start with trying to simplify, minimalism, and prioritize my life. I look forward to each day as getting a little bit closer to bringing the chaos back in balance.

]]><![CDATA[Minimalist Game progress...]]>Sun, 16 Aug 2015 09:55:10 GMThttps://www.balancethechaos.com/blog/minimalist-game-progressToo far behind on the actions to get rid of 500 items so far. 

Out of 339 items identified to sell:
  • 5 Sold
  • 2 Pending
  • 7 listed
  • 1 unsold


Out of 436 items identified to Donate:
  • 52 dropped off to Salvation Army
  • 21 ready to donate/sell to Disctraders
  • 237 Books boxed up ready to donate/trash (need to review what can be donated)


Items to Trash/Recycle
  • 17 Books scanned, need to verify full scan completed
  • 15 Binders tossed
  • 1 LARGE bin of scanned papers to be disposed of.  
On a positive note I did get to use the massive paper cutter....
Untitled..
Untitled
The Fujitsu ScanSnap made fairly quick work of 17 books today.  I likely would have been able to scan them all, had I cut the books properly.  I was a bit too conservative with how much room I need to give the text.  So a few pages ended up still being stuck together.  Still not bad for a few hours work.  Next stop double-checking the pages are all in order, and clear.  


I should be a little more focused tomorrow and get some more items up on eBay, and drop off the donated books.  It will be essentially halfway through the month, and need to be at 250 items if I hope to get to 500.  
]]><![CDATA[The Alpha....]]>Sun, 16 Aug 2015 04:21:20 GMThttps://www.balancethechaos.com/blog/the-alphaAnd so it begins.  A  quest to find a Balance to the Chaos of Life.  This website will serve as not only a way to chronicle this quest, but also to curate the attempts along the way.  Some current and past (and likely to be revisited) interests will be curated and discussed here, such as:


I am currently attempting a modified Minimalist Game for the month of August.  I am not engaging in the 1/1, 2/2, 3/3....form, but rather targeting sell/donate/recycle of 500 items this month.  I will have some further posts on this and my progress towards this target.  Let's see if less really is more.  ]]>