Stuff

Good NYT article about getting rid of your crap and living simply. Except it seems like it's saying that instead of buying fancy stuff you should buy stuff that helps you have cool experiences (preferably social ones). I'd say that's a fuzzy line to draw, and I'd advocate instead for buying pretty much nothing. But part of me does like the claim that buying "equipment like golf clubs and fishing poles" makes you happier as this obviously helps me justify the four Rubbermaid tubs in the corner of the room as well as the 40-pound box of maps. Applied to today's situation, would buying the special tool I need to remove a bike's rear cassette (and eventually a bike stand and a wheel truing stand) and doing the work at home make me happier, or would I be happier riding down to the community workshop and fixing my three broken spokes there? My guess is the latter, since I get to interact with the shop guys, who're pretty remarkable in that they have no bike shop 'tude.