augmented reality

LOVE this post by “Simplicity by Sunny”

Since everyone else is counting the 100 things they do own, I thought I’d go the contrarian route and list 100 things I don’t own. I only counted things that would be found in a typical household, so there’s nothing crazy or exotic on the list.

Although my husband and I don’t have any children’s stuff or pet supplies, I didn’t include them on the list. I also left out specialty sports equipment and hobby equipment. Furthermore, I tried to keep the list as gender-neutral as possible, so skipped over makeup and other girly stuff.

My objective: to come up with the 100 most common household items we live without.

1. Television – See my post Life Without a TV.

2. DVD player – We download movies and watch them on a laptop.

3. Stereo system – Our travel-size iPod speakers have been sufficient.

4. Remote control – We have nothing to remotely control.

5. Entertainment center or TV stand – No need for it when you don’t have a TV.

6. Sofa – See my post Questioning the Couch.

7. Ottoman – We don’t feel the need to put our feet up.

8. End table – I’ve never been sure what these are for.

9. Bookshelf – Our handful of books are sitting on the window sill.

10. Magazine rack – We don’t subscribe to any physical magazines.

11. Dining room table – We dine at our coffee table.

12. Dining chairs – We sit on the floor while we dine at our coffee table.

13. Buffet or sideboards – We don’t have any dining paraphernalia (china, linens, serving platters) to store or display.

14. Lamps – We have adequate overhead lighting in our flat.

15. Area rug – We like bare floors!

16. Clock – We have plenty of other ways to tell the time.

17. Throw pillows – We don’t like moving pillows out of the way to sit down.

18. Wall art – We love bare walls!

19. Frames – All of our photos are digital.

20. Photo albums – Ditto.

21. Candles or candleholders – We’ve simply never acquired any.

22. Bed – We sleep on a futon on the floor.

23. Dresser – We keep all of our clothes in the closet.

24. Nightstand – No need for it when you don’t have a bed.

25. Hamper – I use a small laundry bag (kept in my closet) instead.

26. Scale – I really don’t need to know the numbers. 

27. Desk – I prefer to work at the coffee table.

28. Office chair – No need for it when you don’t have a desk.

29. Stapler – Been able to function perfectly well without one.

30. File cabinet – We digitize what we can, and store our few file folders in a box in the closet.

31. Calendar – No need for a paper one.

32. Printer stand – Our printer is sitting on the box in which it came.

33. Desktop computer – We prefer laptops for their portability.

34. Monitor – Our laptop screens are quite sufficient.

35. Fax machine – We scan and fax from our laptops.

36. Highlighter – I only know we don’t have one because my husband was looking for one the other day.

37. Glue – Haven’t had need for it.

38. Pencil sharpener – I only have a mechanical pencil.

39. Ruler – I’ve been guesstimating measurements using a sheet of paper.

40. Dictionary – I prefer to use an online one.

41. Phone book – This is what the internet is for.

42. Coffee maker – We use a small French press instead.

43. Butter dish – Our butter doesn’t need its own dish.

44. Gravy boat – We don’t regularly serve gravy.

45. Sugar bowl – We drink our coffee black.

46. Salt and pepper shakers – We use them straight from the containers.

47. Rolling pin – We do very little baking.

48. Wine or champagne glasses – We have simple tumblers we use for all beverages.

49. Apron – I’m not that messy in the kitchen.

50. Tablecloth – Would look rather odd on the coffee table.

51. Cookie jar – We rarely eat cookies; on the rare occasion we do, we’ll buy one from a bakery.

52. Serving platter – Haven’t had need for one.

53. Blender – Ditto.

54. Mixer – Ditto.

55. Food processor – Ditto.

56. Crock pot – Ditto.

57. Coffee grinder – We buy pre-ground coffee.

58. Cappuccino or espresso maker – We prefer to go out for a cup instead.

59. Ice cream maker – It’s more fun to go out for it.

60. Fondue set – I’m not sure anyone buys these for themselves. We eloped, so (fortunately) never received one for our wedding.

61. Watch – I use my cell phone to check the time.

62. Sneakers – I do yoga barefoot, and wear my hiking shoes for outdoor activities.

63. Jeans – Weird, I know, but I really don’t own a pair.

64. Sweatshirt – Just not my style.

65. Hat – I don’t really like to have anything on my head.

66. Belt – My pants stay up just fine on their own.

67. Fan – Haven’t had need of one.

68. Air conditioner – We’re hoping England isn’t too warm in the summer.

69. Humidifier – No need for one in this climate.

70. Treadmill – If I wanted to use one, I’d go to the gym.

71. Exercise bike – Same as above.

72. Hand weights – Same as above.

73. Video game system – We’re not into video games.

74. Board games – We’re not into board games.

75. Deck of cards – I can’t remember the last time I played a card game.

76. Video camera – Not sure we’d use it enough to justify owning it.

77. CDs – All of our music is digital.

78. Hairdryer – Letting my hair air-dry keeps it in better condition.

79. Shades or blinds – We like naked windows!

80. Holiday décor – We don’t have a Christmas tree, ornaments, or any other type of holiday décor. We prefer to go out and enjoy other people’s decorations. 

Now that we’re living in a flat with no yard or outdoor space, we don’t have need for the following (we do miss our garden, though!):

81. Grill

82. Patio furniture

83. Sprinklers

84. Hose

85. Lawnmower

86. Rake

87. Weed whacker

88. Shovel

89. Spade

90. Hoe

Now that we’re renting, we haven’t had need for the following home maintenance items:

91. Hand saw

92. Ladder

93. Pry bar

94. Level

95. Toolbox

96. Staple gun

97. Nails

98. Screws

99. Drill

100. Paint brushes

So that’s my own twist on the 100 Thing Challenge. Of course, if I included less-common items, my list would number in the thousands! I should also note — for new readers — that my husband and I sold most of our possessions when we moved from the US to the UK last summer. So, in the case of several items (like glue, a ruler, a drill, etc.) we simply haven’t had need to acquire them yet.

Still, I’d once regarded many of these things as “necessities” — and it’s pretty amazing to discover we can live just as well without them!

Shoes are a very recent addition to our feet. For thousands of years we ran (our natural form of locomotion) barefoot. You don’t see cats and dogs limping with sore knees and backs and they run barefoot always…

March 20, 2010

Dear Friends with Feet,

Since the birth of humanity, people have lived on their feet in order to work, play and survive.

Sadly, many people have developed unfortunate biases against such vital parts of their own bodies. There is now a widespread collective mindset that feet should be encased in rigid, restrictive shoes. This footwear is able to cause terrible and irreparable damage over the course of a person’s life. Active use of non-breathing footwear compels many to negatively stereotype feet as being ugly, sweaty, smelly and gross. What’s more, the thousands of nerve endings in a person’s feet become numb while shod and unable to properly communicate with their minds. Feet are often called “fragile” or “too sensitive.”

Basically, the feet of the world are regularly neglected and rarely ever allowed to be feet.

It is time for the world’s perceptions of feet to change.

The human foot, as it was given to us, is amazing! When free from unnecessary restriction, it is capable of surprising strength and resilience. When it is restored as a vital sensory receptor for our bodies, the world opens up and we experience our surroundings with exponentially greater clarity and definition. What’s more, many of us believe that living on our feet, as nature intended, is a significant gateway to better health.

This is the nature of the primal foot:
Getting back to the basics and letting feet be feet first. It is moving through life free of imprudently restrictive, inflexible, or gait-altering footwear.

The Primalfoot Alliance advocates wholeheartedly for going barefoot. Taking our shoes off allows each of the bones, joints, nerve endings and other biological systems in our feet to function at their highest degree. Therefore, we believe that most people should live most of their lives on bare feet — even when they shop, dine, worship, learn, play and more in public.

The Primalfoot Alliance acknowledges that there are times when going barefoot is not possible for cultural, professional, health or safety reasons. In these times, we believe that minimal footwear can be a prudent option for feet to function primally, moving with flexibility and strength. Primal footwear is what many people have used for centuries and that modern people in developed lands can embrace.

Unfortunately, the efforts of many primalfooters have been rejected in recent generations.

For decades, many business establishments have posted signage stating that customers without shoes are not welcome. Some incorrectly claim that government regulations forbid going unshod. Other times when signage hasn’t been posted, patrons with no shoes have been approached with spontaneous unwritten “policies” and asked to don footwear or leave.

Motorists, even, have been wrongly informed across many areas of the world that driving barefoot is illegal when it often is not.

The excuses for rejecting bare feet have been widespread and mostly without merit. They are typically based on unfounded concerns over safety, health, liability or social appropriateness. Barefooters, however, often share that modern sidewalks, streets, grassy areas and other surfaces rarely contain dangerous sharp objects and are highly unlikely to infect a person with viruses or germs. They are usually more than willing to take on any liability for injuries sustained as a result of going barefoot. Questions of social appropriateness are more of a matter of unfortunate personal bias and a lack of critical reflection.

Discrimination against primal feet has not been limited to only those who go barefoot. As one popular style of primal footwear with toe pockets now makes its way onto the feet of athletes around the world, many fitness facilities have unnecessarily disallowed their patrons from wearing these shoes on the grounds that they are unsafe. Employers have rejected the leather styles as inappropriate or unprofessional.

It is time for the world’s perceptions of feet to change.

The Primalfoot Alliance has been formed to:

• Educate and/or dialogue with the public, media, government officials, businesspeople and many others on the benefits of going primalfoot.
• Encourage those who wish to live primalfoot and advocate for them in the face of discrimination.
• Raise worldwide awareness of people who prefer to live primalfoot.
• Become partners with those who design, manufacture, promote, purchase and/or use primal footwear.
• Assist with sponsoring and/or coordinating activities that bring primalfooters together.

The intent is to combine the talents and support of those who see the benefits of primal feet. We will act as a unified network of supporters for sharing and disseminating information. In time, we will develop memberships for those who casually support the cause of primal feet and also for those who are deeply involved with promoting the various facets of barefooting, primalfoot running, primal footwear and more.

To be clear, the Primalfoot Alliance is NOT about foot fetishes or clearly dangerous activities. Our intent is not to encourage sexual or flirtatious acts. We also do not agree with people doing harmful things to their feet or putting their feet at significant risk. For example, we fully understand that many diabetics should avoid going barefoot in order to prevent undetectable injuries that could threaten life or limb.

Our “soft launch” is the first day of Spring, March 20, 2010. What better day to represent this movement? Over the next couple of months, we hope to develop partnerships, a full Web site and online presence, membership levels and other programs. The “hard launch” will come prior to June 1, 2010, National “Go Barefoot” Day in the United States. More information about all of these elements will be added as time goes on.

Here’s where you come in:

If you believe that feet are amazing and deserve greater respect and health without restrictive footwear, please join us. If you are a barefooter, primalfoot runner, blogger, Facebooker, Twitter user, podiatrist, shoe manufacturer and/or anybody else who advocates for living on feet as nature intended them, we need for you to be a part of The Primalfoot Alliance. Keep doing the great things you’re doing, but please also connect with us at the links below (if we don’t connect with you first). Promote us on your Website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, Buzz, whatever. The Primalfoot Alliance will never reach its full potential without your help. Together we will make a big difference in changing the world’s perceptions of feet. Thank you so much for your support.

Encouraged,

Barefoot Michael, Founder
www.barefootandgrounded.com
Twitter: @BarefootMichael

The first reason for their happiness that researchers have discovered, is that they have a low expectation of their immediate future…

Great site - a collection of minimal distraction desktop wallpapers curated by Tom Watson.