Possessions

Our life in Chicago has closed, and I've been reduced to the, allegedly, bare minimum. Obviously whin I say minimum I mean there's still a lot of crap in my life. Right now most of the crap is at Rushad's. Let's go down the list of possessions that I deemed essential for my survival for the next 2.5 months:

1. Linux box (ChurchofChai) and Windows box (Cibo). These are now plugged in, online, and necessary. Why? So I can feel like I have a connection to this one thing no matter where I am. More importantly, Jonii can do her Jyotish stuff no matter where she is, hopefully, and I can get information from my machine through my Linux host. This is, without doubt, essential. Can't get rid of this machines for a while.

2. Clothes. I've got a Sun Netra box that contains all the foldables that I need for the next few months. The closet has about a dozen things that I thought I'd need - several shirts, a couple of jackets, and a few things that belong to Jonii. It has sunk in that I don't need this many clothes especially when there's a washing machine available at all times at my disposal.

3. Hardware. There are a couple of boxes of modems, wires, connectors, tools, and all kinds of shit that I know I need, but I probably don't. I think this has to be consolidated down to just the bare minimum - one toolbox with the absolute essential wires, and nothing else! That's going to be a bit of work.

4. Books, magazines, CDs, DVDs. Why this stuff is still here is beyond me. There's no way I'm going to need this for now. I'm sure there was some warped logic in my mind about why I would need this right now. Obviously it evades me. Stress can do strange things to your mind, where you feel like you need to hold on to some pointless things.

5. Bedroll, stuff to take to India. This is the stuff that actually needs to stay - the few things that make sense in my temporary life prior to the big dive.

6. Bicycle X 2. Why the X2? Ok, I have my Kona, which costs over a grand in Rushad's closet. I'm going to be moving in with Abby at the Mexico Solidarity Network (henceforth referred to as "The Mexicans"). I need a bike to get from the mexicans' to the blue line, which is about 15 blocks away. I'm not too crazy about leaving the Kona locked at the CTA - that's a whole day's worth of hacking that someone can get to, and free the bike of its Kryptonite confines. (Plus there's always the bic-pen-hack, which would only take a few seconds). So I've decided to borrow the bike I gave Art - a kinda old and rusted out Trek - and use that as my temporary form of transportation around here. The Kona will be taken back to Fairfield on the next trip down.

Lila passed through Chicago on her way to NYC, and was kind enough to allow me the loan of her car while Jonii was in FF. Basically this allowed me to pare down a lot of my crap. But the above list is after that paring! The plan right now is to drive down to FF with her, and take the train back on Monday. Should be ideal. That way I can get work done on the way back AND I don't have to drive alone!