Give it Up...

[fajrdrako]

I read a nicely-written book: Give It Up: My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less by Mary Carlomagno. It caught my eye because I love her name - it's the Italian translation of "Charlemagne" - and because I'm into themes of simplicity. Uncluttering metaphorically as well as literally.

It was, in fact, a delightful read. But... useless. The theme: Mary Carlomagno gave up one thing each month for a year. It wasn't cumulative: she gave up smoking, for example, for a month, and then went back to smoking. It was like giving things up for Lent, which is what inspired her - not giving things up permanently.

Then look at the things she gave up. I couldn't give up any of them, I don't think - and if I did, who would notice the difference? She gave up alcohol, newspapers, shopping, dining out, taxis, cell phones and television. I don't have alcohol more than a couple of times per year. I seldom read newspapers, especially since they have become sensationalist entertainment. I shop when I must, but not often. Certainly not every month, unless we're talking about groceries, which she wasn't. Taxis? I can't recall the last time I took a taxi - probably during my last trip to Stratford. I walk. I take the bus. I go places with friends in their cars. I only take taxis when travelling. I don't have a cell phone. It isn't any kind of virtue here - I'm just not into those things. That leaves television - and I wouldn't want to be without my fannish favourites; don't have time to watch much else anyway. Eating out? My favourite and most extravagant pleasure! But I like to think I don't do it in an extravagant way.

But I could give up eating out for a month. Giving up comic books? That would be a real challenge, and I don't plan on trying it. But she doesn't talk about that. I suppose I could give up libraries, or visiting friends, or (shudder) reading and writing Livejournal - but I can't think of any reason I should! Just to prove I could? I love these things, and I do them because I love them. I think that's a terrific reason to do them.

All in all, her choices of 'what to give up' reflected a lifestyle and tastes very unlike mine, and a general sense of life in New York that seems pleasantly foreign to me, like reading about Nick and Nora Charles, or Dorothy Parker.

Despite all this, it was fun to read Mary Carlomagno's commentary on life and the things she does. There's a friendly reflectiveness to it all. Very readable.

Comments

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I suspect that in Carlomagno's case, saving money was a good side effect, but not a primary cause. I'm sure she saved money by 'not eating out' but I'm not sure she saved time.

Good luck with your health-enhancing 'lifestyle change' - I'm doing that, too! Let's hope it works for both of us.

Yes, starting things makes sense. That's one of the reasons I love a new year - a chance for a symbolic fresh start. Not that one can't start changes any time, but I do like to do them at least on the first of the month, if not a new year - it seems like more of an event. An important event. And then when, a few days or weeks later, you're tempted to stray, you can tell yourself, "No, you don't want to blow it, you've been successful so far this year" - sometimes that's enough to put evil temptation at bay.

Moderation is good. I'm all for hedonistic excess, but not for its own sake. - spread it too thin and it loses meaning, just becomes self-indulgence and then nothing is so much fun.

I don't think doing without books would be a good thing. Really!

I probably should spend less time online, too. But that seems a mild sin. And really, no sin at all, when I'm having fun with it. I have yet to convince myself that it's more of a time-waster to read a story online than to read a published book in my comfy chair on the other side of the room. Reading is reading.