[JTO]

Wow! What a thread.

I made some changes recently due to the constant flow of the following into my home: Bad news about every topic from "newspaper", TV "news", and network television. Everything seems to have a hyper crisis tone to it. Everywhere you look there is some stupid program about terror, disease, etc.

Next: constant flow of information about items I must have. Cars, computers, cameras, trips, clothes, food, etc. You don't need that shi% to be happy. Stuff does not satisfy the soul. Walks with your wife and kids, playing tag in the backyard, hearing your children laugh. That stuff feeds the soul and makes you feel content with your life. Buying the big stuff just makes you more dependant on your employer. Falling victim to the advertising machines makes you feel dissatisfied and that you need more.

I turned off the satellite TV, cancelled the paper, and got rid of the newer cars that had payments. My new focus? Spending TIME with the people I love and rejecting what society says I should do; be a consumer.

Thanks,
Troy