Letting go.
Hannah and I have started to mentally put price tags on everything we own. Which isn’t hard. We live pretty meagerly compared to most. Not counting our SUV or my main computer, we can sell everything and maybe get $3,000. The rest is junky toys and kitchen stuff you’re lucky to get a buck or two for at yard sales. Virtually everything we own is a hand-me-down that people passed onto us because they got something better. (I was grateful to receive everything that’s been given to us, but I want to be in a position in our lives to be able to give new stuff to people who are in need.)
Still, though, all this is our stuff. Once we get rid of our couch, we won’t own a couch. Same for our fridge. No fridge. Nothing to keep our food cold.
Then, there’s my computer. My powerful, lovely, upgraded Mac Pro. Purchased in February of 2007 with our tax return, my Mac Pro was our second Mac computer after buying one of the original iMacs for Maddy to play educational games on (which by the way still runs better than most PCs I’ve used).
I love my Mac Pro. It can do anything I throw at and still have unused CPU cycles. It’s got two dual-core 64-bit Xeon processors, 5GB of RAM, 1.5TB of internal hard drive space, two DVD writers, one of which is Lightscribe. This things tears through video rendering like a warm knife through butter. I love this monster.
But I have to let go and downsize. That’s part of the adventure, going smaller, trimming down and teaching ourselves just how little we can live with. Last week I ordered a TB external hard drive to put all my video projects and stuff on. Today I finished transferring everything. The drive is almost full.
So now I’m going to inventory everything I have for this computer and sell it off on eBay or Craigslist (hopefully Craigslist to avoid shipping charges and eBay & PayPal fees). I’m downgrading to either a used MacBook Pro that I can still get an extended AppleCare warranty on or a MacBook.
I am leaning towards getting a MacBook just to come out with more cash in the end.
Anyway, that’s my computer story. I’m basically selling my third child. If anyone reading this is interested in it, don’t hesitate to contact me.
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July 30th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I think you should keep your computer. If you don’t already have one just get a flat panel monitor to save space in the RV. A computer doesn’t really take up that much space and you do depend on one for your income.
I can see getting rid of all the things you can live without but you must have a computer so it may as well be the good one you already have.
Just my two cents.
July 30th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Well I am keeping a computer for my income, I’m just downsizing from a powerful workstation to a powerful laptop. The decision to not keep my Mac Pro isn’t so much size as it is weight. The main unit alone weighs about 80-90 pounds (Mac Pros are big and dwarf most PCs). I have two 24″ LCDs for it that are each 15 pounds plus the double-monitor stand which is 40 pounds. So in my computer I have well over 150 pounds. Just too bulky. This computer DOES take up a lot of space.
Plus it would have to remain in our trailer at all times, and I don’t like the idea of leaving a $4,500 computer around the campground when we go out.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Oh my! I had no idea you were talking about something so GI-NORMOUS! I was picturing an average size desktop computer. Hopefully you will get a fair price for it.
It would be nice to have a laptop as your work computer anyway since you can take that outside and have a nice change of scenery while you are working.
I’ll enjoy reading about your family’s adventures as you set out on this awesome new lifestyle. When you are passing through Florida feel free to vist our church.
http://www.hopefulbaptist.com