Running Lean
I’m moving again. In the process, I took stock of my possessions and realized that I don’t have any.
There’s the DVR that I never used for anything but The Office, Intervention, The Hills and every episode of the Real World I could find. It’s hooked to a TV that sits on the floor. More white t-shirts than I can count. Sorted only by presentable and runnable. I bought a peacoat sometime during the winter on one of the rare occasions that I added to my wardrobe. A pair of Pumas that the company sent me because of a client. They’ve been out of the box exactly twice. I was supposed to get a dresser but I never got around to that either. I bought more books instead.
A legal pad full of drawings that Joe Hahn gave me. A Mont Blanc that’s probably worth more than anything else I own. I’ve been instructed how to use it ‘strategically’. They’re stacked in my closet, on top of a first edition of Belligerence and Debauchery and signed copy of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell that says “Ryan – Don’t fuck this up.”
The Books. They’re everywhere. Unshelved; I never felt like I needed any. I’ve taken recently to stacking them under my desk rendering it pretty much unusable. The rest are packed in Amazon boxes in my extra closet. From a glance I can feel what song I listened to as I read it, if I was stable or depressed or excited or hopeful. I can get drawn right back in from the stains on the pages. Carl’s Jr spicy chicken sandwiches with ranch or pepperoni and olive from Philly’s on La Cienega. Did I breeze through it or did I struggle? Well, that depends on the crack in the spine and the bends in the cover.
I feel a little like Erasmus when I look at them, “when I get a little money, I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes.” It’s one of the few times I am proud of myself. I would die if anything ever happened to them.
I’ve got a friend who’s moving to L.A next month, borrowing money from his parents to pay more in rent than I do – plus roommates. Telling me something about how he doesn’t have the funds to start the site he desperately needs to do what he’s supposed to do. Which is like so many people, entitled about the things that don’t matter, ambivalent to the rest.
If I was doing it again, sure, I’d probably be less of a cheapskate. But I got what I needed accomplished. Many, many times over. The asset I carry around with me is worth my salaries multiplied together. Because when turn the drive from acquiring to inquiring, you start to accumulate things that no one can ever take away.
The funny thing about not having anything is that I never think about money. It’s not a concern. It’s not a burden and it’s not a curse. And I’m poised to make more than I know what to do with. Exactly where I said I wanted to be.
This post reminds me of the quote in Fight Club when he claims that your possessions can end up owning you and how the main character goes from obsessing about his furniture to owning practically nothing.
This post helps me put in perspective things I want to buy versus things I need. I need to buy things that will help me improve myself (like books) and I do not need to worry about a lot of other wants. I particularly enjoyed the line “Which is like so many other people, entitled about the things that don’t matter, ambivalent about the rest.”
Thanks for another great post.
This post reminds me of the quote in Fight Club when he claims that your possessions can end up owning you and how the main character goes from obsessing about his furniture to owning practically nothing.
This post helps me put in perspective things I want to buy versus things I need. I need to buy things that will help me improve myself (like books) and I do not need to worry about a lot of other wants. I particularly enjoyed the line “Which is like so many other people, entitled about the things that don’t matter, ambivalent about the rest.”
Thanks for another great post.
Desk or table? I’ve got a six foot folding table in my room a la Robert Moses.
Money can only bring you so much. Yes it can be a good thing, but it won’t make you happy. I would know because I come from a wealthy family. People just assume that money will fix everything. For the short term yes… for the long term no. it won’t make you real friends, buy you true love, or give you something to live for (the meaning in life). I focus on thinking, creating, and building new things or just improving old ones. For example: politics, strategies, ideologies, law, business, science, theories, and whatever presents itself as a challenge (turning problems into solutions to produce results). Also helping other people gives me meaning and fulfillment in this life.
Ryan Holiday watches The Hills? That I cannot picture, but I guess everybody has their guilty pleasures.
It’s not a guilty pleasure. It’s a pleasure.
“Anything you can acquire is just another thing you can lose.”
-Chuck Palahniuk
I know you probably get this a lot, but this is one of your best posts. And I’ve read them all. Plus, it’s nice to see I’m not the only one who enjoys the Hills and isn’t ashamed to admit it. Thanks, Ryan.
By the way, are you moving to Shreveport with Tucker and them?
Have you thought about electronically cataloging all the books you own? I have a http://www.goodreads.com account, and it is a great website that allows you to put down what you’re reading, when you read it, your ranking, etc. Also, I keep track of all books on an Excel spreadsheet.
I think it would be interesting to see an extensive list of all the books you own, read, etc.
Great post. What I love is the amount of people who would read this and think, “Wow, that guy is so weird.” But those are the same people who owe 20 grand on their credit cards for every little toy that they wanted but couldn’t really afford. I don’t always like your posts, but when they are good, they are fantastic, and this has to be your best one so far (or perhaps just the most meaningful to me, personally).
I’ve got all of them in a spreadsheet. I am still organizing them. Hopefully I’ll post it soon
I really liked this post, as I’m in the process of selling most of the things I own. Part of it is because I could use the extra cash, but mostly, I just want less stuff. None of my friends seem to understand that, as everyone around me is constantly trying to acquire more and more useless stuff. It’s encouraging to see someone else whose self worth isn’t direclty proportional to their amount of personal posessions.
“I’ve got all of them in a spreadsheet.”
Ryan, Mac or PC? If Mac, check out Delicious Library.
It’s kind of funny how much people are concerned with wealth and items in this country. I’ve been poor my entire life, and never realized truly how poor I was until I went to college. It was mind-boggling, seeing how people just consumed, consumed, and consumed. The only items I had in my possession while I went to school were a mini-fridge, my clothes, some books, and my laptop. I only spent money off-campus once, and it was just to purchase some necessities.
It’s also funny, because in your post “The Firm,” you mentioned how it’s easier to prevent people from doing things than it is to do them yourself, because I also noticed at school, it’s a lot easier to be unproductive, because there are a lot of people there who are distracting in one way or another. Even friends, who can mean well and wish to have a good time can become distractions. What amazes me most is that many people won’t take the time out of their days to attend a class, which they’ve paid for just to slack off on a regular basis.
Ryan, does this mean you were fired from Rudius? Does that company even exist anymore? Did you ever get a paycheck, or did Tucker BCWoods you before he left for Louisiana?
God no. I’ve had my own place since September. I’m actually moving back because everyone is moving out. And BCwoods? Do you think that the whining of a fat, 23 year old virgin are even close to recalling what really happened?
Dunce upon a time, I freely admitted to being sexually incompetent and sexually awkward as if that made all the self-loathing A-OK…but I digress.
Good post. I’d bet that, at some point, you’ve been pissed off by someone asking you why you have so many books. I hate that.