Sunday, August 29, 2004

She is Found

Just a quick note. Jeff found Sedona this morning, she is a bit skittish and very dirty and finally slim... but we are very very happy to have her home otherwise safe and sound.

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

powerlessness and letting go

I am always reminded, usually by the slap in the face method of remembering, that life is often outside of our control and that we are powerless to change many things. We are dealing with the loss of our cat, my mom is dealing with some personal health issues, and I am dealing with some issues of my own... all of which remind me, brutally, honestly, intensely, that there is little I can do to change many of these things. So, we move on and we get over ourselves. We accept that this is the way life is and we deal. Not well sometimes, but we deal.

I have been thinking a lot today about clutter. I look around my house and think of all of the extra things that I have that I don't need. The kids have too many toys, stuff they don't play with anymore. I have problems with throwing it away. At least in Singapore, right down the street from our house, we have a Salvation Army where I can donate the goods. But, so much of the problem is in my own head. I come by my pack rat syndrome honestly. Both my parents’ horde. My sisters do too, in their own way. So, I have come up with a solution, I think.

This is the plan for de-cluttering my children's stuff.

Step one. Get rid of anything broken. Throw it away.
Step two. Divide the remaining into three piles. Really don't ever see a need for, outgrown or not used. This goes into the immediate donation pile. Second pile, stuff that we may use again, or the kids don't play with anymore, but still has potential. This will go in the "storage" box. I will keep one container of goods in storage for 3 months. We will reassess the toys in 3 months, perhaps rotate some out for play and some of those currently being played with will be returned to storage. Those which we are ready to let go off will then go off to the Salvation Army.

I am not sure how well this will work, but it is a plan at least. As we look more seriously at the Waldorf school, one of the recommendations is that they toys the kids have at home resemble the toys at the school. This is to reduce confusion as to what is appropriate and what is not. I have always liked wooden and simple toys, and many of our toys already meet these criteria, so the transition, for me of the plastic toys will be a welcome change. BUT, we will see how the kids do.

Simply,

Kristy

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

Time to say goodbye?

Well, it is not looking like Sedona is going to come home. It has been 2 days. Nancy saw her when she left for church Sunday morning and then Jeff opened up the house at 7am and he did not see her. I saw her Saturday, but not again. It is very hard, the not knowing. If she wandered off, that is bad, but if she is hurt and can't get home that just kills me.

So far I have called the SPCA and the AVA (the National Veterinary Association) and will check out an additional resource called the Cat Rescue Society here in Singapore. I wonder if She wandered off to find a place to die (She is 9), if she went into an apartment and got locked in somewhere, if she did make it all the way outside and got lost, it is just so hard to know what happened. I guess we don't know, and we never will.

The kids know something is wrong, but I don't really know how much they understand that the kitty kitty is not coming home again. Declan looks at her picture and says bye kitty, but again, I am not sure he fully understands. Kiera is just mimicking us as we walk around saying "here kitty kitty".

I know that all pet owners face the loss of a pet, that is part and parcel of pet ownership, but we always assumed we would lose JD first and Sedona would be with us for much longer. So much for assumptions. I am just not sure we are ready to say goodbye.

simply,

Kristy

Sedona still missing.

Well, it is not looking like Sedona is going to come home. It has been 2 days. Nancy saw her when she left for church Sunday morning and then Jeff opened up the house at 7am and he did not see her. I saw her Saturday, but not again. It is very hard, the not knowing. If she wandered off, that is bad, but if she is hurt and can't get home that just kills me.

So far I have called the SPCA and the AVA (the National Veterinary Association) and will check out an additional resource called the Cat Rescue Society here in Singapore. I wonder if She wandered off to find a place to die (She is 9), if she went into an apartment and got locked in somewhere, if she did make it all the way outside and got lost, it is just so hard to know what happened. I guess we don't know, and we never will.

The kids know something is wrong, but I don't really know how much they understand that the kitty kitty is not coming home again. Declan looks at her picture and says bye kitty, but again, I am not sure he fully understands. Kiera is just mimicking us as we walk around saying "here kitty kitty".

I know that all pet owners face the loss of a pet, that is part and parcel of pet ownership, but we always assumed we would lose JD first and Sedona would be with us for much longer. So much for assumptions.

simply,

Kristy

Monday, August 23, 2004

Sedona

Well, Sedona did not come home last night. we have searched the building and the grounds. I have talked to the condo manager and he said he would talk to his grounds keepers and maintenance staff, but I am starting to lose hope.

I am going to try to find a picture of my little kitty and post it, but I am pretty sad right now. Jeff is in Jakarta for work and won't be home until late tonight. Sadly, the kids walk around calling kitty kitty, but she doesn't come back. I just hope that someone took her in and is giving her a nice home.

Kristy



Sunday, August 22, 2004

Sad Day in Singapore

I was going to write about the great day we had yesterday at the East Coast Park. It was a wonderful day, spent playing in the sand, ocean and simply enjoying the day with the family.

Instead, I am going to tell you that we are all very sad here. Sedona went missing this morning, she wandered out of the house, by sneaking through the grates on the doors. We don't know where she is or if someone is taking care of her, or if she is lost. We have posted a sign in our building and I will do the same around the whole complex tomorrow. Sedona has been with Jeff and I since right after we moved from Salem to McMinnville, in July 1994. If you can, please say a prayer, or keep us in your thoughts as we look for our kitty.

Simply,

Kristy

Friday, August 20, 2004

New Day in Singapore!

First, some pretty generic news about Singapore, for those of you who don't live here (ok as of today that is all of you). But we have a new prime minister. This is a really big deal. Singapore is 39 years old and we have had only three prime ministers. The first, Lee Kuan Yew, the second Goh Chook Tong.... and the third, the first prime ministers son, Lee Hsien Loong. The effect of the exchange of power has yet to be seen, but it is anticipated that the young Mr. Lee will be more inclusive (having women on his cabinet, a first for Singapore and recognizing the handicapped population in a speech only days after he took office). We enjoy living in Singapore because of the fierce national pride, among other reasons, and the joy that most Singaporean’s exhibit by per chance of birth (in many cases) that they live in a growing, vibrant, safe and clean and successful city in Asia.

So, Simplicity... what does it mean and why are we doing this funny-hokey-hippy thing. Doesn't the simplicity movement mean moving out in the woods and homesteading... curing your own ham and churning your own butter? Sure, for some that may be what it means- for others it is slowing down and de-cluttering. Again, then for others, ourselves included, Living Simply means, setting down, figuring out what are life values are and living deliberately to try to meet those values.

Frugality is a part, environmentalism is a part, decluttering (mind, body and soul...not to mention the house) and finally living peacefully. As the war in Iraq continues, I really am thinking more about the peaceful part, but more on that later.

OK, so critics out there, my own family included... who says "Look, Kristy, you have never done well with the frugal part, Ms. World Traveler". You are correct. But, living frugally can mean, and it will mean, that if we chose to travel, we will simply need to cut back on other expenses. How can we be frugal, peaceful, and deliberate when we have a live in maid/nanny? Well, here is how. We pay our Nanny a pittance. In many ways I feel guilty about the minor amount we pay her. We already made the conscious decision to pay her about $50 US dollars over the market rate in Singapore for a new nanny. Why... because again, part of the living deliberately is knowing that Nancy is a single mom, supporting her son in the Philippines. The market rate is abysmally low, but an example of how far her salary will go in the Philippines follows:

When we first started speaking to Nancy about hiring her, we asked her to Fed Ex a copy of her passport to us so we could begin processing paperwork for her work permit in Singapore. After a few hems and haws... she said she could not afford it. For those of you who know, a Fed Ex letter or similar service may be between $15-20. Nancy told us that is more than a weeks worth of groceries.

Living simply means, for me anyway, knowing that every thing I do, positive and negative has consequences. If I have an ice blended chai this morning- I do not follow my diet, and I may not lose that pound. If I have an ice blended chai this morning-a $6.50 Singapore treat (roughly 3.25 in US Dollar), it means that on my daily tally of expenses, it shows as a negative. I used up a certain portion of my life's energy for that drink. Was it worth it? For me, this morning, yes. Was it within my long term goals, ideals and principles, not to mention my budget? No. So, what do I do? Recognize that this is a step by step process.

Ok, finally, not that you all care to know... and I think I will keep the actual dollar figures private for now (cause this is public internet after all). Jeff and I are on a debt reduction plan. Does this mean we will be coming home? Don't know. Does it mean we will get new jobs? Don't know. Does it mean we will really get this debt out of our lives? Yes. So the debt reduction counter has begun. If, assuming we get no raises.... and assuming we have no unforeseen REALLY bad things happen to us. We will be out of debt December 14, 2010. The only debt that will exist at that time will be our mortgage on the house. SO, in 6 years and roughly 5 and a half months... or for those math wiz’s... I calculate that to be 77.5 months and 2291 days!

Now, for your regularly scheduled family update.

Jeff and I have been borrowing a car for a few days. Driving in Singapore illegally. Which overall, is not a good thing. If we got caught, we would probably forfeit the right to drive here forever. But, it has opened up parts of the city for us that we have not yet seen. We (the kids and I) have been to the east coast Singlap area for playgroup before, but driving there is MUCH quicker. Saturday, we plan on going to the beach, and tonight Jeff and I might go to the night safari. Cars are PRICEY here though, so it will be a major decision to get one. For those who don't know, a Honda Odyssey mini van runs around 120,000 Sing Dollars, or... again roughly 69,000 US. If we can get a car without paying those fees we would do it. If we have to pay that, it may be a long while. Cause that is a lot of dough.

simply,

Kristy


This is my new blog.

Ok, that is a pretty simple statement, but what I intend to do is to first, keep my friends and family informed about our lives as we live in Singapore, and second, to keep people informed of our conscious decision to simplify our lives and to live the “simple life” in Singapore. NOT the Paris Hilton or Nicole Ritchie “Simple Life”, but the Henry David Thoreau, Duane Elgin, Paul Hawkin, Janet Luhrs, Sarah Ban Branach “simplicity movement” type of simple life.

As many of you reading this blog are friends and family, you will remember that I was very active in the simple living community in McMinnville. Attended a number of seminars and even became a group facilitator in order to assist simplicity and group study programs sponsored by the Northwest Earth Institute (A great group, by the way, that have study groups on earth stewardship and simply living. http://www.nwei.com/). As a side note, I actually was on the webpage the other day and saw that Paul Studebaker is still active, he was the first person who I met in the group and one who really sparked my interest. Paul, I hope that I can get a copy of this blog to you and you can read that I am back on the “wagon!” ANYWAY, I really have come full circle and wanted to journal about our reasons and our path.

Why the simple life? First and foremost, is the fact that I have two children. I do not expect the world to be the same as it was when I was a child. I was able to ride my bike, sometimes from town all the way home (7 miles). When I was back in McMinnville this last trip, I realized that the same could not be done today. Why, simply the changes that have affected the town, as it has grown, and has made that particular ride not possible. But, I believe similar activities should be possible, I want them to be possible for my kids. Slowing down, spending more time with the kids, realizing that they are more important is the key issue.

Another reason is money. Without detail, let’s just say that we are still racked by huge student loans. In order to pay these off faster and get ourselves on a track of saving and investing, we will need to curtail our spending habits, re-evaluate what we value and how we do it. To that end, we are following the 9 steps of “Your Money or Your Life” by Joe Dominquez and Vicki Robin.

Third, Jeff and I are strong proponents of groups that support environmental causes, alternative education, and we want to support these values, even living in Singapore. To that end, we are looking at enrolling Declan in the local Waldorf School, a kindergarten using the Waldorf education method, which is run by a small Coop of the parents and a key group of similar minded people. (More info on Waldorf School in Singapore here http://www.waldorf-steiner.com.sg). We also are hoping to be able to spend more positive energy doing things we enjoy, and we hope that make the place better, and our lives more enriched as the end result.

So, where do we start?

To paraphrase Julie Andrews, as she sings in my favorite movie of all time “The Sound of Music”… “Let's start at the very beginning, A very good place to start,When you read you begin with A-B-C, When you sing you begin with do-re-mi… do-re-mi”. Lets start at the beginning with what is Simple Living, which I will discuss in the next post.

Oh, and while this will largely be about my/our simplification process and how it works in Singapore… it would not be enough for those family members out there, so I will always give a Declan/Kiera update each post as well.

So, on August 17, 2004 Declan successfully went pee in the potty today. Well, semi-successful. He was so happy about the process; he wanted to get off the toilet before he was done. Well, it is a start anyway.

Kiera fell down a week ago and it required a trip to the Doctor and what I assumed to be her first stitches. Well, the doctor here actually used wound glue instead. Pretty cool stuff. She is now recovered and still quite the daredevil. She tries to jump off of the steps, chase after dogs and generally keep up with Declan all the time…Do you think this will scar them for life if they read this post in 20 years?

Love and Happiness

Kristy
Simple Living Singapore
 
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