BarryMorris.net ~ Live More with Less

Combining Business and Motorcycle Travel Requires a Minimalist Mindset

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For the past two weeks, I’ve been working in a mobile, make-shift office setting. Not in a trendy, We Work shared office space (though I’d love to try that out sometime), but from remote locations away from my office in Costa Mesa, California.

Last week, along with a couple of coworkers, operated from a business partner’s conference room in Salt Lake City, Utah while closing out a project. This week I’ve been working from Karen’s kitchen table in San Jose, California…or as I refer to it, the Cambrian Park satellite office in Greater San Jose.

My minimalist set up for the past two weeks has been what you see pictured above. My 15-inch 2015 MacBook Pro and that’s it. No mouse, no external keyboard, no 27-inch Apple monitor… just the MacBook Pro.

Before I left my office in Costa Mesa, I debated taking my Apple Magic Mouse and full-size Apple keyboard, as well as my 12-inch iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. I opted to take only the MacBook.

In the past, I’ve traveled for work with all of these items (save the 27-inch Apple monitor – it’s a tad bulky). Each provides a useful and singular function, but this time I had to consider a lighter than usual carry…

… because everything I took to Salt Lake City I’d eventually be carrying back to California on a motorcycle.

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Everyone on TV is a Minimalist

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Have you ever noticed that nearly every living room on television looks like a minimalist lives there?

Except for perhaps the households belonging to The Conners, ‘Merica’s most popular dysfunctional family, or apartments filled beyond capacity with millennial roommates like the world’s favorite collection of nerds in The Big Bang Theory, most of the living spaces you see on television are minimal in their arrangement, nearly museum-like in their appearance.

There’s open space on every counter, the table tops are clear of clutter, and bedrooms are like the sanctuaries we wish ours were. Kitchen countertops shine, hardwood floors gleam, and dirty dishes are a myth.

Is there something Hollywood knows that the rest of us don’t?

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Will I Ever Own a New Car?

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My 2006, Ford Escape in Soledad, CA last year while moving to southern California.

Not long ago I was considering financing a new car. I’ve never purchased a new car from a dealer before and I’ve secretly always wanted a Ford F150 truck. I must be a guy thing, I don’t know, but I thought to myself…

“You know, Baz…you’ve never owned a brand new vehicle and at age 60, well let’s just say it’s time, right?”

Damn right, I agreed. Even my BMW 1150GS motorcycle that I rode across the US (and back) in the summer of 2016 is a 2000 model. So, I’m kind of due for something shiny and new.

I’m not one to rush into a big purchase. However, once I make up my mind about one, I can seldom be deferred.

When I decided to re-enter the motorcycling world about five years ago, it only took me six months to ride home on my first BMW (used, of course). Then when I upgraded to a second BMW 1100RT (think cop bike) and later my BMW 1150GS, I did so without much delay, and again, purchased older models.

I considered it for about two months before deciding against it. It wasn’t a matter of price, nor was it due to any other factor that one might attribute to cost, such as additional insurance premiums, parking, maintenance, etc.

So why the change in heart?

While my change in attitude about getting a shiny new truck surprised me, after sitting with the idea for a few months, I actually wasn’t all that surprised.

Sounds weird, I know. But here’s why. [Read more…] about Will I Ever Own a New Car?

Why I’m a Minimalist – My Top Reasons for Living with Less

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There are as many reasons to be a minimalist as there are people on the earth. While there are some that are more popular than others, reasons for becoming a minimalist are as diverse as the people who practice it.

Because I’m a classic introvert, I can react negatively, both psychologically and physiologically, when I’m with a crowd for a prolonged period of time or when I’m in an environment that’s untidy or unkempt.

After an hour or so in such an environment, I need to seek out a quieter and more isolated setting, sometimes by myself, in order to recharge. After about 15 minutes or so, I’m good to go again.

Add to this mix my empathic nature and I can become stressed without any apparent cause. It’s how I’m wired.

My top reasons for practicing minimalism are as follows: [Read more…] about Why I’m a Minimalist – My Top Reasons for Living with Less