happiness and wealth

<< The human animal, like others, is adapted to a certain amount of struggle for life, and when by the means of great wealth homo sapiens can gratify all his whims without effort, the mere absence of effort from his life removes an essential ingredient of happiness. >>

- Bertrand Russell in "The Conquest of Happiness"

If I hadn't done my groceries yesterday, I would have left the house in the morning, and would have had a happier day.

selling instuments / books, giving away books

Now is a good time to get rid of things that are not worth the cost of shipping. Most things are easy to decide: mattress stays, bicycle stays, laptop goes, violin goes. (STAY = either sell or give away or store in Pittsburgh)

But near the decision boundary are:

some musical instruments:

* guitar (Lucida, nylon strings): $40 or best offer. SOLD
I got it in Boston, 2001, for $110.

* 5-string banjo (Goldtone) + capo : $100 (old-time banjo, i.e. no resonator)
I got it an Amsterdam in 2004, for 302Euro.

both include a gig-bag



and several books to give away:




and an old desktop computer... which I'm probably taking with me.