Habits revisited

This time I write about things lost in the transformation.
I’m talking about the transformation I’ve been going through in the last years, since I left Italy and the easy family life to live the real life alone in this funny Amsterdam.

“I’ll call this process *volution
as I’m not sure if it was evolution,
involution, devolution
or simply a revolution,
but I’m sure it’s not over yet
and is not time to make conclusion.”
(I made rhymes! is this creative writing, or what!?)

Here is a list of 10 habits I changed or got rid of during this *volution.
I’m not telling anyone to do that, and I don’t want to convince anyone that I’m doing the right thing or the best thing. I’m just sharing what I changed in my daily life, making it simpler or more miserable as you like.
After all, not telling people how to live is one of the rules I put in this blog.

1. Wearing flip-flops at home

This must be an heritage from Geg, my crazy Austrian friend 🙂
When I’m home, I’m either barefoot (summer) or walking with socks (rest of the year).
I completely abandoned the flip-flops and I’ve no intention on using the Dutch wooden clogs. Who needs them at home?? And why should my neighbor hear me walking around?
Indeed laminate floor is helping a lot as it’s warmed than ceramic tails or marble.

 

2. Pairing black socks

In an ideal world a man should have all the black socks of the identical model, but I’m being very idealistic now.
I used to pair the socks before putting them in the drawer – that means: forming the right pair matching different black shades, length and shapes.
That’s not happening anymore in my life.
The chance that someone notice that my left sock is slightly different than the right one is too low compared with the time I can spend living life at the fullest… like checking the Facebook wall once more…

 

3. Ironing everything

Thanks mom for all the handkerchiefs, underwear, t-shirts and even socks you have iron for us.

But now I’m the ruler of my house.
I switched to Kleenex (paper handkerchiefs) long ago.
Then I stop ironing, in sequence, socks, underwear, t-shirts, polo and lately even jeans.
I only iron shirts when I need one, just before wearing it.

 

4. Buying bottled water

When I arrived in Amsterdam I was shocked to see how difficult was to find “water in the bottle” – then I realized I was the only one looking for it.
Since this epiphany I happily live on tap water.

 

5. Buying Coca Cola

That’s a more recent abdication.
I used to always buy a bottle of Coke to drink while eating, but since 1 year or so I just drink water while having meals at home.
Achtung!! I do still drink Cola when outside. The point here is not to avoid Coke, is to simplify my supply chain bringing down operational costs and reducing environmental footprint blablabla kind-of-thing.
(kind-of-thing is trendy nowadays, but bothers me since my friend Roger was abusing it in Jovita’s Hostel, but that’s another story that has nothing to do with Coca Cola or with Coke)

 

6. Using a napkin during meals at home

This is getting weird… I first switched from fabric to paper napkins, and then I eventually stop using them. I’m not even sure why.
Maybe I grown up and I don’t mess up anymore with food?

 

7. Using pajamas

Imagine this poor guy coming from a village for the first time abroad, visiting the friend Lella on the south coast of UK, in Porthsmouth.
When I showed up on my pajamas to get ready to sleep, the whole students house exploded in laughter.
Pajamas are a vague concept outside Italy and I don’t wear one anymore.

On the other side, Marilyn Monroe was saying that already in the 50’s:
“What do I wear in bed? Why, Chanel No.5, of course” – Marilyn Monroe
But I don’t have Chanel No.5.

 

8. Keeping the receipts and check the bank statements

When I moved to Holland I was religiously keeping all the cards transactions receipts to cross-check them with the quarterly bank statement.
After 3 years without being ripped off, I thought I should have probably start trusting the bank and I stop all that complex work.

 

9. Make the bed everyday

Sorry mom, I don’t have to do it because I only have the duvet on top.
But I still “wide open the window to change air” every morning, even wen raining with strong wind.

 

10. Using umbrellas

This is difficult to understand if you’re never been here, but Amsterdam is the city with the highest difference between rainy days (a lot) and number of umbrellas (a little) .
You just get used to this fine shower rains and you realize that as you get wet you’ll get dry eventually, pus umbrella are uncomfortable while riding the bike.
Umbrellas are for tourists, here!

 

I’m sure everyone has done similar changes… what are yours?
Please leave a comment, they are completely free and not even moderated… 🙂

4.5/5 - (2 votes)

Di Daniele

Hi, I’m Daniele! A human being from planet earth. I founded WP-OK.it and I like dancing Salsa, running, and living a location independent lifestyle.

8 commenti

  1. pajamas are so sexy..it’s just a matter to find the right one

    anywat great introduction, to make it perfect I would just add: en mi casa no quiero revolù!

  2. Hi Daniele,
    Congratulations to leaving behind some unnecessary habits and simplifying your life! The habit I am most proud of to having dropped is probably my e-mail addiction. Instead of checking my inbox a few times per hour I brought it back to a few times a day or even less. And now I help others to do the same 🙂
    Keep up the good work!
    Anna

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