Aunt's visit has made me doubt myself?

[Intrepidcaribou]

I'm 28. I don't really cook. I do a bare minimum for housework. I only own an Ikea bed, two chairs, and a coffee table so it's easy. I move around a lot. I work a lot of government contract jobs and new contract usually means new city (Yellowknife last year. Whitehorse this year). I'm doing well and should gross $69000 this year. I also pay into the government employees pension and get dental and vision benefits (I'm Canadian so I'm entitled to health benefits anyway) I love to travel. I've been to England, Iceland, New Mexico and Russia.

 

I'm fit and healthy. I wear a size 4. I try to avoid junk food. I eat a lot of tuna, rice and beans, yogurt, and frozen veggies. I have 1 knife in my kitchen and I never use it.

 

I like being free. I know my aversion to housework and cooking means I'll never marry and I'm OK with that, though I'd like to have a love affair or two before I get old.

 

My friends are scattered around the world. I have a good friend in Calgary, one in Helsinki, one in London etc etc.

 

My aunt came to visit me and was horrified that I had 1 cooking pot and there was nothing but milk, a loaf of bread, and cold cuts in my fridge and frozen fruit in my freezer. I don't think I should do something unnecessary that I hate because it's convention. Nor do I believe I should acquire a partner, cook meals, make dishes and accumulate stuff to be normal.

 

Is there anything inherently wrong with living unconventionally or minimally?

[amaysngrace]

No there's nothing wrong with not cooking because not cooking means not cleaning.

 

If someday you want a man you can always hire somebody to cook and clean for you, if that's what you want.

 

But don't let her make you question yourself. If you're okay with how you live your life that is all that matters. It's YOUR life.

[SpiralOut]

No there is nothing wrong with it. You move around a lot and travel so it doesn't make much sense for someone with your lifestyle to be collecting 10 different types of flour. That said, I would be taken aback by your kitchen, I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that I love cooking and can't imagine never doing it. However I don't think less of someone if they don't cook.Your aunt may not have meant any harm by her reaction, maybe she talked without thinking.

Edited January 20, 2015 by SpiralOut

[Toodaloo]

I'm 28. I don't really cook. I do a bare minimum for housework. I only own an Ikea bed, two chairs, and a coffee table so it's easy. I move around a lot. I work a lot of government contract jobs and new contract usually means new city (Yellowknife last year. Whitehorse this year). I'm doing well and should gross $69000 this year. I also pay into the government employees pension and get dental and vision benefits (I'm Canadian so I'm entitled to health benefits anyway) I love to travel. I've been to England, Iceland, New Mexico and Russia.

 

I'm fit and healthy. I wear a size 4. I try to avoid junk food. I eat a lot of tuna, rice and beans, yogurt, and frozen veggies. I have 1 knife in my kitchen and I never use it.

 

I like being free. I know my aversion to housework and cooking means I'll never marry and I'm OK with that, though I'd like to have a love affair or two before I get old.

 

My friends are scattered around the world. I have a good friend in Calgary, one in Helsinki, one in London etc etc.

 

My aunt came to visit me and was horrified that I had 1 cooking pot and there was nothing but milk, a loaf of bread, and cold cuts in my fridge and frozen fruit in my freezer. I don't think I should do something unnecessary that I hate because it's convention. Nor do I believe I should acquire a partner, cook meals, make dishes and accumulate stuff to be normal.

 

Is there anything inherently wrong with living unconventionally or minimally?

 

There was another poster who had just the same as this... Perhaps if you go back through the history a bit you could read the responses on that thread?

 

They all basically said don't worry about it.

[Toodaloo]

http://www.loveshack.org/forums/mind-body-soul/self-improvement-personal-well-being/503459-living-unconventionally-bad-me

 

I see it was you... same advice still applies.

[Standard-Fare]

Obviously posting the same thing twice shows you're still questioning yourself on this.

 

In describing your lifestyle, you sound self-assured and confident. So much so that I'm surprised something like a comment from your aunt could stir up such doubts.

 

My guess, though, is that she's the only person who's been able to get a close-up glimpse of your lifestyle in any recent amount of time. So you probably realize that her reaction could represent the way the majority of the public might see (and possibly judge) you.

 

I think if you're happy and satisfied doing your own thing, you shouldn't doubt yourself. And I personally can relate to a lot of the lifestyle choices you describe. (I'm a woman who lives a very minimalist and not necessarily domestic life, too.)

 

But something I try to keep in check is that I'm not diving too deeply into isolation and eccentricity. I never want to get so lost in my own world that I can't relate to anyone else and they can't relate to me. To me, very regular socialization is the key to that... and also, seeing and appreciating how other people live. I CAN see the value of a more comfortable, domestic home, even if I may never have that. I'd advise the same for you. Don't think of your own lifestyle as "superior"... just different.