Yay. International Women's Day - if you are the kind with 2 X chromosomes, I wish you contentment and fulfilment and joy. Yesterday, I sold my white goods (and 1 gray one) to a Saudi Arabian guy and his wife; the guy had a booming laugh and bushy beard. He reminded me of Sascha Baron Cohen. (You know you've made it BIG when there's a Wikipedia article devoted to you.) Today, Women's Day, was also productive for selling because now I am living minimally in my apartment; no Internet access, no washing machine, no tv, no fridge, no beanbags, no tables and chairs. Camping and roughing it out, with a domestic twist. It feels oddly liberating.

I bought a can of Campbell soup, a tiny 60ml pack of UHT milk and 2 apples from Coles today. And read The Amber Spyglass by the light of a candle - nah, I still have electricity, thankfully. But it felt good to not be sucked into the time warp that is part of having an Internet connection.

Last Sunday, on Elizabeth Street, I donated 5 Coles Go-Green bags' worth of stuff, depositing them gingerly into the Charity Bin. Hopefully new homes and owners will be found for these items. Packing up has been an exercise that has generated a great many thoughts about accumulating material goods. In future, I will buy only flowers, and spread a picnic blanket on the floor during meals. Clothes and shoes can be done away with. Without clothes, I will also dispense with the washing machine.

But there will be a fridge, to put all my beer, milk, juice and chocolate in.

And an Internet connection.

And shelves and shelves and shelves and shelves of books. And magazines.