More Than Just a New Camera

“Anyone who says money can’t buy happiness doesn’t know where to shop.”
Mrs. Howell (Natalie Schafer), Gilligan's Island, 1966

Downsizing

A conversation about downsizing came up this week on LinkedIn. I chimed in to testify about our experiences.

As a family of four we downsized from a suburban house to a 34' RV.

As an empty-nest couple we downsized from the 34' RV to a 19' campervan. 

Trimming the Fat

At first, downsizing is easy. We all own stuff we don't care about, don't use, or didn't buy. We still own it because storing it is easier than getting rid of it. It's just fat. Losing fat helps you feel lighter, leaner, and stronger.

The fat is eventually gone. Further downsizing chips away at the muscle and bone of your self-identity. It hurts.

Who Am I?

I was a jeeper. Then I sold the Jeep.

I was a biker. Then I sold the bikes.

I was a kayaker. Then I sold the kayaks.

I was a photographer. Then I sold the cameras.

Upsizing

Life took a new direction. We got off the road. We bought a house. The house has space. Space is a vacuum. 

We've tried to be careful about the things that we let back into our lives. But slowly, blender by stereo system by houseplant, the space filled up.

Some aspects of my former self-identity returned. I'm still not a biker or kayaker, but I am - once again - a jeeper.

Photography

Then there's photography.

For a while I worked at a newspaper. Taking pictures was part of the job and I could use a work camera. Off-hours I'd grab MsBoyink's phone.

I left that job a year ago. The book kept me busy for a while. But lately, with the book done, I've been feeling the lack of creative outlets. Putting this blog online was a partial solution.

But I still missed photography.

I looked at cameras. Read reviews. Viewed sample photos. Trying to balance wants, needs, and prices.

Budget Constraints

I didn't have the money to spend. House projects came up. Book expenses came up. We paid off a long-standing credit card balance. We increased our retirement savings.

The Excuse

We're planning a trip to Colorado. The photos I have from previous Colorado visits are some of my favorites. I wanted a good camera to capture new favorites.

The desire intersected with an available budget.

The Camera

I decided on the camera I wanted - a small, lightweight, mirrorless Canon M100 with interchangeable lenses. I found a used one on eBay for ~ 25% less than the new price. 

I've had it for a few days now. I've been reading the manual, exploring the features, and taking a bunch of experimental photos - trying to suss out what's actually useful.

It feels good to have a camera in my hands again.

And It's more than just a new camera. In retrospect, our downsizing went too far.

The new camera is a missing piece of me, restored.