What can you live with?

What can you put up with not being perfect in your life? And what must you have been as good as it possibly can? Where will you make the sacrifice? I'd been thinking about this recently and ended up discussing it with a college at work today.

For example: you might be able to put up with a mediocre job, but only be happy if you live in a house instead of a flat.

Another: you might not mind dating and being single (against being in a relationship) but spend as much free time and energy on a particular hobby, like a sport.

I've also learned how to add pictures! Go me!

The reason I am thinking this is because I'm evaluating what I prioritise over what in life. I have lived in absolute dumps (sorry uni house!) and I am not a neat person. My flat is where I live but I'm not very materialistic. The place is untidy and has no room for ornaments or decoration. Everything here is functional or usable; furniture, books, computer, all the kitchen stuff, lizard tanks. I can deal with not having a perfect home - it doesn't bother me too much.

However there will be other areas where I will be picky and demanding. Maybe not outwardly so, but I have a growing awareness of things I want to change, even if they are not permanent, for the slightly better. As there are those who will go giddy over colour schemes, picture frames, furnishings etc, and will also spend a huge amount of time and effort maintaining them, I can let that slide. But I will be more easily bothered by other parts of my everyday life which I shall work to change.

An example of a home by someone who actually has time for it...

Not being too materialistic is a good thing in my opinion. If something breaks, it's broken. It might be annoying but it's not really the end of the world. The things I treasure the most are living things, memories and experiences; things you can't really buy or knock over. Sofas are for sitting on, tables for putting things down on, candles for lighting. Nuts to materialism.

Mind you, I lost my DVD of A Clockwork Orange a while ago and it annoys me slightly that I may eventually have to buy a replacement.