A lot of people have complained about the navigation.

I really like the minimalistic single-column, single-post front page, so I’m keeping it.

However, all the archives, categories and search pages now show ten posts, so navigating through the blog should be much simpler now than it was a few hours back.

Next, I did read your 10 commandments! The point which bothers me is: You have decided to go off-consumption, but not beginning from zero. You do have some inventory stocked at home (like the liquor cabinet or that bottle of nutella or that Bvlgari perfume, or your frequent flier miles) or anything else that may be available. I understand that you had those things when you decided to go off-consumption, but it would be interesting to see what a person starting at zero would do. That would actually differentiate a necessity from a luxury. I am sure all kinds of liquor would be a luxury if you had started from zero!

Rest of the things are perfect, looks like we may have a new book soon! I would like a free signed copy Please point me to the registration link.

Another suggestion: It is quite difficult to navigate your blog. Could you change the template, so that all posts appear on the main page in reverse chronological order?

@Mayuresh: You make some interesting observations.

You might want to have a look at my ten commandments.

Rule #2 says that work is sacrosanct. So, I’ll couchsurf only if it doesn’t affect work.

Rule #10 says that I’m increasingly looking as my online presence as an investment. In fact, I’m quite sure that my next career change will come via my blog. So, not only writing my blog, even advertising for my blog is allowed.

Yes, I didn’t think of it before, but reading books in a bookstore, without buying them, should be allowed. In fact, bookstore chains are perhaps the only well-stocked public libraries accessible to all.

Thanks for your inputs.

And I am not being sarcastic.

Cheers,
Amit

Some more questions:
1. Blogging/reading blogs/surfing the net for recreation is also an element of consumption. Now this element is completely different from your work, so technically, you should be switching off internet connection at home. If the company offers it to you, is it allowed to use it for personal use when being off consumption? Ofcourse, you can use the internet if it is freely available. i.e. in public locations like coffee shops, airport lounges, wherever you may happen to find it for free! Even if you can identify an unsecured wireless network in your neighbourhood. Again the caveat here is, you cannot request the neighbour to unsecure it so that you can use it during your experiment.

2. An idea to help you while off consumption: You may not buy books, but no-one can stop you from reading what is freely available. I suggest, whenever you want to read a book, hop over to crossword and sit in the comfort of an A/C room and read a book, you can do it on the weekends I did this a lot when I was a student, and hence, short of cash. That was a forced “off-consumption”

3. I think using friends’ couches to crash when you are on out of town on business is not a great idea, even if you are alone. The company provides you with a hotel acco in the best hotels because it wants you in full mental and physical health for business when you travel. I am not sure you can ensure that if you crash on a friend’s couch the previous evening!

Again, I am just thinking aloud here, I won’t be surprised if you have already ensured that smoe of these things are well thought about.

All the best!

@Shashank: I wasn’t pissed with any person, only pissed. Yes, being off consumption is good for the waistline. I have already lost an inch or two off mine.

@Ninad: My two hour daily walk on the Marine Drive has almost become a ritual now. It always leaves me refreshed, as it eventually did yesterday. I have read some Tolstoy, and almost no Thoreau, but the experiment is inspired by neither. My sources of inspiration are Judith Levine (Not Buying It), Po Bronson (What Should I Do With My Life?) and Naomi Klein (No Logo).

Even I am off consumption these days. But mine is much more focused. To eating…! I am off fatty food as I have gained lot of weight.