Where to focus one's attention? That's a good question. I read the Globe and Mail this morning with an article talking about so many American tourists in Mexico apologizing to Canadians and saying they are not "one of them." I am dismayed. Is it OK to say sorry and then go on with things? As in: So sorry Ukraine, but I have expensive eggs to buy rather than you getting a fair peace deal. Or returning scooped American residents back from El Salvador mega prisons. Talking without acting.
And we are similar, so we can get there too. Talking without acting. Oh dear...
So let's move on to a curious and interesting topic. One that is so non-North American. It is the size of our houses. You might know that tiny condos in Toronto are languishing for lack of buyers. But in Japan? The average house is 121.7 square meters - half of North Amerca's average size.
Even smaller, there are apartments of less than 20 square metres. There are many. We are transfixed by their tiny size. There are dozens of YouTube videos showing us all the details.
Here's a viral article on Japan's tiny apartments located under train tracks. It is HERE. My first thought is that they have quieter trains than we have. Well, maybe. I see a Reddit quote from someone who says they leave near rails in small-town Japan and can hear the trains and feel the vibrations.
We have tiny homes in Canada. In Toronto, there is a housing movement to help the homeless. Ryan Donais heads up the initiative. There are a number of videos covering his work. One is HERE.
I wondered how far tiny homes have expanded into the social consciousness. My test is how many jokes I find. Here are the two repeatable tiny home jokes:
The bedbugs are hunchbacked. Welcome! Here’s just enough space to change your mind
It seems likely and surprising that tiny homes as a solution to homelessness has more momentum. That's because I found lots and lots of (stupid) inspiration quotes by the same person - unknown. Are they stupid?
What do you think?
The smaller the house, the larger the life.” “Simplify your life, simplify your home.” “Tiny houses are not just about looking cute; they’re about simplifying and living bigger.” “Living small means appreciating what you have instead of wishing for more.” “In a tiny house, you only have room for what matters most.” “Tiny living doesn’t mean lesser living; it means fuller living.”
Let's see how our Monarch Movement goes this year. There were a lot of people planting midweek last year...
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