What does it take to be happy? Not much it turns out.

My first night in Austin, I picked up the local alternative paper and the following headline caught my eye:

“Professor Dumpster Moves Out... And On”

Reading on, I discovered that Jeff Wilson, a Huston-Tillotson University College Dean, spent a year living in a dumpster on campus near his office. It was clean and contained a bed and a few basics, but not much else. He said that although he had plans to install a bathroom, that turned out to be a lot less important than air conditioning. His summary: "I'm way happier than before I moved into the Dumpster.”

If you read my blog post about Austin, you know that I thoroughly enjoyed my week of easy access to high-end retail, entertainment and food of every sort imaginable. Tonight I am sitting in the lee of an enormous rock face under an expanse of sky lit up by the milky way. I’m very, very happy.

With space at a premium, I had to give a lot of thought to what I would bring on this journey. Rest assured, there’s plenty of “want” items mixed in with “need.” I’m no minimalist. In fact I’d go as far as to say that indulgences are integral to happiness. Put in that category:

Our stash of really good chocolate
The tiny sheepskin rug that warms my bare feet at the side of the bed
Flannel sheets (SOOOO very happy that these made the cut)

Also contributing to my sense of tranquility, a number of items that demonstrate a perfect (at least in the context of my current life) meeting of form and function:

Aladdin collapsible bowl set. They fold flat and include bomb-proof, screw-on lids. Love.
Magma nesting stainless steel pots. Thanks to the design genius who took the time to think these puppies through, I can cook pasta AND sauce—at the same time!
My collection of Ibex OD Heather tees and (in a dead heat) my Gap snap front denim shirt. If there were a uniform for my adventure, these could be it. I reach for one or the other nearly every day.

Our packing list for the trip included 292 items ranging from kitchen basics to art supplies. We brought bikes and kayak paddles, swimwear and ski pants, a ladle and measuring cups (collapsable, of course). It doesn’t look like much on paper, but it’s everything I need to be perfectly content. And that’s something I’m only just starting to appreciate.

Play: If you’re in Marfa, you will pay a visit to The Chinati Foundation, a contemporary art museum based upon the ideas of its founder, Donald Judd. There’s a lot to see on this site alone, not to mention the home tour and additional galleries in town. Plan to spend at least two days in Marfa. Preferably weekend days. As we found out, the town takes a collective break on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Stay: While in Marfa, we stayed at the appropriately funky El Cosmico campground. The hipster-hippie vibe was nice, but our campsite was also the parking lot. Contrast that with the stunning natural beauty of Hueco Tanks State Park 3 hours north, where I found the tranquility that inspired this post.