Pack Rat (07/15/2009)
I don't want to live through another Great Depression. I want to experience Depression 2.0: classic destitution with a whole new interface including rounded corners.
- Scott Brown
I'm moving by the end of August, and I am far less concerned about the fact that I have no where to leave than I should be. But that is the relaxed state of my life right now. Why worry? When I moved to the east bay out of college I thought, "no need to worry, I'll only be there six months" and then five years later I moved to Palo Alto thinking, "this will only be for a a year or two." Now, another five years behind me it's moving day again and I'm thinking, "I don't need to be very concerned about this, I'll only be in the next place 6-12 months." Of course. History has shown that I like to settle.
Now is the time when I need to examine all of my possessions and ask myself how much I really need to keep them. I know I'm a packrat at heart, but I actively fight those urges. Still, it's hard to tell what has real monetary and sentimental value and what does not. Do I need my original Nintendo? Seems likely. I'll set that up and play again.
Do I need all my homework and papers from high school and college? I have this strong nostalgic desire to keep it. Ms Chaos was giving me a hard time, "what are you going to do with that? Do you think your children are going to read it?" Well no, but I dunno, I like to have it. Have, on occasion, pulled out old math papers dealing with topology and ideals and thought, "wow I used to be smart."
I have so many clothes that I never wear. I think that is the standard; most people don't wear the vast majority of clothes that they own. But I'm not sure. I have the box of all my T-shirts from high school for the math club, the bowling league (Holy Rollers), the pep band and even though I don't wear them, I like still having them. They'll be retro at some point and my children will be super-excited to wear them, right?
And wait, you think I shouldn't keep the bedding I had in college? What? Just because I currently sleep on a queen size and those sheets and blankets are for a single, I hardly see your point.
Sigh. Anyway, I will do what I always do when I move ever half-decade and focus my willpower to downsize. Wish me luck!