My good friend Gilby wrote a post recently that inspired a confession, of sorts, to be born- I am a Pack Rat.
The past couple weeks have been big proof of that as we've been moving things around in our offices. We have created a new area in the building that has combined the Sales and Brand/ Marketing departments into one big buzzing hub of activity. During this move, I've been forced to look at the amazing amount of crap I have collected sitting in my tiny cubicle for the past 3 years. It's amazing how much stuff has been crammed into that tiny 4' square.
Part of this tendency is fueled by the sincere belief that as soon as I throw something away, I will immediately find that I need it. This has been validated countless times by either finding an urgent need for something and being rescued by my treasury of crap, or throwing something out only to immediately need the now gone item. Both examples have happened many times and have either elicited pride in my crappy stash, or agony over depleting my decrepit inventory. It was probably less than two years ago that I finally tossed out my huge collection of old square taper bottom bracket parts- cups, lock rings, loose bearings and many, many spindles in all possible widths. I had many of those parts for at least 13 years. And of course, soon after, I embarked on a couple of projects where that stockpile of antiquated metal bits was required... of course. Thus, my inborn, unlearned, involuntary desire to hoard things was reinforced. Just today, I had the need to replace a badly worn Shimano SPD-SL cleat. I looked around and eventually I found a stashed pair of less worn cleats! Now I have a cleat that, though old and worn, is in far better condition than the cleat it replaced. Once more, my need to cling to "useless" bits and pieces is now strengthened.
Take that, all you neat-nicks!
Tim
(Yes, this is one of the reasons I repel women like a floating terd in a swimming pool sends swimmers screaming from the water...)
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4 comments:
Must be in the air... I too am simplifying. As an artist I have automatic carte blanche to save every little scrap of anything remotely interesting. BUT, I tend to find places to shelve everything away where it is forgotten so that when the need arises I have only the vague recollection that I may have such a thing and not a clue where to find it.
I unearthed many things today of which duplicates had recently been purchased, such as a big U lock (god knows where the keys are) and set of bike wrenches.
At days end I can proudly say that my "footprint" is two trash bins and two recycle bins lighter. That which survived the ruthless purge is neatly stowed. But I still don't have your memory and will forget half of all those bits I can't live without.
I'm sure within the week I'll be desperate for that article on tribal consciousness from a '93 issue of the Utne Reader... and the yard of Route 66 upholstery fabric...
A warm saki to you my good Masiguy!
hail to the pack rats.....
The big question is: did you stash away the replaced cleat? You know, just in case.
I've seen Masy Lad's cubicle. It's an amazing feet of engineering. Can't figure out how he fits in there, much less his asortment of socks, shoes, unnecessary messenger bags, random parts, gay porn magazines, and MONSTER energy drinks.
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