packrat

Today I did a very good thing and threw out some stuff!

I have packrat tendencies. Especially when it comes to papers and articles and information. It’s because I have this problem, two problems actually.

The first is that in the past I’ve read stuff and sometimes though I’ve found it interesting, haven’t saved it. Then, hours to days later I’ve realized it was important, nay, vital. Mostly I get ideas of articles I could write and then kick myself for not saving the relevant info. And so I’ve got into the habit of clipping or printing and saving whenever something twigs with me in the least way.

The second problem happens when I finally decide I’ll never need some article or clipping or magazine. I throw it out, then hours later find I do need it after all.

Accomodating these two things has led to a very stuffed file drawer. So today, in order to make room for more stuff that’s been accumulating in a ‘To File’ folder, I decided I really should tackle that drawer.

I did it in the livingroom in front of the TV. It turned out to be practically painless because I was distracted by curling. It took the whole curling match, but now, my files no longer contain clippings about computers from 1985, or things that went on in Canadian politics in 1996, or the prophesied doom of Y2K.

So what writing ideas do you suppose will come to mind just after the recycle truck has roared out of our cul-de-sac Tuesday?