I started clearing out the boxes which I've basically stuffed things to "out of sight, out of mind."
It's no joke what one can accumulate after working for than a decade in an office (I got my reasons for staying, but that's another topic).
My office has been the refuge for many things, I've moved residences several times since I started work, and with each residential move, I "temporarily" stored some stuff ... under the desk ... in the cabinet ... in the drawers ... etc., in my cubicle. Somehow, most of them never made it back home, and survived 1 major shift in the office and 1 minor relocation.
One reason why those stuff never went back home is simply I got no space at home. Ever since I parted on acrimonious terms with my parents (another issue altogether), my family and I found ourselves short of living space ... being ineligible for public housing, and me not able to afford decent-sized private residence.
Anyway, I went through some of the boxes and to my astonishment, I found letters, postcards and greeting cards dating back to the 1980s ...
Took a few look through some aerogrammes of friends who were fortunate enough to get to go for overseas education ... and realised how much I was ignorant back then of what they were talking about when relating their experiences in their new countries.
Saw some old college photos ... took a last look before dumping them into the bin. I'm a sentimental person, but photos that has old girlfriends has no place in my life now. Saw one photo which I didn't feel it then, but realise now I did look rougish ... with a smirk I now find detestable.
And another photo which made me glad I realised yellow and pink aren't my colours.
Tomorrow, I'll bring back some photo albums which I'll show my wife ... no old girlfriends photos in them (though she knows all my ex-girlfriends) ... shots of the time when I went holidays solo. One set was taken when I visited friends in Vancouver in winter, who introduced me to skiing. After that, I'll either digitise them or thrash them.
After all has been thrown, I hope to organize my collection of books into series, and perhaps find new owners for some of them.
Why do I get the feeling that I'll be doing what you did 15 years from now?
ReplyDeleteThat depends ... do you keep things out of sentimentality or just resist throwing stuff away?
ReplyDeleteDo you acquire things for sentimental reasons or have a desire to have a collection of something?
I asked myself the same question.... well, I have something that I would consider a collection... guess my collection of Connie Chan's VCD/DVDs should be the largests in Singapore - about 96 titles so far. However, I still keep my old school text books, and yes, I still have the 1950s furniture left down by my parents, and I have three computers in my house, even though I am the only one using it, and I can do it one at time... sigh... I am sentimental as well a hoarder, as well as someone pretty lazy to changes...
ReplyDeleteI've moved practically all of my images and writings onto digital form. I've already thrown away most of the non-digital stuff, except for family heirloom photos, passports, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe only other "sentimental" stuff I have are some very minimal items of jewellery from my late beloved and a jewellery box from another friend. Those will remain treasured items until the day I die.
I am receiving my 5-year Long Service Award this year, and I think every hole and available space in my room is stuff with something. Papers, notes, References, Monthly Reports, Files blah blah blah... stationery and all knick knacks.... Time to dispose things. Time to ask my office lady for huge recycle-boxes for disposal. Time to shred old obsolete and outdated files and notes.
ReplyDeleteTime for a good spring cleaning for the new year!