Comments on: destashing in the interstices http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/ "bringing you all the news that's fit to mistrust" Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:03:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: oleoptene http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/#comment-33539 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:35:59 +0000 http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/#comment-33539 Decluttering here has taken the form of removing from the closets my children's outgrown clothes, and honestly it wouldn't be any harder if they were little snakes and I were trying to let go of their outgrown skins. Forget the tragedy of "For Sale: Baby shoes never worn," there is no reminder of mortality and how fleeting it all is like the pile of outgrown shoes with holes rubbed away by fat pink toes that I swear I bought just last week. The largeness of my older sons' feet just generally freaks me out. Email: was recently at 1300 but that was because I was saving tons of stuff in inbox, most of which now lives in its own folders. So I am proud to be at 314 this morning. Not that they all have to be replied to, but so I can quickly find the things I want to read again. Decluttering here has taken the form of removing from the closets my children’s outgrown clothes, and honestly it wouldn’t be any harder if they were little snakes and I were trying to let go of their outgrown skins. Forget the tragedy of “For Sale: Baby shoes never worn,” there is no reminder of mortality and how fleeting it all is like the pile of outgrown shoes with holes rubbed away by fat pink toes that I swear I bought just last week. The largeness of my older sons’ feet just generally freaks me out.

Email: was recently at 1300 but that was because I was saving tons of stuff in inbox, most of which now lives in its own folders. So I am proud to be at 314 this morning. Not that they all have to be replied to, but so I can quickly find the things I want to read again.

]]> by: brew ho http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/#comment-33522 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:50:21 +0000 http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/#comment-33522 When my friend Greg unexpectedly died in his sleep of heart failure on July 4, 2004, at age 44 (due to a congenital condition his good War Baby parents didn't talk to him about...I ask all of the Greatest Generation what part of 'genetic medical history' do you not understand?...imagine the shame and guilt there....but I digress....), his ex-girlfriend and sister had to dismantle and dispose of everything in his apartment. Greg had become a true hermit in his mid-40s, and his body wasn't found for 10 days. So not only did his ex and sis have to deal with all his endless junk, but also had to do so in the midst of an overwhelming stench of decayed, deliquescent flesh, lingering on every surface in the apartment during a Los Angeles July. How's that for "clarifying"? If we don't do it, someone else will have to. Is part of my point. And the strange thing is no matter what we get rid of, we usually end up leaving at least a body behind (unless we're incinerated or buried alive). It seems a cruel thing. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. And all that. Yet, while we're around, despite the body that inhabits us, it's awful nice to have things around with us. So nice, in fact, that I feel like buying more things right now. To assuage how freakin' depressing this comment is. When my friend Greg unexpectedly died in his sleep of heart failure on July 4, 2004, at age 44 (due to a congenital condition his good War Baby parents didn’t talk to him about…I ask all of the Greatest Generation what part of ‘genetic medical history’ do you not understand?…imagine the shame and guilt there….but I digress….), his ex-girlfriend and sister had to dismantle and dispose of everything in his apartment. Greg had become a true hermit in his mid-40s, and his body wasn’t found for 10 days. So not only did his ex and sis have to deal with all his endless junk, but also had to do so in the midst of an overwhelming stench of decayed, deliquescent flesh, lingering on every surface in the apartment during a Los Angeles July. How’s that for “clarifying”? If we don’t do it, someone else will have to. Is part of my point. And the strange thing is no matter what we get rid of, we usually end up leaving at least a body behind (unless we’re incinerated or buried alive). It seems a cruel thing.

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. And all that.

Yet, while we’re around, despite the body that inhabits us, it’s awful nice to have things around with us. So nice, in fact, that I feel like buying more things right now. To assuage how freakin’ depressing this comment is.

]]> by: the almost right word http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/#comment-33521 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:38:23 +0000 http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/#comment-33521 ahh. so that's where you've been, fighting off the crazies at qwest and <em>not</em> avoiding our anticipation for the humor issue! i wish i could edit my life like you are...i have countless boxes of old photos, letters, etc. etc. ad nauseam...i am most definitely a hoarder. which i reconsider every time i move, but, of course, all the relics make it safely to the new house, whereupon i have to think, yet again, about how much crap i carry with me. and so...lastly i want to say...that my better half and i too plan on leaving to foreign lands. especially if mccain triumphs. see ya in morocco? venezuela? ahh. so that’s where you’ve been, fighting off the crazies at qwest and not avoiding our anticipation for the humor issue!

i wish i could edit my life like you are…i have countless boxes of old photos, letters, etc. etc. ad nauseam…i am most definitely a hoarder. which i reconsider every time i move, but, of course, all the relics make it safely to the new house, whereupon i have to think, yet again, about how much crap i carry with me.

and so…lastly i want to say…that my better half and i too plan on leaving to foreign lands. especially if mccain triumphs. see ya in morocco? venezuela?

]]> by: kimba http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/#comment-33481 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:10:52 +0000 http://theunreliablenarrator.net/2008/07/03/destashing-in-the-interstices/#comment-33481 My inbox—currently 381 messages strong—laughs (HA!) in the face of your mere 130. I used to be able to keep it under 100, but now even with regular email hygiene (as I've come to think of it) I'm happy if it's under 400. I could probably apply some of Christine's principles to that, actually. And I love the song you sent a link to....it shook something loose that was waiting to push its way forward and I'm plotting major career changes. More soon, dear person. • <em>Editor</em>: Oookay, you win the email contest <em>hands-down</em>, chica. I'm giving myself July to deal with mine, though, before a new semester's worth of students and classes drowns me afresh. Yay for songs, for having things shaken loose, and for major changes; and yay for you. Much love! My inbox—currently 381 messages strong—laughs (HA!) in the face of your mere 130. I used to be able to keep it under 100, but now even with regular email hygiene (as I’ve come to think of it) I’m happy if it’s under 400. I could probably apply some of Christine’s principles to that, actually.

And I love the song you sent a link to….it shook something loose that was waiting to push its way forward and I’m plotting major career changes. More soon, dear person.

•

Editor: Oookay, you win the email contest hands-down, chica. I’m giving myself July to deal with mine, though, before a new semester’s worth of students and classes drowns me afresh.

Yay for songs, for having things shaken loose, and for major changes; and yay for you. Much love!

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