Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Newspeak and Other Corporate Crimes

What: A brochure about a "reduction in force" (aka RIF) program.
Origin: My workplace, circa mid-1990s
Usage: Not at all, I should have shredded it with the rest of the 90s.
Why kept: I thought I might share it with some of my former colleagues, comedy. Thus, It Might Be Useful. (Also, Out of Sight, Out of Mind, and Storage Boxes Are Evil.)   Because it actually still makes me mad, chances of engaging with comedy in a positive and gentle way are pretty close to zero.   Thus, it must go!
Destination: Shredder, then recycling.

Confession: The guy who ran the place (a man I had some political differences with, in and out of the realm of the work world) behaved like a total tool. I'm definitely hanging onto that. Hopefully this clinging will be shredded with this bizarre document.

We might find the oddly distorted clip art cover to a brochure encouraging people to "elect" to lose their jobs (we were not supposed to use the term "RIF," and the fiction was that employees had a choice in the matter) to be state of the art for desktop publishing in the mid-90s in a financial institution, the set of instructions focusing on how we, as management, should behave? Uh, not so much. My favorite: "Be positive and express what a great opportunity this is."

Ech. While there were some great people, particularly our HR management, trying to do their best...when leadership is on the wrong track, the best is never going to be enough.

I didn't wind up working there all that much longer. "Life Transition Program" indeed!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Covering someone's @$$


Covering someone's @$$
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: diaper bag
Origin: from my first born
Last used: maybe I used this once in 2006
Why kept: might be useful, it was a gift from X and it might be worth something
Destination: I have two friends that are having sales in May....maybe I'll put a tag on it a see what happens either that or Goodwill
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Christmas way past

My phone malfunctioned and didn't send this on Monday. I resent it on Tuesday night but I'm going to back date it. :-)


Christmas way past
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: milk chocolate
Why kept: I might eat it. Nah, it's not dark chocolate and not worth it. Sorry santa
How long kept: they were in the fridge since Chiristmas 2009
Destination: garbage. I probably could have composted, but it struck me as a bad idea

Confession: I tried a tiny bite and I can pass by milk chocolate all day. If these were dark chocolate, they'd be gone!!

Guest Post: $Prosperity$ --Not in the bag yet

"Part of a gift set of wonderful loose Earl Grey and a great mug. Problem is, I never use the tea bag holder. I leave the bag in the mug. It sat on top of the toaster oven as part of a "Still Life With One-Cup Coffee Strainer from Hanoi" but I kept knocking it off when I opened the door. Off to Goodwill, my home away from home."

Thanks, "S"! (Or today, is it "$"?)

Hat Trick


Hat Trick
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: Several things, actually. The photo shows some used manila envelopes that seemed too good to recycle.
Origin: Friends mailing things to me.
Usage: Not at all, once I retrieved the mail items.
Why kept: They all seemed Perfectly Good. And they were stacked on a shelf full of office supplies, where I'd never look for them, so Out Of Sight Out Of Mind. And, Aaargh.
Destination: Shredder, then recycling.

Bonus: I also got rid of my tax stuff, it's on its way to my unsuspecting tax guy in Queens. And I returned a mail order sweater, a Christmas gift I had requested, but the color wasn't as it had appeared in the catalogue.  (Requested a basic black replacement.)

And, I got rid of TV for the moment. I am so mad at Time Warner Cable that I could spit. Apparently, I have an old cable box that needed to be upgraded.

Instead of mailing notices, the customer service rep told me that last week, management had made an announcement to their Customer Service Representatives:  they had decided to shut service off to people like me.   This would then "prompt calls from customers" who would then make appointments to get new cable boxes.

Because we can't live without TV.

Uh, dude, that's like being dumped by text message. And I'm too old for that.   And I'm not co-dependent:  to paraphrase Anne Lamott, that's not how things work on my little acre when I'm paying for something.

So, no, Time Warner Cable. I'm shedding you. (I already had bare bones service. I think I can watch PBS newshour online. Other guilty TV pleasures I might just have to do without.) Buh-bye.

(And the NY Times and others have written about how we can watch TV without cable. If I gain a lot of energy, maybe I'll check that out.)

(And here's the Anne Lamott quote, courtesy of FeelingElephants:
“…Every single one of us at birth is given an emotional acre all our own. You get one, your awful Uncle Phil gets one, I get one, Tricia Nixon gets one, everyone gets one. As long as you don’t hurt anyone, you really get to do with your acre as you please. You can plant fruit trees or flowers or alphabetized rows of vegetables, or nothing at all. If you want your acre to look like a giant garage sale, or an auto-wrecking yard, that’s what you get to do with it. There’s a fence around your acre, though, with a gate, and if people keep coming onto your land and sliming it or trying to get you to do what they think is right, you get to ask them to leave. And they have to go, because this is your acre.”
—from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, 1994.

Monday, March 29, 2010

"S" Returns: Cat gut picked clean!


Cat gut picked clean!
Originally uploaded by heywattsky
With another well photographed guest post. It's good to have an artist in the house...

"This was a bird feeder that was a gift from my sister about 4 years ago. Many a sparrow pecked at this, til the belly-orb finally couldn't take any more. It fell apart and onto the ground before the 3 feet of snow we had in February; the carnage was revealed after the thaw. R.I.P. on your way to a landfill. Is that considered a green burial?"

Thanks, "S", hope all is well.

Have A Rice Day


Have A Rice Day
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: A wonderful crafty gift I received a few years ago, involving rice and lavendar sewn into a container that could be warmed up and used for stress relief.
Usage: Not in a while, less since the lavendar scent abated a while back.
How Long Kept: Probably two years beyond its useful life.
Why kept: It Was A Gift From X; Guilt. (Though I'm sure that X wouldn't want me guiltily moving it around and storing it after it has lost it's lavendar-y delicious scent.)
Destination: Rice/lavendar to compost.

Confession: On the container, stay tuned. After it's laundered, it goes into the fabric stash until its used, recycled or my assigns and heirs clean out my apartment following my feet first exit.

Special guest post from The Boy

So today The Boy said, "Mommy, remember we are going to get rid of 5 things? Can I do that now?".
Mom said, "Yes you can!!"
We got up to three. All are for the recycle bin. I cannot tell you how excited and proud once again he has made me with his effort. This is really having and effect and affect on us all!! So pleased the "A" had this excellent idea!!!! "A" ROCKS!!!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Gnaw on this awhile


Gnaw on this awhile
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: teething ring
Origin: from The Boy
Last used: sorta by the Kid
Why kept: might be useful. But... It's not. It seems as though between three + years, the "stuff" inside has evaporated?? And its not as full and cushiony for the Kid's gummy grin
Destination: garbage.

Confession: I almost drained it to use it in their scrapbooks but I decided that it wasn't a "lovey" that needs to be commemorated in a scrapbook.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Sunday, March 28, 2010

E-Wasting Away On A Rainy Sunday

What:   More old technology and unidentifiable electronic jetsam.
Origin:  Desire to be state of the art, back in the day.
Usage/How Long Kept:   I think that the discman was last used in 1997.   I might have tried one of the several sets of headphones with my iPod a couple of years ago, before I got used to the iPod headphones.
Why kept:   Mostly, Out of Sight, Out of Mind.   Some element of It Might be Useful.   See Confession.
Destination:  E-waste recycling, courtesy of the Lower East Side Ecology Center!  (Click here to learn more or donate.)

Confession:  I kept a couple of small things that I'll be saying "aaargh" about.   A portable scanner.   (Why, why?)   An old Palm III that I imagine might be a fun nephew thing.   My HP 12C -- Nostalgia.   And really, It's Perfectly Good.

Confession, cont:  The Discman has a bit of Nostalgia, both good and bad -- I got it as a gift the year I went to Hong Kong and China, and I used it on several happy adventures to Asia before the iPod was invented.   I also lent it to someone for a transatlantic trip -- someone who is best no longer in my life.  All of this usage was in the last century.


There's still 50 minutes left in this event. Otherwise, you can check out Tek-Serve on April 10.   (Or, if you live on Roosevelt Island, an event on April 3.

If you don't make it in time today, you can stop in at Barnes and Noble, and get ready for Earth Day by buying more stuff!

Aargh.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Too far gone


Too far gone
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: an old dish towel
Origin: I think this one is 20 years old and stinky!!
Why kept: I love these towels. I have more but, this one is beyond repair (The Hubby had just dried his hands, it's not *that* nasty)
Destination: I don't even want to put this in the rag bag. Garbage

The Hubby read an article about a guy who does textile recycling in our area. I'm going to google it tomorrow once I power everything back up from Earth Hour. I turned off the wireless network, computers, etc. We haven't turned our light back on yet.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Don't Put Me In, Coach


Don't Put Me In, Coach
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: Textbook from a coaching course I took a few years back.
Origin: Desire to learn a new skill.
Usage/How Long Kept: Maybe I've referenced it once or twice since the course ended in 2005.
Why Kept: I might need to refer back to it, and thus I Might Need It.
Destination: Housing Works.

Confession: This was in a stack with another coaching book. These were $40 texts, and I checked on Amazon to see if there was a resale market. This one has a new edition, so I got rid of it. But the used copies of this edition are listed at Amazon for over $30, so I actually filled out the donation form at Housing Works this time.   (Usually I've just been dropping stuff off; I don't really care about the deduction.   With another 3/4 of the year to go, I'll have plenty of time to donate up to my limit!)

(And I listed the other one for sale at Amazon.   It Might Be Worth Something, If I Can Find A Buyer. If it's not gone in a month, it can go to HW, too. They have an awesome bookstore in Soho.)

Confession, part two: "Coaching" is like yoga or crafting...lots of women seeking work they enjoy or find meaningful try to make businesses from it. Thus, there's a wide range to the quality of offerings -- while I learned some great things in the course, and have great respect for the teacher and the person who steered me in this direction,I took a pass on doing this for a living.

Bonus:  April 5th update --  the other book sold!   I can't believe it.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Playing with a full deck


Playing with a full deck
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: deck of playing cards
Origin: garage sale. I couldn't find any of our playing cards so I got this unopened pack. It was probably swag from some conference
How long ago: last summer
Last used: n e v e r argh
Destination: goodwill/amvets

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Clothes The Door On This Stuff

What: Clothing in various states of irreparable disrepair.
Origin: Various -- from gifts, to thrifts, to the "bitch & swap" party my girlfriends hold.
How Long Kept: Oldest item is a pair of capri pants that I picked up in my thrift-store-clothing days of the 80s.
Why kept: In the case of the favorite worn out clothes, like that T-shirt on the top of the pile (a gift from "M") I might wear them around the house, and thus They Might Be Useful.  Or, Out Of Sight, Out of Mind. Others, I Might Fix them and wear them again. Or, I might make them into a stuffed animal or puppet for a nephew or niece (Good Crafting Intentions Gone Bad).  
Destination: Textile recycling at Union Square Market.

Confession: These are in a bag, ready to go, early Saturday morning.

Confession, cont: I cut the buttons off of one of the shirts. (They were fancy buttons, and the shirt was damaged.)

Making another pass in the bathroom!

What: lotions I haven't used ever/or in years (one expired in '00 argh) and expired Rx
Why kept: might be useful, out of sight
Destination: trash for the lotion and the Health department for proper disposal for the Rx

Can't keep my eyes open! G'night!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Thursday, March 25, 2010

This One, Not My Job


This One, Not My Job
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: I'm not exactly sure. When I bought it, I thought it was organic cinnamon. (See confession.)
Usage: Once.
How long kept: Probably 3 weeks.
Why kept: Guilt. (See confession.)
Destination: Compost.

Confession: I love buying bulk foods from my local, family owned, health food store. They've been holding their own against Whole Foods' entry into our neighborhood.

I do cop to shopping at WF. (Guilt.) Some items, like their olive oil, are better products than my little store offers. Other times, it's laziness -- I don't make it to the health food store when it's open. I know that if I don't shop there, it might not be there.

And I don't want that to happen.

On 9/11, we were evacuated from our homes. When we came back to the neighborhood, the credit card I took to the store didn't work. One of the owners said, "Take your food.  We know you, come back and pay us when you have cash."

You think they'd do that at Whole Foods?

I use a lot of cinnamon, it's both tasty and healthy. If this is cinnamon, it has something awful mixed into it. Like dirt. Maybe it's actually another spice. (Or, dirt mixed with another spice.)

I've been hanging onto this thinking that I should tell the health food store that something is wrong with this. Not so that I can get my $2.29 back. But because it's the right thing to do; if I owned the store, I'd want to know!

(My mom would totally take this back to The Jewel. You might have to have lived in the midwest to get that one.)

So these jars of, um, yech? have been hanging out in my cabinet, and then on my counter, while I have been dreading this conversation.

"S" has pointed out a quote, used by a great being: "We're not in charge. We are responsible." And I really do kind of try to live to this ethic.

Enough. It's compost now.   I can't be responsible for everything.   This one, I delegate to the universe.   Or one of my cinnamon-loving neighbors.

Confession, part deux: I bought some new cinnamon the other day. At Whole Foods.

Bonus:   If the secret ingredient really is dirt, it will add some "spice" to the compost.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Raisin' Aargh

What:  About a quarter cup of dessicated raisins.
Origin:  Oatmeal embellishment-y wishes.
Usage/How Long Kept:   Aargh.   I'm pretty sure they're from this century.
Why kept:  They were in a set of chrome canisters that I had used to store several food items.   (Including some lentils, some black beans, and some basmati rice.   Aaargh, I just bought some basmati rice!)  Out of Sight, Out of Mind.   Storage Boxes Are Evil.
Destination:  I put them into a half-cup of water and stuck them into the fridge.  If they seem at all edible tomorrow morning, destination = oatmeal.   Otherwise, destination = compost.

Confession:   Those aren't my raisins in the photo.   Mine were so gnarly looking that I couldn't go through with the photo.   This one is called "A cuppa' raisins", and it's courtesy of flickr's Larry Page, used under Creative Commons license.

Bonus:  I've removed the other aforementioned food items out of the chrome containers, which I think I'll use for some kitchen tools that I use often, but not daily (like a potato peeler).

Just for the taste of it


Just for the taste of it
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: Diet coke with caffeine
Why kept: just for the taste and out of site
Destination: to share at work with my partner who still drinks caffeine.

More: well he tried it and it was past its prime. He still appreciated the thought even as he dumped it down the drain and recycled the bottles
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

This kinda sucks (hee hee)

What: baby bottle parts (I'm refraining from using the name because of the google ads. Please patronize our sponsors :). )
How long kept: I'm not sure which kid this came with, so possibly from 4.5 years
Last used: it failed to make the Kid happy to day. I think it's for a newborn
Destination: recycle. The Hubby thinks they'll accept it

Ah, I can't wait for the bottle phase to be done, but on the same token...sigh... They grow SO fast!!! Phew. I made the post in the nick of time. G'night Friends
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

In A Bind


In A Bind
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: Two more flipping 3-ring binders.
Origin: Organizational jones.
Usage: Kind of...they contained a bunch of stuff I've shredded over the past weeks.
How long kept: I'd guess 5-10 years.  Minimum.
Why kept: Out of SIght, Out of Mind.
Destination: Housing Works (along with a really not that useful business book).

Confession: Ack. Down near the donation desk at HW, I found a shoebox filled with sample sized Golden acrylic paints. At a buck a pop, with some good colors that I don't have, well...They Might Be Useful in the mixed media classes I've been taking.

Aargh.

Guest Post: Ugly decals banned in my house

"This box was a gift circa 1995, formerly filled with something, stored on display on the top shelf in my bathroom, with the decal facing the wall. It was filled with extra brushes (you know--like we all need 4) and plastic brush hair rollers (?), then draped over was a vintage 100% polyester Eiffel tower souvenir handkerchief in the same shade of pale yellow. Mais ouis, I know how to coordinate! The Parisiennes got nothin' on me! Long as I hide my tacky country decal. A bientot! Aux Goodwill!"

Mai oui, "S"! and, Merci.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Different "key"strokes


Different "key"strokes
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What:new keyboard
Origin: borrowed because I thought my wireless keyboard went kaplooey. It didn't. I borrowed this in January of this year
Last used: never. I didn't even open the box
Destination: return to lender!

Ha haaa! I remembered to post before I went to bed!!!!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Accent On The Past


Accent On The Past
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: Highlighter that could no longer perform its appointed function.
Origin: Swag from a conference.
Usage: Not much.
How long kept: Andersen Consulting became Accenture in January, 2001. According to Wikipedia, the new name was meant to invoke "accent on the future".   I'm guessing that this relic came from a conference I attended in 1998.
Why kept: Of course, I might need to highlight something, and I Might Need It! It Might Be Useful! And it was in a box of pens, etc. in my desk. Storage Boxes Are Evil.
Destination: Garbage.

Confession: I have at least 2 other pink highlighters, as well as purple, green and the classic yellow. Aargh.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Bonus post

Making up for late posts :)

What: goodie bag from a party for a friend that missed the party, and hangers for "Q"
Why kept: goodie bag - I was lazy and just kept saying I'll do it later. The hangers - "Q" needed more kid hangers and I had them. Voila!
Destination: their respective new homes

Confession: I needed a break so I took the Kid to run these two errands. He fell asleep in the car on our 15 minute outing. :)
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Whew -- Thankfully, I Did Not Know About This

This news report is about a stuff swap in Queens, organized by the city's office of recycling -- there was another one today, within walking distance of my place....

Guest Post from "S": More than I'll ever know, need, or want

"A perusal of my bathroom magazine rack stash revealed an era before magazines started tanking...Sigourney Weaver has aged 3 years since this issue (and still looks fab). I was saving it not to see what I could aspire to at age 57 (coming up in a couple months), but because of an interesting article on "things you should know how to do by now." One I ripped out and saved (how to write a query letter), the others (i.e. how to swim ashore in a rip tide) I read and hope I remember should I ever need it! Toted to recycling "transfer station" in town. More is less."

And less is awesome, as are more posts! Thanks, "S".

It walked its last walk


It walked its last walk
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: dog leash
Last used: probably last fall when we replaced it
Why kept: it might be useful and out of sight
Destination: garbage. Although I may go salvage the clip

This leash provided miles and miles and hours and hours of exercise and therapy (always good to clear the mind). It was chewed up and repaired a few time. It was time for a new one. It'll take a while to break the new leash in, but the Wonderdog and I will enjoy every minute! I think she was a little sad to see it go, but that was probably because we didn't go for a walk RIGHT then :)
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Tin Ear


Tin Ear
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: Two saved food tins.
Origin: Impulses to both store and give food items as gifts.
Usage: Not at all, since emptying them.
Why Kept: They Might Be Useful. I Might Need Them.
How Long Kept: The black tin, a couple of months. The other one, see confession.
Destination: Recycling for the tins; lid for the silver tin is #4 plastic -- garbage.

Confession: I blogged the tea in the black tin a couple of months ago, what was I thinking?   I don't even remember what was in the other one. (It has an August 2010 expiration date stamped on the bottom, so it's probably at least of this century?)

This is pointing out another behavior -- when I blogged the tea, the tin should have gone, too.    Note to self: listen and learn.

(And I'm also sending something to "M"; per The Rules, it does not count as bloggable.)

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Supersize Refill me


Supersize Refill me
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: my Double Gulp cup
How long kept: a month or two. I have refilled it a few times. Usually I use a refillable mug, but I forgot it one morning
Last used: two + weeks ago
Why kept: it saves me cash when I use a refillable mug so it might be worth something and I might need it
Why is it going: I'm tired of moving it around the kitchen. If I forget my regular mug, what makes me think I'll remember this one?
Destination: recycle
Confession: I know this again looks like regular garbage/recycle, but as I may have mentioned I have a Diet Coke issue :). I would say it's sticky but it contains no sugar (har har har). I figure, worst case scenario I will get another plastic Double Gulp in a pinch
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Decisions decisions


Decisions decisions
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
Another late post! Ugh I'll work on getting better this week. Maybe the time change affected me more than I thought
What: "would you rather..." Book
Origin: bought for a road trip to a Rock climbing gym built in silos in Central Illinois with our rock climbing buddies ("A" sadly missed this trip)
Last used: that trip in, wow, 2001? Maybe I looked at it other times but......
Why kept: its campy and fun...aaannnd it was on the top shelf sandwiched between cookbooks
Destination: goodwill as again, I believe someone will buy it

But all this does leave me with one question? Would you rather have a ketchup dispensing bellybutton or a nose that sharpens pencils? (Paraphrased from the book "Would You Rather")
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Going To School


Going To School
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: Unused (and some extremely gently used) office supplies.
Origin: Various organizational seizures.
Usage: Some, not at all -- still new in their packages. Others, not much: a binder that sat in a box for 10 years.
How long kept: Most, from the early part of this century. Some from the 1990's, see confession.
Why kept: As noted previously, binders serve as a sort of storage box for me. Storage Boxes are Evil. The new/unopened supplies, well I Might Need Them; They Might Be Useful!
Destination: Primary schools for girls and boys Afghanistan.

Confession: I previously blogged the binder. How many packages of unopened index cards does a girl need?   Not multiple, or even several! A really cool spiral bound notebook (circa 1990?) has divided pages -- lines on half of the page, and blank space on the other half.  I found two of these, one not even half used for some knitting/crafting projects of that era, the other brand new.  (Only the brand new notebook is on its way to the kids.)

One element of this project that we haven't really addressed -- what about the money I spent on all of this stuff?   Some of it, not an issue -- if I buy something and use it well, I can hardly regret what I spent.   But the things that just sat there?  (The really cool spiral binder, good thing I paid $5.85 for it in 1990, only to have it move from shelf to shelf, with possible interim stops in a box, for 20 years.)

Aaargh!

Confession (cont): I kept one unopened package of index cards. I Might Need Them.

Friday, March 19, 2010

From "S": Barking up the wrong memory tree...

"This was a replica of a nut bowl from my youth (the nutcracker and picks had earlier been relieved from duty). Every Christmas we would put it out and my grandfather (Pappaw) and I would sit together at the table and crack nuts and eat them. Extricating a Brazil nut without mangling it with the pick was an art form I never quite mastered. Hazelnuts were particularly exotic, as we never had them at any other time. Certainly not in our coffee! Memories made me buy this duplicate, but after putting it out several holidays in a row, I realize the nuts just don't get eaten. I could only do it with my Pappaw, I guess. So--nuts to the squirrels, bowl to Goodwill."

Ah, this would be sticky nostalgia for me!

Guest Post from "S": what happened to NYC?


what happened to NYC?
Originally uploaded by heywattsky
"My 75-mile radius map has lost its quadrant below Dutchess County...Hmmm, kinda symbolic as I so rarely drive into Manhattan nowadays. This has been falling out of the car door pocket onto the floor of the passenger side of the car for so long (see scotchtape), that I finally get the hint. I don't live in Brooklyn anymore. I haven't for ten years. (PS_ I have a street map of Brooklyn that is safe!)
Recycle."

Tossing My Cookie (Sheet)


Tossing My Cookie (Sheet)
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: A never-satisfactory cookie sheet.
Usage: Occasional, for baking. Frequent, if moving it around and dusting/cleaning it count as usage.
How Long Kept: Since the mid-90s. Last used? Maybe the gingerbread cookie holiday incident of 2006.
Why kept: It's Perfectly Good. I Might Need It. It Might Be Useful (for crafting, if not baking.)
Destination: Recycling (question mark?) I put it into the recycling section of our trash collection area. NYC does recycle cans...odds are this gets trashed.

Confession: I bought this at Williams Sonoma or other fancy kitchenware store, seduced by the layer of air sandwiched between two sheets of metal (which would allow for even baking, or so they said) and its non-stick top. Well, early on, maybe the first time I used it, it bowed while heating, kind of curling at the edges. It would then settle down and flatten out during the baking process.  Huh? And then, it was never actually non-stick. You might see some stuff stuck to it that I couldn't remove, no matter what technology I used.

And of course, we now don't like flakes of non-stick surface in with our food, regardless of what kind of saucy note they might bring to an oatmeal raisin cookie.

It also doesn't fit in any of my cabinets. (Even the newly airy and spacious cabinet where I store my other baking pans.)  So, it was Manhattan storage -- in the oven. (And the Rubbermaid container/colander imbroglio of 2007 cast a pall on that option.) Which meant that I then kept it standing up at the edge of my rangetop, where it functioned quite well in it's most recent function:  gathering dust.

Enough. Buh-bye!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Repeat offender


Repeat offender
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: another plastic storage box (it was empty)
Why kept: might be useful, out of sight
Origin: ugh probably a few years. Destination: recycle

I know I've posted this type of item before and since I said aarrgghh when I found it, it needed to be blogged :). Good night everyone. I'm exhausted today.

Confession: I'm trying not to pull this out of the recycle bin to use for The Boy's letters from his phonics class.... AAARRGH RUN SAVE YOURSELF. Maybe I'll forget about it if I climb into bed at 9 PM... Good night again.

Guest Post: She's leafing home, bye bye...

"and on to the town dump/mulch pile. These bags could conceivably hang out indefinitely, but sooner or later the elements get to them. Or I do. The one on the right has been deconstructed by squirrels--while in my garage all winter! Do they think I stash peanuts in there? Don't they know all they have to do is come up to the back door and there's a jar waiting for them? (Well, one or two of them do...they brazenly hang off the door handle with my cats just 3 inches away, behind glass. Nyah, nyah, say the squirrels. I can never tell if they are incredibly smart, or incredibly dumb. Definitely ADD). Well, 6 bags later, the car is empty, and there will be more, oh yeah!"

(whew, says "A", thank goodness I don't have a garage.)

Troubled Closet Relief Program

What: Large painter's tarp.
Origin: Shabby chic suggestion from a magazine -- so long ago that it might have been "Seventeen" magazine. Or "Young Miss." I used it to cover a sofa that had an unfixable and shredding slipcover.
How Long Kept: The sofa was reupholstered in 1994.
Usage:   Not since 1994.
Why kept: Aaargh. I might decide to paint something and thus I Might Need It? It Might Be Useful? (perhaps to take up a good deal of space -- easily equal to 4 of those plastic shoeboxes in volume -- in my closet?) Sticky.
Destination: One of my students has a painting business. I'm dropping it for him at class today.

Confession: The story of my sofa actually starts with a success story of the depression era/WWII thinking that causes me to hang onto stuff.

I got the sofa in probably 1984 from some friends who were re-decorating.  It was an old dentist's office sofa that his mom or aunt had recovered in a pretty nubby off-white cotton.  After being moved across country and used to death, that cotton slipcover started to shred at the seams.

During the shabby chic era, I bought the painter's canvas from an old-fashioned hardware store in Hoboken, and used it as a slipcover.   In 1994 I had the sofa recovered (the red sofa you see in the photo.) I still love that sofa.

Here's where the story goes wrong.  I folded up that tarp and put it in my closet.   It got packed in and out of boxes in various purges.  Until recently.

Even with this project, my thought process was -- "Someone in my circle might need this."  I couldn't bring myself to just give it away, or take it to the textile recycling drop at Union Square.

Finally, I asked Charlie if he wanted it. (Which kind of rewards me, in a backwards sort of way, for not letting go.    Like the little engine that could, the seemingly indelible mantra, "It Might Be Useful, It Might Be Useful, It Might Be Useful..." played over and over and over again in my head.  And its corollary:  "It's Better to save it for someone I care about."   Really?   Is that true?)

Aargh. Sticky.

Confession, part deux:  One more tea item, a tin of ginger peach teabags.   I didn't like it, too peachy, not gingery enough.  The place I teach at has a kitchen.   It's going over there, too.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The bag less traveled


The bag less traveled
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: a beautiful jewelry travel bag
Why kept: it was gift from a friend, guilt.
Destination: goodwill

This is truly a beautiful bag. It has hand stitched flowers on it. Unfortunately, I don't travel nor accessorize enough to warrant keeping it. I think that some will buy this from Goodwill.

Arrgh. I forgot to hit send yesterday!! Ugh another late post! Sorry everyone (I back dated the post heh heh)

Uh-Oh, A Chicken

This is flipping hilarious.   It has nothing to do with our project, but does relate to hanging on to the past and outmoded sexist doublestandards that should be thrown on the trash heap, in terms of advertising.

Spoiler alert:  it's a little earthy, be aware before you click.



Forgive the digression.   All of my facebook friends probably wouldn't appreciate it.   I know that our dear readers (all 8 of you) probably will!

It's Not Teatime Any More


It's Not Teatime Any More
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: Aged Detox and Fasting Tea.
Origin: Dietary ablutions.
How Long Kept: Since 2005 or early 2006.
Why Kept: Might Need Them, and a little bit Out Of Sight, Out of Mind.
Destination: Compost. (The packages will be recycled. Might shred them and use some of the shredding in one of my projects. Or not.)

Confession: Neither of these teas were tasty when new. And my taste test of the old coffee (eew) -- as well as my complete lack of ambition to "cleanse" -- leads me to think that they Won't Be Useful to me or anyone else. Back to the earth!

And this should be the last tea-related post. I hope!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

I'd rather (not) have a bottle in front of me

What: plastic reusable bottles. These bottles are too big to fit in our bike water holders or the car cup holders. Buh-bye
Why kept: we might need them, out of sight
Space reclaimed: about a square foot of cabinet space
Destination: freecycle. The pickup was drama free before dinner!! Woot!

Confession: we have more bottles. Maybe I'll let them go too, someday.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

I don't mean to be negative...

But I had a hard monday night. This did leave the house yesterday but they are being blogged today.
What: almost unidentified negatives. I scanned then and found some were photos of "A" and some were photos from a HS field trip to Chicago
How long kept: late 80s?
Why: nostalgia, might need them, storage boxes are Evil
Destination: scanned to my computer and some of the negatives are going to NYC!

Confession: I will probably place my one strip of negatives in my photo storage box
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Stuck Karma


Stuck Karma
Originally uploaded by 365 Things
What: Green tea
Origin: A Buddhist ceremony called "Lama Chopa/Tsoh" that involves a food offering. You take the food home, and are meant to eat it. Someone put this on my plate, and I felt stuck with it.
How Long Kept: An embarrassing amount of time. 5 years?
Why kept: I don't really drink Green Tea. But I felt that there would probably be Karmic Consequences for disposing of it other than in the appointed manner (That would be a new category...I think we'll call it "I Might Need It/Might Be Useful."   And Guilt.)
Destination: I started drinking one tea a day the other day. With a handful more to go, I'm counting this as done.

Bonus: Antioxidants and karma repair? Dude.

Confession: There's probably a Karmic Consequence to making light of this.

Guest Post: Snubbed on ebay...off to Mom's thrift shop

"This elegant little tray basket once held my 80s costume jewelry. It's been cloistered in a closet in Beacon--not the way a Depression Era survivor should be treated! I tried twice on ebay, but no takers. Hmmm...a trip to visit mom and the church ladies' thrift shop is in my near future. I shall escort my friend here into the dingy fake-wood paneled room with the drop ceilings and release her with some reluctance. She will outshine all the avocado green and harvest gold Corelle casserole dishes, and be the belle of the ball!"

"S:, this will be more than useful -- someone will love this! Someone else, that is! Good on you.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Guest post from "S": all tapped out...


all tapped out...
Originally uploaded by heywattsky
"OK, in another life I was Eleanor Powell. Or a Nickolas Brother. But in in the latter part of the last millennium, I was just an absolute beginner, taking a reprieve from karate and having fun while I struggled with my shuffle-hop-step. These videos were all gifts from my dubious but supportive friends. I never had a recital, but I still have the shoes. Off to the library or Goodwill--the bag in the car is growing! "Shave and a haircut...two bits!"

S, always with the graphically interesting stuff!

I'm Not Giving Up On Hope

What: Stack of Books, and yet another tote.
Usage: Some, to not much, to none.
How Long Kept: This is one of my first totes, probably from the mid-90s. Barack's book is the most recent in the pile, from late 2007, book club.
Why kept: Mostly inertia, and Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Some of the books, aargh, I recycled from our trash room a while ago, they were Perfectly Good and one of my neighbors was dumping them. Aargh.
Destination: Housing Works (conveniently between here and where I'm getting lunch.)

Confession: Book Club is one reason I'm thinking of getting a Kindle at some point down the road. This apparently wasn't the better of Obama's books, and I'll never re-read it. And I've truly disliked some of the books we've read. Some aren't available at the library, though I'm also too lazy to try this option...it would also be nice to have "all" of our past books with me in a book club discussion.

Confession, cont.: I'm almost done with the totes I have to "blog". I have several laptop cases that also must go...

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Guest Post: Dispatch from Dullsville


Dispatch from Dullsville
Originally uploaded by heywattsky
"Visual reference guides bought for some job that existed before google. I think I already gave these to Goodwill but never posted the picture because I couldn't think of an entertaining caption back then. Guess what, I can't now, either! And when I say amusing, I mean, to amuse ME. And I am easily amused, so this is very sad.

I think I'll wander off and eat some cheesecake."

"S", thanks for stopping by.   And if I may: "Instant Dogma?" Heh heh. Maybe I'm only amusing myself...

Non-olympic Curling


Non-olympic Curling
Originally uploaded by DeClutter
What: butane curling iron
Origin: I think I had this (or a similar one) back in the late 80s!
Last used: 6 months ago after sitting in a drawer for probably 10 years
Why kept: sticky, might need it, storage boxes are evil
Destination: freecycle pick up. Via con pelo!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Classing Up The Wastepaper Stream

What: Materials from a business journalism course.
Usage: Not since the course ended.
How long kept: Since late 2007.
Why kept: Out of Sight, Out of Mind. All of the stuff was in a binder (Storage Boxes Are Evil).
Destination: Recycling.  Binder will probably go to Housing Works the next time I take a tote bag's worth of stuff over there.  (Sigh, the tote bags will never end.)

Confession: This was from an excellent short class with a former WSJ editor and really nice guy. I saved some of the course materials.   I Might Need Them.

Sigh.

Super special guest post from the Boy

While we were cleaning up he asked, "Can I get rid of this?"
Dad says, "Yes, please do!!" So we put it in the recycle bin. The Hubby and I are so proud that he is able to let things go. It did take awhile, he's had it since the holidays. But it is happily sitting in the recycle bin. Kudos to The Boy!!!

He wanted a picture of the back too :)