I remember my preparations for moving to Thailand. I had 2 simple piles - things to keep and things to throw away. It then became 3 piles - to keep, to chuck out and to give to others if they want them. These three were quite small piles because a 4th pile grew beyond them all - the things that I didn't want to let go of but couldn't keep. I wept over this huge 4th pile, copiously wept. I tried to internalise the meanings, the significances, the memories. I had a sort of funeral as I put them in the trash can, burnt them. I wept some more but I also treasured the things that I had internalised and grieved the things that I had to let go of. I feel your feels. I left the UK with 2 suitcases and that's all.
Two suitcases?! Wow. I would cry so much…at least for a time. I know the things aren’t the memories, but they do tend to trigger so many memories for me. I’m picking up steam on the sorting. And donations are in full gear. Trash too. Fun stuff. Thanks for sharing, Ray…cheers!
What is perhaps worse from your perspective, I have less than fifty photos of my life before I came to Thailand - some school photos, graduation photos for my 3 degrees, a few photos of my parents and sister with me in younger days, some photos of my ex-partner and me together. I have to rely on my memories and anecdotes. At least I can elaborate the truth with fiction Some of my accounts of the past are now manufactured as much as truly remembered. That is true for us all, Each recollection changes our memory of the past. We forget some details and invent new ones.
All power to you in sorting out stuff for moving. I send my love and support.
My collection of “family” photos is relatively small, probably under 100 physical photos. My collection of “unknown” photos is many times that…close to 10K if I had to guess. And let’s not even talk about my digital hoarding. lol
The older I get, though, the more I realize quality is way more important than quantity. Cheers and memories!
You crack me up, Steve. I wish I could say I sort real hard, but frankly…I noodle on it more than I do it. Momentum is building as the move-in date fast approaches though. Thanks for the ditty, my dear!
Oh I felt this. As someone whose cleaning habits have often been compared to a faulty Roomba by my partner, I understand the curating of ones junk, seeing past selves and kindred spirits reflect in the smallest most mundane things.
There is some fear attached too, perhaps it is age or perhaps it is something innately human, but somehow at times I fear losing the memento will mean loosing the memory.
Remind your partner (in crime?) Roombas need love too. Especially the faulty ones. My attachment to paper especially goes back to high school. Maybe earlier. I have all kinds of random bits and bobs. I let go when I can, but I plan to keep sorting it out until it eventually makes some kind of sense. :-p
Well Clint I told you a short time ago, ditch the glitz and ephemera, the real memories--that count, live on forever more in your/our memory. It also helps of course for when we shuffle of this mortal coil and someone/whoever has to come in and clear your effects. Most likely it all means nothing to someone else. But still I'm not like everyone else and living in the Ivory Tower I do see things differently 😎 I'll catch up on that guys essay laters as my response to you about Jack and Margaret in the Part2 posting I have just made has quite depleted my emotions. Jeepers I must be human after all 😲 Cheers DougT 🇫🇴🇬🇧
I just can’t throw things..they all show when a shifting time comes and then it never happens in one day.. I know it well so always start doing my activity much before the packers are scheduled to arrive.
A kindred spirit. I’m actually having the movers come two weeks before I have to be “out” of my current residence. To give me time to pack up the rest of my “little” stuff. Cheers!
We're in the process of sorting due to major building work. You're so right when you say it's an archaeological dig. We stop to look, read, remember. Like music, things are like time machines and the journey they take us on is glorious. Enjoy.
Oh and Marc Almond and Jim Kerr, absolutely love their music 🎶
I remember my preparations for moving to Thailand. I had 2 simple piles - things to keep and things to throw away. It then became 3 piles - to keep, to chuck out and to give to others if they want them. These three were quite small piles because a 4th pile grew beyond them all - the things that I didn't want to let go of but couldn't keep. I wept over this huge 4th pile, copiously wept. I tried to internalise the meanings, the significances, the memories. I had a sort of funeral as I put them in the trash can, burnt them. I wept some more but I also treasured the things that I had internalised and grieved the things that I had to let go of. I feel your feels. I left the UK with 2 suitcases and that's all.
Two suitcases?! Wow. I would cry so much…at least for a time. I know the things aren’t the memories, but they do tend to trigger so many memories for me. I’m picking up steam on the sorting. And donations are in full gear. Trash too. Fun stuff. Thanks for sharing, Ray…cheers!
What is perhaps worse from your perspective, I have less than fifty photos of my life before I came to Thailand - some school photos, graduation photos for my 3 degrees, a few photos of my parents and sister with me in younger days, some photos of my ex-partner and me together. I have to rely on my memories and anecdotes. At least I can elaborate the truth with fiction Some of my accounts of the past are now manufactured as much as truly remembered. That is true for us all, Each recollection changes our memory of the past. We forget some details and invent new ones.
All power to you in sorting out stuff for moving. I send my love and support.
My collection of “family” photos is relatively small, probably under 100 physical photos. My collection of “unknown” photos is many times that…close to 10K if I had to guess. And let’s not even talk about my digital hoarding. lol
The older I get, though, the more I realize quality is way more important than quantity. Cheers and memories!
Thanks Clint, David and Andy 🏳🌈🌈💋
Contemplating lyrics for a song, "Handsome young Cint now from Pasadena"
He packs and he moves and he sorts real hard?
But parked in a rickety old garage,
Is a brand-new, shiny red, super-stock.... still working on it.
You crack me up, Steve. I wish I could say I sort real hard, but frankly…I noodle on it more than I do it. Momentum is building as the move-in date fast approaches though. Thanks for the ditty, my dear!
Oh I felt this. As someone whose cleaning habits have often been compared to a faulty Roomba by my partner, I understand the curating of ones junk, seeing past selves and kindred spirits reflect in the smallest most mundane things.
There is some fear attached too, perhaps it is age or perhaps it is something innately human, but somehow at times I fear losing the memento will mean loosing the memory.
Remind your partner (in crime?) Roombas need love too. Especially the faulty ones. My attachment to paper especially goes back to high school. Maybe earlier. I have all kinds of random bits and bobs. I let go when I can, but I plan to keep sorting it out until it eventually makes some kind of sense. :-p
Well Clint I told you a short time ago, ditch the glitz and ephemera, the real memories--that count, live on forever more in your/our memory. It also helps of course for when we shuffle of this mortal coil and someone/whoever has to come in and clear your effects. Most likely it all means nothing to someone else. But still I'm not like everyone else and living in the Ivory Tower I do see things differently 😎 I'll catch up on that guys essay laters as my response to you about Jack and Margaret in the Part2 posting I have just made has quite depleted my emotions. Jeepers I must be human after all 😲 Cheers DougT 🇫🇴🇬🇧
Glitz I’m good on, but don’t mess with my ephemera…them’s fighting words. lol Thanks for sharing some of your nostalgia. Cheers as always!
It’s so real … i am that collector.
I just can’t throw things..they all show when a shifting time comes and then it never happens in one day.. I know it well so always start doing my activity much before the packers are scheduled to arrive.
A kindred spirit. I’m actually having the movers come two weeks before I have to be “out” of my current residence. To give me time to pack up the rest of my “little” stuff. Cheers!
We're in the process of sorting due to major building work. You're so right when you say it's an archaeological dig. We stop to look, read, remember. Like music, things are like time machines and the journey they take us on is glorious. Enjoy.
Oh and Marc Almond and Jim Kerr, absolutely love their music 🎶
Thanks for sharing, Tracey…and for reading. Glad I’m not the only one who’s “addicted” to my stuff. Cheers and I’m liking your musical choices. :-)
Oliver Sacks very much requires a rainbow next to his name.
I had no idea. Missed his coming out. 2015 seems so long ago…and yet yesterday too. Cheers and thanks for the rainbow id! 🌈✌️