Hi! I’m back from celebrating Grandma. Join me as I recombobulate, which includes re-merging back into a writing practice (and this space).
Let’s do a week of questions…aka AWOK! (Also this week: march theme, bingo, and some updates)
Between cleaning off four of my own old computers for recycling and helping my family clean out after Grandma’s passing I’ve been thinking A LOT about all the flavors of “stuff” in our lives:
Would you rather ALL of your digital data and “digital belongings” OR all your physical belongings disappear all at once? (Let’s just imagine there’s some major, but non-traumatic, POOF and either your physical stuff OR digital stuff just vanishes.)
Would you rather lose (or be unburdened by) all your digital stuff or all your physical stuff?
Drop a comment below with your answer. I have thoughts both ways, but not sure about an actual answer yet!
As I get older and have watched my in-laws really cling to “stuff” knowing that we’ll have to deal with it when they die has made me more apt to say “take my physical junk”…aside from a few special photos. I’ve been trying to purge and I’m finding it so hard, not because I’m unwilling to let go of stuff but because of the amount of time it takes to pull it all out, sort, bring somewhere, etc…and then hopefully put back what’s left. The idea of having it all disappear and save me the work and decision fatigue sounds wonderful.
I am with you 100% on the effort being that hardest part! Truly. I feel incapable of doing a 'one box at a time' approach- which I think would be the realistic approach. Sometimes I wish all the memorabilia in my basement would just POOF. Do I need that newspaper clipping to remember that one achievement from college? (Honestly, when I am feeling down - YES I DO need to remember some of the neat things I have done in my past). And YES to the recognition that all the stuff from the generation ahead is going to be left for us. In our family (especially with my Gma who just passed away) she had this perception that a lot of the things she owned were 'valuable' (as in, would sell for a lot of money). THAT was the reason she held on to a lot of stuff. I'm trying to sit with that right balance between the stuff I need for life and the key stuff I need for memories, versus what's just clutter and clinging (aka, suffering). Good luck as you think about getting rid of stuff (and putting the rest away). xoxo
I have often thought I wouldn't be destroyed by losing all the physical junk...the thought of moving through the world unburdened is an appealing one. If I lost the digital stuff, I'd lose all my writing, which is a much scarier thought!
110% with you on the desire to not lose all the writing!!!!!!!!!!! (Even more exclamation points for emphasis!!!!!!!) And yes to the feeling of being unburdened. I love to hold on to that feeling when I get little jolts of it...and then clean out the basement :)
Physical stuff for sure. I lived in a building that had a fire when I was in my early 20’s and lost about 90% of my worldly belongings and you know what…I got through it. There are still a couple of things that I think of from time to time, but it truly is overwhelmingly just physical stuff and while it’s nice to have, it’s not a necessity.
Wow! That’s a really interesting experience!!! I would love to know more about the circumstances- wow. Super fascinating that there are a few things you still think about - would love to hear what those things are ❤️
Cheating: some of each. Have the constant badgering of pings and texts go away; having 3 people texting me at the same time. Read me, read me, read me now!
Physical, all the “unsorted” bundles of stuff from moving several times over a few years.
I *just* unearthed some files of random stuff from my computer and it gave me the most fond, scrapbooky feelings. But so do my physical photo albums and journals. So I guess I’d rather have my digital life disappear? But I prefer neither.
I like it when I ask an either/or question and the preferred response is 'neither' :) Digital scrapbook memories always feel like a bonus surprise. I can't see them, I forget I have them, they take up no space (or very little space) and then VOILA it's like someone send you a tiny, electronic time capsule from the past. (And also, at the same time - how much stuff do I forget I even have until I find it again?) (And, perhaps, ideally - I'd like half my digital stuff and half my physical stuff to just POOF - away! (Hope you had fun reviewing your surprise digital finds!)
As I get older and have watched my in-laws really cling to “stuff” knowing that we’ll have to deal with it when they die has made me more apt to say “take my physical junk”…aside from a few special photos. I’ve been trying to purge and I’m finding it so hard, not because I’m unwilling to let go of stuff but because of the amount of time it takes to pull it all out, sort, bring somewhere, etc…and then hopefully put back what’s left. The idea of having it all disappear and save me the work and decision fatigue sounds wonderful.
I am with you 100% on the effort being that hardest part! Truly. I feel incapable of doing a 'one box at a time' approach- which I think would be the realistic approach. Sometimes I wish all the memorabilia in my basement would just POOF. Do I need that newspaper clipping to remember that one achievement from college? (Honestly, when I am feeling down - YES I DO need to remember some of the neat things I have done in my past). And YES to the recognition that all the stuff from the generation ahead is going to be left for us. In our family (especially with my Gma who just passed away) she had this perception that a lot of the things she owned were 'valuable' (as in, would sell for a lot of money). THAT was the reason she held on to a lot of stuff. I'm trying to sit with that right balance between the stuff I need for life and the key stuff I need for memories, versus what's just clutter and clinging (aka, suffering). Good luck as you think about getting rid of stuff (and putting the rest away). xoxo
I have often thought I wouldn't be destroyed by losing all the physical junk...the thought of moving through the world unburdened is an appealing one. If I lost the digital stuff, I'd lose all my writing, which is a much scarier thought!
110% with you on the desire to not lose all the writing!!!!!!!!!!! (Even more exclamation points for emphasis!!!!!!!) And yes to the feeling of being unburdened. I love to hold on to that feeling when I get little jolts of it...and then clean out the basement :)
Physical stuff for sure. I lived in a building that had a fire when I was in my early 20’s and lost about 90% of my worldly belongings and you know what…I got through it. There are still a couple of things that I think of from time to time, but it truly is overwhelmingly just physical stuff and while it’s nice to have, it’s not a necessity.
Wow! That’s a really interesting experience!!! I would love to know more about the circumstances- wow. Super fascinating that there are a few things you still think about - would love to hear what those things are ❤️
Cheating: some of each. Have the constant badgering of pings and texts go away; having 3 people texting me at the same time. Read me, read me, read me now!
Physical, all the “unsorted” bundles of stuff from moving several times over a few years.
Okay, but if you had to pick one (Wouldn't you want to get rid of all the data on the old, huge Mac?) 😂🤣😃
I *just* unearthed some files of random stuff from my computer and it gave me the most fond, scrapbooky feelings. But so do my physical photo albums and journals. So I guess I’d rather have my digital life disappear? But I prefer neither.
I like it when I ask an either/or question and the preferred response is 'neither' :) Digital scrapbook memories always feel like a bonus surprise. I can't see them, I forget I have them, they take up no space (or very little space) and then VOILA it's like someone send you a tiny, electronic time capsule from the past. (And also, at the same time - how much stuff do I forget I even have until I find it again?) (And, perhaps, ideally - I'd like half my digital stuff and half my physical stuff to just POOF - away! (Hope you had fun reviewing your surprise digital finds!)