{"id":601,"date":"2013-07-15T09:52:50","date_gmt":"2013-07-15T16:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/roomforapony.net\/?p=601"},"modified":"2013-07-15T10:29:27","modified_gmt":"2013-07-15T17:29:27","slug":"the-reformed-packrat-life-is-one-big-no-after-another","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/?p=601","title":{"rendered":"The Reformed Packrat: Life is one big \u201cNo\u201d after another"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our neighborhood (and perhaps in the country at large), a custom has developed whereby when you no longer want an item, you simply put it out on your parking strip and it\u2019s gone within a few hours. You don\u2019t even need to put up a \u201cfree\u201d sign, it\u2019s understood that it\u2019s up for grabs. I think all of us neighbors are just trading each other\u2019s stuff around.<\/p>\n

This works so well that you have to be careful not to leave anything out there by mistake. Like if you\u2019ve brought over some stuff from your storage unit and it’s been unloaded from the truck, which has driven away, and you\u2019re gradually schlepping the items into the house. You turn your back on your grandmother\u2019s mahogany end-table for two minutes and there it goes. And it\u2019s not stealing — the person really thought it was a freebie.<\/p>\n

It can happen.<\/p>\n

So when I spotted these gorgeous library drawers on my neighbor\u2019s parking strip across the street, my first thought was that they must be in transit. But no, then I saw she\u2019d posted a \u201cfree\u201d sign to quell the inevitable doubts.<\/p>\n

\"library<\/a><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s anything that turns me on as much as stationery supplies, it would be library catalog drawers. Be still my heart!<\/p>\n

I could not believe what I was seeing. I rushed over and inspected them. Mint condition, avec cobwebs. Then I rushed back to check the internet and see what they were fetching on ebay. (Not all that much, actually.) The hell with ebay, I wanted these babies for myself. Breathless, I darted back across the street. The library-drawer neighbor was standing next to them, chatting with another neighbor. I said, \u201cI\u2019m thinking about taking these.\u201d Neighbor 2 said \u201cyou might have to fight me for them.\u201d \u00a0 I said, \u201cOk, how about we each take a set?\u201d<\/p>\n

In the end, we both decided against it. I don\u2019t know her reason, but as for me, I just don\u2019t have room. And besides, I reminded myself, I already have one set of these.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo?\u201d my Self argued back. \u201cSince when is that ever a reason?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSince now,\u201d I answered firmly. \u201cWhere would I put them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can think of lots of places,\u201d insisted my Self.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but Lindi and I want to be able to walk around in our own house. As opposed to pole vaulting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are such a party-poop!\u201d retorted my Self, stomping off in a pout.<\/p>\n

And she was right. I\u2019ve gotten that way, of late.<\/p>\n

I let the drawers go. Ow. That was hard.<\/p>\n

\"library<\/a><\/p>\n

Do I regret it? Well, no. I guess I\u2019m proud of myself. But it still hurts. I love those drawers. Love.<\/p>\n

I ran out and guzzled a large java chip milkshake. Normally I\u2019d say \u201cno\u201d to a large java chip milkshake. But not today. Today I say yes. For that I have room. My stomach is stretchable. My house is not.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In our neighborhood (and perhaps in the country at large), a custom has developed whereby when you no longer want an item, you simply put it out on your parking strip and it\u2019s gone within a few hours. You don\u2019t even need to put up a \u201cfree\u201d sign, it\u2019s understood that it\u2019s up for grabs. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24,65,12],"tags":[143,141,142,50,147,15,145,146,144,26],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=601"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":606,"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601\/revisions\/606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roomforapony.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}