I have this urge to just-- get rid of a bunch of stuff. And making sweeping changes in my life. I'm not sure if this is part of the grieveing process. Or part of the new year but I just want to -- sign up for martial arts or a drawing class or do something. I've wanted to do that but my schedule and money haven't allowed it. The feeling I've wasted my life has intensified and I want to change that, those feelings have been bubblign around but this has just brought it all forth really strongly.

About 5-6 years ago or so, a huge number of people very close to me died (well, 4, but that was a lot for close family and family-like people in about a year). I realized, in general that life was for living and I couldn't keep trying to stick to any sort of script. This led to moving to New Orleans and then quitting a secure job to be a full time writer.

This shit just clarifies priorities and I urge the examination of any ideas that come up.

With this last spate of mortality reminding (Kara and ita and Mack), I'm just drinking more, which isn't probably the best thing, but I can roll with it for a while before figuring out the next move. Ya know. It's New Orleans, this place is sort of built for that kind of coping strategy, at least in the short term.

PS, I have been drinking.

Steph, I actually have something in common with Tim.

Cardboard tubes. Cardboard boxes. Baskets. Plastic bins.

They are mostly well stacked, but yeah. It's a problem.

I've got one painted basket with a cloth liner that I've dragged around my life for no less than 30 years. I just can't ever seem to get rid of it.

Tsk.

My response to the mortality-reordering is bringing me to fantasize about quitting my job with the pet care company.

I won't be rash, but in the face of people with, you know, actual problems, the whole BO issue with the boss makes me wonder what it would take to live without such trivialities.

edited for clarity of intention.

I recommend rashness.

But again, I have been drinking.

So.

When I get things more cleared out, I'm going to get rid of dressers and just go with racks. Maybe Ikea type cubbies.

PS, I have been drinking.

Me too.

All of my clothes are piled in an open suitcase in the middle of my bedroom floor, and have been since I got back from Ireland last May.

That is similar to my method. Especially for clothes that need to be hung. Usually my laundry basket ends up full of clean clothes and the floor is full of dirty ones. Until I need to do laundry and end up dumping clean clothes on the floor and refilling the basket with dirty ones...

And in an epic cap to this trip (....I should t say that, I'm not home yet) the jet bridge got a flat on the way to the plane. So now we are stuck here a while and have to do stairs out the back of the plane.

All of my clothes are piled in an open suitcase in the middle of my bedroom floor, and have been since I got back from Ireland last May.

There is a corner of the bedroom that is always going to be awash in petticoats, skirts, and boots. I tidy things up, I Resolve To Be Better At Putting Things Away (yes, that needed Pooh Case), and then ... life happens.

However, I am going to seriously cull the bookcases and if I eventually want to reread something, that is what digital is for.

When I get things more cleared out, I'm going to get rid of dressers and just go with racks. Maybe Ikea type cubbies.

Connie, I've used wire drawers, purchased from Home Depot for the last 16 years. They are the perfect bridge between a dresser and racks.

The Container Store sells them, of course, but I think HD's version was a bit cheaper.

My concern with racks, or even cubbies, is that things would spill out.

Hm. Maybe canvas cubes in cubbies or baskets on racks?

(Okay, that came of a bit Seussian)

I have wire drawer/rack things in an ikea wardrobe. Which is better than drawers in a dresser--I can see them and they're open....but still not good about putting stuff away.