I can keep a secret

It was an interesting day! You know how it is when one small thing leads to something completely different, and I found something that had been on the MIA list!!!! 

What happened? M had asked me to forward some DVDs and her Christmas ornaments. I found all three DVD cases, but only two had a disc inside. I checked the buffet in my office to see if any of her DVDs were in there. I also checked a box of CDs on the table, and that's where I found the CD player I had wanted several months ago. Putting tools back where they belong is important - do NOT leave them with a project. In this case, the project was to go through the box of CDs on the table. 

This is the shelf I looked at, and OH MY—there are quite a few CDs/DVDs in there. So, instead of tackling emails yesterday, I tackled this. Hey, the office needs to be cleaned up, and this has to be dealt with, so why not? That entire shelf was filled with boxes. When I remembered to take a picture, I had already rearranged a few things. 

The media storage shelf

I removed several binders with a few CDs/DVDs in them. The binders, with their pockets, were put in the donation pile in case someone can find something to store in them. The CDs were placed in a "to be evaluated" pile. I found this box with a mishmash of CDs and DVDs. What a nightmare mess!!!

Another mess of CDs/DVDs

Oh, my --- if someone else had found that pile, they would have called me crazy. How many CDs did I see with drivers for decades-old products? So, some of them got pitched into the garbage very quickly. 

Drivers for OLD products

Some CDs were not labeled, so I loaded them into the drive to see what was on them. I found some super cute embroidery designs. I was going to place the CD aside, but then I thought that was ridiculous. So, I created a folder on my external hard disk and copied the data to the appropriate folder. Then, I tossed the disk into the garbage. 

Transferring data

As I tossed, I removed what paper I could from the cases. The paper went into the recycling, while the cases and the CDs went into the garbage. My office garbage has never been so full. NO -- I am not keeping them to make crafts! 

Filling the garbage with useless CDs

New CDs were still in their wrapping. No one wants CDs these days, so they were unwrapped, the paper removed, and into the garbage they went. I still have ONE box of discs to go through. I found "worthwhile" data on three discs, all of which were transferred to the external hard drive, and I'll go through them when I get to that point. Moving a hard disk is easy when it comes to downsizing! 

I even found a 3½" floppy drive. Yes -- I have a drive for that, so it'll get checked at some point. 

A floppy disk

I came across several data backups, but since the data was from 2001, I didn't think I needed to keep it. Out it went. I'm glad I stumbled across this mess and hope to get through it by the end of the week. 

Data backup from 2001

Opening up those jewel cases for the CDs brought back a memory. When I worked at HP back in the early 90s, CDs were becoming a big thing. As a company, like all other companies, you had tons (literally) of sales literature to deal with. How did you keep control of it all? That is NOT an issue today. My job was to keep track of all the hard copy literature in our office, which was filed on moveable shelving units. 

The BIG deal was when they put the PDFs (I'm guessing at that file format) of the literature onto CDs. Yahoo!!!! It was a breeze for everyone to have all of the literature. Gosh -- that would be 1990! Can you believe it- over 30 years ago? 

Anyway, I remember someone—probably someone from the corporate office—who came to teach us about CDs and how to retrieve the data, etc. We even got a lesson on how to open those jewelcases! I laugh about it now, but at the time, no one knew how to handle a CD properly. I think most of us knew how to handle a CD, but this person at corporate needed a job, and that was to show us how to use the CDs. LOL. 

This brings me to another training I had when I was working. I had just started at the Bank of Montreal. I was in the Head Office, which, at the time (late 1970s), had just received a new photocopier. OMG --- this was complicated (it wasn't actually), but we had a course on how to use it! It was the start of my high-tech learning!!!

It's funny how one memory triggers another, and we don't need stuff to enjoy those memories. I have NOT found the missing disc, and I suspect that if it still exists in our house, it's with M's stuff. It's just a bare CD, not in a case, so it could be anywhere. But I had a thought where I might be able to get a duplicate or at least the file that was on it. That's a job for later today. 

I'm so thankful that I'm dealing with this mess now. I cannot imagine dealing with this for someone else. Everything would just get tossed. I actually enjoy doing this, and the more I do it, the more I enjoy it. It's fun to get rid of stuff. There is a lot of satisfaction in it, and the resulting clean spaces are exciting. I'm enjoying the memories and then let it go! 

If you're tired of cleaning drawers, why not open a cabinet door and see what you find? Lots more happened in the office, but I don't have time to tell you this morning. 

I also did some paperwork—just logging in my recently read books and my KMs on the The Conquerer website. I resented doing these little computer tasks in the past, but now that they've become part of my daily routine, I'm OK with it. I do NOT need to sew all day. After almost 25 years, that frantic need to sew is out of my system! I barely seem to sew at all! 

I did get some sewing done, well, I got some quilting done, and I'll share that with you tomorrow. I'm on my way to spin class this morning. 

I mentioned that I had finished reading The Alchemist the other day. Well, guess what happened? When I went to log the book on my list, I saw that I had already read it! What? I know—and it was in 2020, so not that long ago. It must not have made a very big impression on me since not once did I have any inkling of deja vu while reading it, which I usually do. 

The book is already in my "read" database

The question is—was it intentional that I didn't remember any of it to "force" me to read it again? It is a book about life, after all, and could easily be reread, as I think you might get something out of it each time you read it. Or is my brain actually failing? I'll pick Option number 1, please! 

You can probably tell me your secrets, and I won't remember them after a day or two. 

Here's a question for you: What does one do with music CDs? I don't have many—they are all Christmas ones. I guess I make a Christmas playlist on Spotify, and I'm good to go. Or I could start listening to CHFI after November 11, when they switch to all-day, everyday Christmas music until December 5. The CDs will go in the garbage later today. 

Many other exciting things happened yesterday, but I've run out of time to tell you about them. Be sure to grab a new spot to tidy up today. It's essential to do something EVERY DAY!!!! Even if you consider yourself a hoarder and like lots of stuff, get it organized!!!! That's so important, and you can't tell me that EVERYTHING in your house is precious to you. That's a bunch of BS. Start getting rid of it -- your kids will love you for it!!! 

If you read that book by Messie Condo, she will shout that you need to start doing this cleanup! Saying you'll let your kids do it is totally irresponsible! It is YOUR mess, not theirs. They have enough of their own issues to deal with, and having to clean out your house while they are grieving is hugely selfish! 

I'm with Messie—cleaning up and clearing out the house is making me feel physically and mentally better. But it took a long time to get here. I started with baby steps over ten years ago. After what happened in the office yesterday, I can see hope that I WILL get it done!! It's just a matter of time and on my schedule. I'm good with that. 

On that happy note, I'm out of here. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!