Clearing out
I’m having a clear out. We’ve got rid of my desk, and right now the floor is covered in stuff. Piles of paper, photos, cards, tickets to gigs, stationery, etc etc etc.
I’m trying to be brutal. Some things will need to stay handy. Some things can be thrown away (the shredder is my friend). Some things can be boxed up and stored. And some things are going to charity.
This is my walkman. I last used it a couple of years ago when I had cassettes to listen to for my Open University course. I will probably never use it again. However, I’m very attached to it.
I bought it in Sheffield I think in 1999, when I’d finished studying and was working like an absolute maniac (averaging 60odd hours a week doing data entry. One week I did 80 hours but that almost killed me, despite half of it being at time and a half rate pay) to save up to go live in New Zealand for a year. Buying something so expensive and top of the range was a real treat. I love this because it’s shiny and purple*, because it’s really compact (ok, not compared to my ipod nano, but compared to my previous cassette playing thing), because it has a really lovely opening mechanism, and because I used it so much. It was an extravagance but one that I got great value from, and it’s been sitting in my desk drawer for ages, not being used, just taking up space.
The thing is - will a charity shop even want it? Is there a market for this sort of thing any more? I just don’t know. If I could think of anyone who’d use it I’d happily send it off to a new home. It works fine, comes with a rechargeable battery, charger, adaptor for a regular battery, earphones with remote control, and even the instructions. Anyone? Anyone?
Sigh. Getting rid of things is hard. I get too attached to stuff.
Back to it though.
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1am, Edited to add: I don’t think I can do it. I don’t think I can give it away. Sigh. Anyone fancy a Sony CD Walkman though? I can part with that very easily.
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*I like purple things. I also have the purple stereo that was a much appreciated 18th birthday present. I still use it and love it.
Hi, I know of some people, who´d die for a walkman. They live in Bulgaria and are poor. But that´s too far and too expensive, I guess.
I´m having to clear out too and can totally understand your sentence: “Getting rid of things is hard. I get too attached to stuff.” because I have the same problem. ^_^;
My desk is my task tomorrow. And some boxes too, but I don´t have enough cupboards and I am afraid of starting, oh dear…
07 Oct 2007 at 8:09 pm
I have a portable CD player I bought around the same time, hasn’t been used in YEARS, yet still gets moved from shelf to shelf to drawer. But it’s got a history, and I still love it.
Good luck with the rest of the cleaning out. I did the closet yesterday, it was scary.
07 Oct 2007 at 8:50 pm
Someone needs to set up a “dead media” rental company so you can dispose of your obsolete tape players, etc. safe in the knowledge that should you ever need one again, you can get your hands on one.
07 Oct 2007 at 9:18 pm
I have a box of tapes I can’t bear to part with but no way to play them. I have looked in charity shops for walkmans but never see them anymore. It’s kind of a dilemma. We have so many cds and even those are being phased out now and it is hard to reduce when you become so attached to things.
07 Oct 2007 at 9:25 pm
As a certified (some would say certifiable) thrower-out-er, I say keep it for another few years for th sentimentality, then re-assess. It is okay to do this if you’re chucking/gifting/donating a fair amount of other stuff.
Well done for your efforts, now you have space for that yarn you acquired on Saturday :-)
09 Oct 2007 at 8:00 pm
Is - if I can work out technology - I’d love something I can listen to on beach. I’m a bit isolated what with the broken leg incident and the kennel cough. Could be useful
09 Oct 2007 at 9:47 pm
did i read you’d bought more yarn! It’s stretching your relationship a little isn’t it?
09 Oct 2007 at 9:47 pm
I say keep it for a while longer. My local library still does books on tape and my walkman is the only way I can listen to them.
30 Oct 2007 at 2:15 am