the first checkpoint

...
I walked in and out of the blue room many times today. If I had to guess, I would say I went in there with the intention of box-blogging at least 15 times, which doesn't count the number of times I went in there for other, non-box reasons. I was having trouble motivating myself to launch into something and I thought today might be another "hey, guys, I failed" kind of day. But after standing and staring and removing some garbage and consolidating a few still-homeless piles, I realized: I haven't been slacking off at all.

So much is done. So many things have been discarded or given away, organized and shelved. The difficulty proceeding is due to having run out of places to put things. I need another bookshelf for these boxes of photo albums, and a trunk for these piles of notebooks. Some of these display curios could be displayed on shelves if I had more shelves, and that would help me decide which to keep, which to store, and which to toss. All of those items must be dealt with before exploring the bigger boxes underneath, and it's time to tackle the childhood toys on the right side of the closet, too. Before that happens, though, I need some sturdier storage to contain our heirloom Fisher-Price baubles. A few things in the blue room closet could maybe move into my bedroom closet if I moved some things around in there. But I've come so far since I started this project that shuffling things from place to place just to halfway explore things that have no "away" place seems like the wrong direction and I don't wanna.

Such a relief! And a renewed sense of purpose and direction. Even if the going must slow while hunting for shelves, containers, or time to organize a bedroom closet, more boxes will be unpacked, and more of their contents will be organized, discarded, repurposed, or set aflame.

But not this weekend.

I'll be away from the internet for a few days; the BUSST is playing the 8th Annual Murder Ballads Bash in Berkeley, CA on Saturday and there is much to do to prepare, experience, and decompress before, during, and after.

When I return, I will have a clearer idea of what to do here and in what order to do it. While I'm gone, feel free to leave any unused bookshelves in my driveway (but don't try to steal my toaster - other people who live here will still be around and so will their attack chihuahua). Enjoy the time off, and Happy Nevada Day!