01/03/04: Unnecessary junk

[juju]

My apologies if this is irrationally and unnecessarily negative. I'm working on this part of myself, but in the meantime I have nowhere else to vent it. :)

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I received several really awesome presents this Christmas. I also recieved a ton of nearly useless junk. I'm sure most people love getting new stuff. That's what Christmas is all about! But you see, I have a very small apartment, and it is already filled with useless junk I bought for myself. It's been a personal goal of mine for the past 2 years to eliminate all this stuff from my apartment so I can move around in it again. Every two or three months, I'll have a ritual "cleaning day", wherein I go through and throw out all the stuff I determine I really can do without. I hadn't come near to taming the apartment yet, but I had made some headway. And now, people have bought me more unnecessary junk! I'm beginning to think that this is an unwinnable battle.

My wife asked for and received Christmas plates. That's right, Christmas plates. They take up space 12 months out of the year, but you can only use them 1 month out of the year! What-the-fuck. This is not efficient! Okay, okay... she asked for them, so it's her business, and good for her if it makes her happy! However, couldn't she have asked for something that'd we'd use more than 8% of the year?

My grandmother bought my wife and I two Hummel figurines. This is a hobby of hers and my mothers'. It is not my hobby. In fact, I actively dislike anything whose only purpose is to "look pretty". Since I'm 27, I think they've had ample time to discover this. It's the thought that counts, though. The hummels were "The Sky's the Limit" and "Tuck Me In". Okay, I guess that is extremely cute and thoughtful, especially for a grandma. Oh, wait... I actually didn't graduate this semester because I failed my Linear Algebra class. This is great.. a perpetual reminder of my idiocy.

Or maybe I've developed some sort of ability to turn something perfectly beautiful and pure into darkness and negativity? I've got to work on that.

My father-in-law, who is the CFO for the Dallas Cowboys, bought us a bag full of Dallas Cowboys paraphenalia. Among this paraphenalia was a very nice Cowboy's coat, which I won't wear because I already have 3 nice coats, and I hate football. There was also a Cowboys baby bottle, a Cowboys baby bib, a Cowboys baby outfit, and 2 giant Cowboys blankets. In the previous year I recieved Cowboys sweatpants, and in the year before that, a Cowboys windbreaker.

Ahhhahhahah. Isn't that cute? They all have Cowboys stuff on them! Isn't that cute?? No, no it isn't cute. Football sucks. Next year I'm buying you a bag full of Washington Redskins paraphenalia.

It may seem like I'm being stupid, except when you consider that he gets everyone in his family gift certificates and Dallas Cowboys stuff every single Christmas.

And then there is the seemingly never-ending baby supplies. This is all appreciated and needed. The only thing that gets me is, a lot of it we can't even use yet. There are dolls and blocks that she cannot even grasp, let alone see. Much of this stuff is aged 6 months and up. She's only 2 months old! When I tell people this, they look at me like I'm a moron and say, "She'll get bigger". Yes, but, what am I supposed to do with this stuff in the meantime?

This Christmas, my sister-in-law said to me, "OH! By the way, I have three gigantic bags of baby stuff in my closet that I'm going to give you. My kids have outgrown them so you can have them. You're going to have to move just to have a place to put it! Ha ha hah hah!"

I did not think it was funny. Ah, well. At least I have a good support system! At any rate, I have to get to bed, so I'll have to post the good stuff later.

[Griff]

This is the gift horse which I am staring down with a belly full of bile. I have a small house built in a rustic style. I'm not building a set for Battlestar Gallactica. We've been fighting this battle a long time. Every Christmas the crap pours in and we are supposed to find a place for it. I hate stuff. I want few possesions, the things I do want reflect what we're into. This year its over. I am going to find good homes for this trash, re-gifting is the watch word. The weird thing is that the worst offender, for it is well known I hate this kind of thing, is that peculiar American phenomenon I call the materialistic Buddist. I've got two of these folks in my inner circle, they read all the Eastern philosophy and still they shop shop shop. Oh yah, the squirell feeder is already gone to a good home where the owner won't be tempted to shotgun the welfare mammals.

[jinx]

"Sometimes by receiving, we give. A Buddhist should never refuse the honest generosity of another. When we gladly receive a gift from another, we accept their friendship and we give them an opportunity to practice generosity and
gain the merits that accrue from that. Sometimes it "costs" us more to receive than to give! But that is the way it is. Compassion always is able to see above the minor confusions of values exchanged or debts incurred."

My mother and her husband effectively sucked all the joy out of exchanging gifts with them this year. They are so focused on getting exactly/only what they specifially asked for.... they literally do most of their own shopping and then just 'sell' the gifts to whoever wants to give it to them. Nothing fun about exchanging money imo, but at least they didn't get any 'crap'.... (not trying to bust your groove here juju - hummels are lame, I'd ebay them)

Flylady is a great motivator for getting all the clutter out of your house - it's a constant effort though. Ljim is a huge pack rat so it's always a battle here. We'll be attacking the attic this weekend, putting more stuff into storage so the kids can have a playroom up there.

[SteveDallas]

yeah we have entirely too much crap. It's an ongoing project to get rid of a lot of it. The Christmas gift exchange can be obnoxious, but it's mostly under control for us since neither we nor our relatives are rolling in cash at the moment.

I do sympathize about the handmedowns, juju, but just pack em away if they're too big. Clothes are expensive and the kid will grow!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally posted by juju
Or maybe I've developed some sort of ability to turn something perfectly beautiful and pure into darkness and negativity? I've got to work on that.

No need to work on it as I think you've got it down pat. Heh, heh, heh.

I have a very small apartment,

No you don't. You have 1/3 of a small apartment. Don't forget the 2 roomies have wants and needs. You're not living with CP3O & R2D2.
You apparently want your digs and all you survey to be orderly, logical and rational. So did Ted Kazinsky. Unless you live alone in a cave you have to deal with people which means you have to add emotional to the mix.
Jinx is right about Ebay being the crap to cash solution as long as it's *your* crap. The other is rent a storage locker, fill it up then stop paying the rent.
And when do we get an update on the baby pics?

[juju]

Ah, alright. I'll post some tommorrow.

It sort of a dilemma, because if someone was nice enough to get me something, who am I to bitch about it? It's incredibly insulting to the givee, who was only trying to make me happy.

But on the other hand, it is an emotion that apparently lots of people share. So at least its nice to know I'm not alone!

[lumberjim]

Originally posted by jinx


We'll be attacking the attic this weekend, putting more stuff into storage so the kids can have a playroom up there.

ONLY IF IT DOESN;T INTERFERE WITH FOOTBALL!

GO COWBOYS!!!!

[richlevy]

Originally posted by juju
My apologies if this is irrationally and unnecessarily negative. I'm working on this part of myself, but in the meantime I have nowhere else to vent it. :)

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My wife asked for and received Christmas plates. That's right, Christmas plates. They take up space 12 months out of the year, but you can only use them 1 month out of the year! What-the-fuck. This is not efficient! Okay, okay... she asked for them, so it's her business, and good for her if it makes her happy! However, couldn't she have asked for something that'd we'd use more than 8% of the year?

Now, I love buying seasonal merchandise, usually the week after the season ends. I just bought next year's "Season's Greeting" cards. If someone asked me for Christmans plates, I'd probably buy them after Christmas and give them as gifts the next year. To me, putting a seasonal theme on a product is just a way of saying it will be 75 percent off in a few weeks. There are very few logos, seasonal or sports, that I would pay extra for.

Sometimes branding does indicate a better quality product. A Rolex is technically a better quality watch than a Timex, which is better than a $1 digital watch. A person has to decide what is necessary and what is esthetically pleasing. People have different ideas about beauty, art, and functionality. Some people might want a Christmas plate with a red and green wreath and a jolly santa. Some might want a Christmas plate with a 17th century religious painting on it, or a reproduction of a holiday serving piece from 4th century Constantinople.

However, having a Dallas Cowboys brand on a coat does not indicate a better quality product. It indicates an interest in the Dallas Cowboys, or a souveneir from Dallas, or the fact that the giver could get the mercandise free or at cost.

I have been aquiring some interesting things lately, but I get them at flea markets, Goodwill stores, etc. Materially, I am content. The things I acquire reflect my interests and are meant to evoke some felling in me, because of what they represent or because of how they are made.

I will be posting some new items on the Doo Dads thread if you want to see what I mean.

[jinx]

Originally posted by lumberjim


ONLY IF IT DOESN;T INTERFERE WITH FOOTBALL!

GO COWBOYS!!!!

It shouldn't, there's a radio up there.....

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally posted by juju
SNIP...it is an emotion that apparently lots of people share. So at least its nice to know I'm not alone!

That's for sure. The older you get and the more you have, the less likely you'll be given something you want or need.
You can dump that cowboy's crap on some sucker like LJ.

[Pete]

Originally posted by jinx
"Sometimes by receiving, we give. A Buddhist should never refuse the honest generosity of another. When we gladly receive a gift from another, we accept their friendship and we give them an opportunity to practice generosity and
gain the merits that accrue from that. Sometimes it "costs" us more to receive than to give! But that is the way it is. Compassion always is able to see above the minor confusions of values exchanged or debts incurred."

Wow! I thought Catholicism had the corner on guilt. I know most of the problem resides in me. Christmas was a religious holiday in my Mothers house. We exchanged a few gifts, visited the relatives and called it a day. When I got married, I inheirited a whole new group of attitudes which 13 years come Monday have yet to allay. Petes family works at least as hard driving Christ out of Christmas as my folks work keeping that focus, since her Mom and step Dad were raised in conservative christian homes which felt oppresive.

They've met me part way in that my kids now get to have Christmas morning at home. The 4 to 5 hours (not an exageration) of unwrapping presents while gritting my teeth didn't happen this year as the his kids kids/ her kids kids modern family has spread around the globe. The extended family Bachaan Christmas had been supplemented, although it was going to be supplanted, by a week with an even more extended family in the Adirondacs. Either way or both my mother-in-law is spending what should be her retirement funds on throw away gifts instead of just giving her time. None of which explains the depth of the my stress. Pete's Dad's new wife actually released a suggestion list of gifts which we worked with. He is a tight wad and we get along very well this time of year. :)

I'm not talking about dodads when I say crap btw. Bruces things all seem to have some kind of sentimental, aestetic, or historical value which would make them worth tripping over.

Edit Griff used Petes Sign on and apologises for ranting on her dime!

[juju]

This thing is just too much. :)

[xoxoxoBruce]

Bruces things all seem to have some kind of sentimental, aestetic, or historical value which would make them worth tripping over.

And I'm a packrat. Bwahahahahaha.

Juju, does the bottle work? It looks like just the sort of thing for a guy with a bar in the (W)rec room, to rib his Dallas loving buddies. Something makes me think that's not your style, but if you save it for 20odd years, her husband may get a kick out of it.

[juju]

Yeah, of course it works. Er.. curses. I guess I have to admit now that it actually is functional. The ribbing is a good idea, too, though. :)

[slang]

Did you receive any Dallas Cowboys milk for that bottle, Ju?