A year and a half ago, when I moved into this flat, I realised that I had too much stuff. The removal guys (namely The Good Guys, who I fully recommend, removal fans) thankfully had a storage facility, so I put a whole load of stuff into that instead. Then, as 18 months passed... I kinda forgot what was in there. Apart from about a third of my DVD collection, which I'd stored away by mistake.
These days, as I focus more on screenwriting and less on paid work - for the time being, at least - that monthly storage cost has become harder to justify. So today, I had all the storage stuff delivered.
The worst case scenario was that I'd wildly underestimated how much stuff there was. Thankfully, that scenario didn't happen. But Christ, there's a lot of stuff. Fifteen boxes of various shapes and sizes, but mostly big. Shelving units. My old PC and monitor. Literally 1000 interview tapes with various people from the rock, film and general entertainment world (definitely time to buy one of these USB tape-players, which let you transfer cassettes to MP3). A life-size cut-out of Jason Voorhees, holding a machete aloft. A statue of Michael Myers, broken off at the feet (it was that way when it went into storage).
Part of me's delighted to get all my stuff back - especially as there are hordes of TV preview discs in there which are much more useful to me now than they were 18 months ago. Yet, another part of me wonders how much of this stuff I really need, when I could barely even remember what it was.
But hey, there's a Vectrex games console in one of the boxes. That little baby's definitely staying.
19 comments:
Yay Vectrex!
I need to get mine out of my parents attic!
Probably why the box was so HEAVY. Just going to the Chiropractor to have a couple of lower vertebrae fused and I will be as good as new.
Regards Gavin ... The Good Guys.
Oh my God you sound like The Hub.
GET RID OF IT ALL.
You will be free, free of shitty material goods.
I've managed to free my home of pretty much all but one box of effing DVDs and all books apart from ones with lovely colour plate illustrations.
Only 40 million toys, a shedful of fishing crap and my son's weird button and beer cap collection to go.
I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!
I've been living in my apartment for 4 years now, and am moving out in the next few months. I panic everytime I realise how much stuff I have collected and how and where I'm going to pack it. But the thought of throwing any of it out is just too much
get rid and cleanse thyself mr arnopple.
Keep it all. You'll only regret it if you throw stuff away.
Piers wins!
Although I am throwing out the odd thing. Progress so far: 50 cassette tapes and a door lock.
You're going to be so sorry tomorrow when you need a door lock.
Are you a 'Web Warp' kind of guy or do you like to play it safe with 'Mine Storm'?
Oh, and another vote for keep it all. In fact you're time would probably be better spent roaming the mean streets of Camden cruising for cool bits of tat and Vectrex cartridges.
Lord Stickler, the chief reasons for me buying the Vectrex were Berzerk and Scramble. Classics, utter classics. Plus, of course, the fact that it's such a gorgeous machine.
I just got it out of the box, pulled off the bubble-wrap and thought, "Christ, where's the joystick?". And, of course, it's neatly embedded into the Vectrex and comes loose with a satisfying clunk. Retro bliss.
From one magpie to another...
Keep it! Keep it all!
Once you thow something out you will immediately want it the next day... this goes doubly for music- even if you haven't listened to the band for a decade the minute it goes you will be humming one of their tunes.
Except Morbid Angel.
Can't hum Morbid Angel.
Hurrah for cardboard cutout Jason Voorhees. I used to sell those in a shop in Brighton.
'Scramble' - yes, excellent. Don't think I had 'Berzerk'.
Got to love that neat fold away joypad. Not to mention the plastic sheets you have to put over the screen to give the illusion of colour; such innovation.
One day we shall join forces and play TWO PLAYER VECTREX GAMES!!! ...not that that's still an unfulfilled ambition that leaves a gaping void in my soul or anything...
Let's bring beer and make a party of it.
Mr Beckley, I don't believe there's any event on God's Earth that you personally wouldn't apply the sentence "Let's bring beer and make a party of it" to. And that, I admire.
Burn it! Burn it all!
Phill: Only if there's beer.
And a party.
What a brilliant feeling! Wifey and I were lucky enough to go off round the world for a few months a while ago, and when we got back and remembered we had a houseful of CDs, DVDs, books, comics etc, we nearly came down with Stendahl Syndrome. Feed your brain!
Drinking beer and burning stuff, two of my favourite activities.
Sorry Arnopp I think I've just swapped sides.
We'll spare the Vectrex though, yeah..?
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