Alexx's Journal

I am not, in the ordinary course of affairs, one to complain about dust, or to be upset about my personal space not being particularly neat and tidy. Living with contractors is *not* the ordinary course of affairs. For several nights running, there has been so much gunk on the floor that even I have felt compelled to sweep before I sleep. The whole house smells of plaster dust. I can't sleep in even if I feel like I should take a sick day, because people are banging about the house by 8 A.M. About half of my Stuff is in temporary storage where I can't easily get to it.

Graaaah!

Several days ago, I was all excited avout the vast amounts of storage space I would have at the end of this project. Now, not so much. While I have removed great mountains of cruft from the unfinished side attic, the condition of that stuff gave me serious pause. Everything was covered in a thick layer of Evil Black Dust, and largely ruined. I wouldn't store anything in there unless it was very well boxed up, in a box I didn't care about. And I am cutting way back on owning stuff which I don't have (and want) easy access to, so not much, if anything, is going to be suitable for packing into that space.

I think, in addition to overwork, I ended up inhaling too much of the EBD, which probably contributed to the day-and-a-half of being exhausted and feeling ill. On the plus side, it gave me time to realize that I don't actually have to *completely* empty the side attic. If the space is not going to get used in future, then I don't need to clear it out (I've already cleared all the interior walls for electrician access). I may do a bit more work there, just out of curiosity about what's in the last cluttered corner, but I don't *need* to, which is a burden lessened.

I was recovered by Labor Day, and spent much of it laboring. In addition to getting cruft to the comics store, I helped kestrell with her space, and got a lot more done on the front room. Many bags of garbage generated. I declined to throw out my Atari 2600, though, which I hadn't even realized was at the bottom of that pile :-) I'm about 80% of the way through the cleaning phase in that space, and have exposed the first few walls that the electricians will want access to.

Spending so much time immersed in the possessions of my past has led to strange dreams, in which my past and present merge strangely. I had a nightmare about how I was going to continue to support my family while only working as a clerical temp, even though I've been out of that 'career' path since before I had a family to support.

In another dream, I was visiting my extended family (who, in the dream, lived in the old house in Worcester, not Niagra Falls). I was, unlike real life, really friendly and on good terms with them all. It felt sort of like the relationship I have with my 'adopted' family of cvirtue, metageek, and the twins. All of which left me feeling quite peculiar on waking.

So I brought about 10 boxes of cruft down to The Outer Limits today. The following dialogue took place:

Steve: "Well, I can give you $80 in credit for this. Sorry, I know that doesn't sound like much--"
Alexx: "No, no, no. You have to understand, from my point of view, you're giving my $80 for *garbage collection*. The fact that I get *anything* out of it is just a bonus."

So I brought home about a month's worth of comics, didn't pay for them, and still have some credit left over. A good day :-)

... but I definitely overdid it yesterday. Am sore, tired, and feel slightly ill. Taking a day or two off. The electricians won't be getting to the third floor for a while anyways, and I have already cleared routes to the places they will be working on first.

I should note, in case anyone reading this cares, that a box of History turned up. That is, stuff culled from the Carolingian Archives that I had good intentions of getting to the East Kingdom Historian, but never actually did. It's going out on the curb Tuesday night, unless someone feels minded to claim it before then.

Man, next trash day (Tuesday night, Wednesday morn, due to holiday) is going to be EPIC. Before I'm done today, we'll pass the 25-bag mark. I expect we'll hit 40, and 50 wouldn't amaze me. The trash men are going to hate us.

That's not counting the large, heavy, or awkwardly-shaped stuff that's going into the garage for the time being, for later disposal. Some of which is hypothetically useful, but which is getting tossed anyways. People whose hoarding instincts haven't been as curtailed as mine might want to come dig through. There are some dusty but functional suitcases. A small pile of computer equipment, some of which probably still works. (Including one which dates back to Pamela, the first ever Hewlett Packard PC.)

Occasionally finding minor treasures. If housemates don't want them, will announce them here for grabs.

ETA: A bunch of stereo equipment, including a turntable. A window air conditioner. A microwave oven.

Scanty posting lately, and probably for a while to come. I am on vacation, yet paradoxically much busier than usual. And my typical writing time is during my commute, which I'm not doing this week. This morning, however, I am taking the T home from returning a rental car, so taking the time to write an entry. ( cut for length )