Exodus

Little did I know that there were items in my house just waiting to be Freecycled. After familiarizing myself with the set-up, I posted a couple random things on the website. SNAP! People jumped on my stuff! How did that happen? I got rid of a baby gate that I hadn't used in forever. Some toddler feeding supplies. Unused photo albums that had been sitting in a closet...

I gleefully combed the house with Freecycling in mind. This was like free therapy! Posted those nursing blouses hiding in a bin and BAM! Four hours later they were gone from my house. It was a virtual exodus of still-useable-but-not-to-me stuff. I felt lighter, empowered. I also gained an insight into my father's psyche.

My dad is a MAJOR pack-rat. I used to tease him but I finally realized one day how much it bugged him. For example, he keeps stacks of magazines for years, just in case there's something in there he'll want to read again. He can't help it. And I could never explain it. Lazy? No. Obsessive-compulsive? Not quite. There's something else going on... and I figured it out!

This stuff is still useful! It kills him to think that his stash could end up in a dump when someone... somewhere... just might be able to use it again. He's a born Freecycler, he just hasn't found his place yet. I'll convert him someday. First, though I need to find someone out there who would actually be interested in Car & Driver magazines from 1988. Any takers?

Genesis

So I have this delightful neighbor who is a self-described humanist. Rarely have I come across a more unique personality-- down-to-earth, all-accepting despite her small-town upbringing, a hippie born a generation too late. She and I are very different in so many ways. Yet among our close-knit neighbors, we seem to be kindred spirits. She once called me her Zen friend. For the purposes of this blog, I shall call her Hippie.

Hippie and I share an affinity for things enviro-conscious, especially recycling. She introduced me to Freecycling, a Craig's List/town dump hybrid that's based on the idea that you don't have to toss everything once you're done with it. Heck, someone else might want it and be able to put it to good use! I logged on (www.freecycle.org) and was instantly hooked.

Get those rich CEOs of Pfizer and Astra-Zeneca on the line. I have found a non-invasive, drug-free, 100% effective cure for pack-rat-atosis with no side effects except that delightfully empty space in the corner. Squee! I've also discovered a way to exorcise my demons (minus the priest and all that creepy stuff.) Thank you, Hippie. You've restored my faith in my ability to bring order to the universe.