Spring cleaning a few months late (RL)
Jun. 15th, 2012 10:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
For my Alaska trip, I bought a jacket and a coat. I've been home long enough that most everything's unpacked and put away, except those two things. My apartment has a huge closet, but it's stuffed full of clothing, no room for either coat or jacket. About 75% of that clothing I haven't worn in 10-15 years (either because it didn't fit or was no longer a style I wore). Cleaning time!
I ended up with three big black garbage bags full of folded clothing to donate (along with a black leather "biker" coat that was too heavy for bag). The bags are so heavy they stretch when I lift them.
I discovered that the American Cancer Society has a thrift store, so I'm bringing them there tomorrow.
One of the items I'm donating was a purse I last used in New York, which dates it about 14 years old. I cleaned it out and discovered:
- An opened roll of Certs. (Do they make those anymore?) Amazingly, neither the roll nor the loose ones showed any signs of mold -- they looked as good as new. I did not try eating one.
- A blurb I wrote up for my Garou MUSH RP logs page. Talk about corny! So embarrassing to read now.
- A letter from an author! Annette Curtis Klause. A typed (typos corrected with pen!) in the "correct letter format" (her address on the upper right, date in the right spot, all that). How long has it been since people wrote letters in that way? Let alone, typed them up.
The letter was really odd and interesting to read. "I also enjoy the Internet. It's a great source of research material, and there's always something entertaining to distract me, too." It was dated May 7, 1999.
While I'm glad to have more space, all my old clothing gave me a (very false) sense of security. Business suits, "dressy clothing", actual dresses!!, all sorts of fancy stuff. One of the many things I dread about losing my job would be that I would have to go clothing shopping. Knowing I had the closet full of stuff (even though I knew/suspected it no longer fit) made me feel a little less worried. At least I know the truth now, and hopefully my donation will help out folks in need.
I ended up with three big black garbage bags full of folded clothing to donate (along with a black leather "biker" coat that was too heavy for bag). The bags are so heavy they stretch when I lift them.
I discovered that the American Cancer Society has a thrift store, so I'm bringing them there tomorrow.
One of the items I'm donating was a purse I last used in New York, which dates it about 14 years old. I cleaned it out and discovered:
- An opened roll of Certs. (Do they make those anymore?) Amazingly, neither the roll nor the loose ones showed any signs of mold -- they looked as good as new. I did not try eating one.
- A blurb I wrote up for my Garou MUSH RP logs page. Talk about corny! So embarrassing to read now.
- A letter from an author! Annette Curtis Klause. A typed (typos corrected with pen!) in the "correct letter format" (her address on the upper right, date in the right spot, all that). How long has it been since people wrote letters in that way? Let alone, typed them up.
The letter was really odd and interesting to read. "I also enjoy the Internet. It's a great source of research material, and there's always something entertaining to distract me, too." It was dated May 7, 1999.
While I'm glad to have more space, all my old clothing gave me a (very false) sense of security. Business suits, "dressy clothing", actual dresses!!, all sorts of fancy stuff. One of the many things I dread about losing my job would be that I would have to go clothing shopping. Knowing I had the closet full of stuff (even though I knew/suspected it no longer fit) made me feel a little less worried. At least I know the truth now, and hopefully my donation will help out folks in need.
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Date: 2012-06-16 03:00 pm (UTC)Really cool how you got a letter back from an author, though I'm sad to say I've never heard of her.
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Date: 2012-06-16 03:17 pm (UTC)It's actually kind of nice cleaning it out. Space! Once I get rid of these three giant honking black garbage bags full of clothing, it will be even better. And you never know what you might find!
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Date: 2012-06-16 04:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-16 04:55 pm (UTC)I'd love to reread it, but... time. :/
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Date: 2012-06-17 02:43 am (UTC)I've always wanted to read a good book about werewolves - dark and bloody and gory, like Werewolf: The Apocalypse level of darkness. I always have and still do generally prefer light-hearted and humorous (I think I like Disney movies now more than I did as a kid), but something sinister now and then is just what the doctor ordered.
I cooooooooooooooooooooooould just go check out a review... or I can pester you to give me a summary instead! MWAHAHAHA!
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Date: 2012-06-17 03:06 am (UTC)The book was the first thing I ever reviewed on Amazon, written May 10, 1999. I wrote:
Don't let them fool you. People will point out that this was published as a young adult book, they'll say it's a book just for kids. They are wrong. Here's the two cents of an almost 30-year-old reader: This is an outstanding story. Out of all the books I have read over the last twenty-something years, this is in the top three. Do Not Pass This Book Up!
Realistic characters and an exciting storyline are things I expect from every book, and I will not spend time commending Blood and Chocolate's here. Allow me to instead comment on Ms. Klause's unworldly ability to turn a phrase; there were times I just stopped reading so I could spend a few moments admiring the wording of a sentence. To say she is able to paint a picture with her words is a gross understatement.
Though the phrase 'something for everyone' has been so overused it does not hold the weight that it once did, I will use it for lack of anything better. If you like adventure, there's something for you in Blood and Chocolate. Romance? There are scenes in this book that will curl your toes. For kids or for anyone who can remember being young, the rich coming of age theme is what ties all the other good parts together. And (I might as well continue with the cliches) last but not least, if you like werewolves this is the book for you. A more complete, well-rounded shape shifter culture I have never had the pleasure of reading about. Do yourself a favor, get your hands on a copy of this book.
... ha ha ha. Sometimes I just have to laugh at my own writing.
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Date: 2012-06-18 12:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-18 01:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-16 06:23 pm (UTC)Even one piece of clothing does make a difference, but the fact you cleaned out your closet and you have -bags- of items to help others is so thoughtful. Having dealt with homelessness and extreme poverty myself, this really makes me smile. Thank you.
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Date: 2012-06-16 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-16 08:14 pm (UTC)Where's your sense of adventure?!
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Date: 2012-06-16 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-17 01:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-17 01:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-17 03:18 am (UTC)Got a bunch of stuff I will end up throwing in a bag and putting on the porch next time the people from the diabetes society come around and take our old clothes (convenience of being on their list is awesome)!
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Date: 2012-06-17 03:22 am (UTC)Oh my, that's a little worrying! I'm glad it was sealed or you might have had the world's worst bug problem.
Got a bunch of stuff I will end up throwing in a bag and putting on the porch next time the people from the diabetes society come around and take our old clothes (convenience of being on their list is awesome)!
Oh, that's handy! Let them come get it instead of lug it to them.
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Date: 2012-06-17 04:21 am (UTC)Also most recent Legend of Korra episode was just like "OH NO! OH HELL! NOOOOOOOO!!! FUCK YA!" this just keeps getting so much better and I don't know how that's possible!
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Date: 2012-06-17 05:00 am (UTC)And woo, that's a really good system! /envy