Domestic Geek

I have a hard time getting rid of things. I've still got paperwork from when I went to UNC in the mid-80s. I've got tons of craft supplies I might use one day. I've got four large boxes of stuffed animals in storage that I can't bear (pun intended, lol) to part with. Magazines with craft patterns I intend to do one day.

I've really been trying to make an effort to get rid of stuff I don't want and probably won't ever use. Of course, I started this effort to clear my life of clutter almost a year ago and still haven't even begun to make a dent, it seems. I feel a little guilty that at one point I spent hard-earned money on stuff that is now worthless. Seriously, with everything on DVD, nobody is going to want the first season of Star Trek:TNG on vhs. I also haven't watched them in over 10 years. They're always in reruns. Letting those go was hard. So is letting go of the tapes of heavy metal music videos my mother made for in the late 80s.

It's a trait I inherited from my mother. After she died, my dad and sister had to clear tons of worthless stuff that she had hung onto for no good reason. I was really thinking today as I looked at all the JUNK I have that I really don't want to leave a similar task to my loved ones after I go. Also, I don't want to move worthless junk yet again.

I've been doing it my whole life and I don't know why. I feels good to get things done before they absolutely need to be, yet I don't. I can't even use the excuse that I'm too busy because I'm still doing it, even during this time of unemployment. I'm doing it right now by writing this post. For instance, I started working on a portfolio site for myself over two years ago back in school. I got the basic foundation laid in Flash, but never got any of my pieces ready. I started working on the html version while I was employed because I knew prospective employers, especially those in web, would want to see stuff. I worked on it again really hard on Thursday, but promised myself it would be finished over the weekend. Here it is Tuesday and it's still not done. It's really a trait I must work harder to overcome.

My eyes change colors depending on my mood or my surroundings, I'm not sure which. So, they could be chameleon eyes. Anyway, It's weird. The color changes were more dramatic when I was younger. They can be bright blue. silver, green, almost brown. My birth certificate and driver's license say blue, though.

I majored in music the first time I went to college in 1984 (University of Northern Colorado - Go Bears!). I primarily played the bassoon then, but I started out on the clarinet. I picked that instrument because my best friend, Mary, had one. I've also played saxophone, viola, flute and even bass drum in my high school marching band. I played Contrabassoon with the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra and once with the Fort Collins Symphony.

I didn't take it seriously enough back then to be a professional musician. I was more interested in partying and stuff. I had every intention then of finding a husband that would take care of me so I wouldn't have to work. I took the lazy way out and got a teaching degree. I like imparting knowledge to others, I just hate the whole concept of organized education, especially the public education system. I didn't fit, so I gave up. I haven't touched an instrument since the summer of '94, the last time I was a music camp counselor.

I really miss playing, especially jazz.

One day I'm going to buy another clarinet, practice and find some way to play again.

We found this out the hard way. Nobody had a clue I was allergic since there had been a cat in our house when I was born.

I don't remember how old I was (it was before I started school) and our family went to visit some people (no clue who they were anymore). I remember going to this house where the old lady had a ton of cats. My memory says there were close to a hundred, but my child's mind could've exaggerated that. I'll have to ask Dad one day for sure. I just remember it seems like there were cats on every surface. Anyway...I remember playing with some kittens that were in a shower or something and then I remember my eyes itching. Then I got very hot and couldn't breathe. I went to find my mother because my eyes were swelling shut. I don't remember much after that until I was home on the couch. I think my grandmother was there, also. She had been a nurse. I guess I had broken out in terrible hives. They kept putting cool wash clothes on my head and flushing my eyes with Visine or something. Not fun!

Now, I can still have a reaction even if a cat hasn't been present in ages. It's really hard to rid a place of cat dander.