Stuff

I collect stuff. Not with any rhyme or reason, it just accumulates. Magazines. Books. Calls for submission. Computers. Junk mail. I try not to let it pile up, but it does. It threatens to consume me each time I enter my office. But I get busy. I have tight deadlines. I have other responsibilities. What I have is a mess.

Things have been slow since Easter. With no deadlines looming in the immediate future, I once again tackled the mess in my office. I threw away stuff. I put stuff in clear plastic drawers I bought to hold my stuff. I threw away more stuff. I booted up the computers I haven't used in a year or more and deleted old files. I may donate the computers to charity, but I'll have to reformat the hard drives first. Until then, they take up floor space in my office.

Getting rid of stuff is hard work. Harder than collecting it. Harder than letting it pile up. Maybe I should hire an assistant. Create a position for Vice President of Stuff. Charge my new V.P. with the responsibility of filtering my stuff, filing or discarding stuff the moment it arrives.

There are many things I should do. Until then, though, I guess I'll just have to stuff it.