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Half Clean?

Osprey - 4-1-2010 at 08:06 AM

Who is Half Clean?

Cleaned out the bodega. I didn’t imagine my spirit would be lifted by the experience. It’s not just a mechanical exercise – ranks right up there with getting a new pig valve for your heart, meeting with your lawyer to change your will because your wife had a fight with her sister.

This time there were surprises. Getting real long in the tooth and now I have to start asking myself ‘will I ever use this camping gear again?’ or ‘would these boots fit me now’? Or how about ‘would they ever fit me’?

A small part of the grimy pull, look, dust off, evaluate thing was uplifting. I found a half dozen used up life jackets I decided to throw away because I figured to keep them would be like keeping 30 year old parachutes. Surprised I can be level-headed about some things at my age.

Right here I’d like to state that all of us have, at some time or other, felt the need to clean out our home storage spaces and that there are no two people on the planet who do it the same way or with the same methodology or results. My reason for this clarification now reveals itself. I believe the exercise is unique in exposing basic human character traits like nothing else. The joker in that theory jumps out at me from the Catcher in the Rye where Holden speaks ill of a classmate who is a secret slob.

With or without the joker, for me it is the knowledge that now that I have things just the way I want them (given the space) my next visitor might take a mere glance inside and give me one of those famous grimaces you get when something smells real bad. It is entirely possible I could go back in there right now and do it all over again, throwing more stuff out, derusting some old things only to draw a similar grimace from some other visiting neatnik. There is a veritable rainbow of tidiness out there defining character or the lack of it for those who have tied their self esteem to just how neat and shiny things must be (and remain forever in that state) in their homes and garages.

Some questions:

Things get cluttered, things begin to rust and/or collect dust. How long can a real Neat Nick go without doing something about it? Aren’t there times when Nick is busy with business, emergencies, quick but necessary road trips?

What does Nick think of his new neighbor who has a hundred admirable traits except the neatness thing?

When, if ever, does Nick relax his death grip on the idea of everything lined up and shiny?

How deep does this stuff go? Are some so compulsive they cannot rest until the same “good as you can it” treatment is complete on the boat/trailer/quad./truck/car?

What does he do, or better who does he become if he breaks a hip, can’t move about to rearrange and renew what others are ignoring?

What does Nick feel about another neighbor who is a card carrying buttwipe, loudmouth who keeps his things neater than Nick’s?

Is it possible the sometimes backbreaking routine or tedium of cleanliness is a labor of love for some? Does Nick whistle with the gleeful anticipation of trashing his boat on a fishing trip just so he can spend all day putting things right again?

Who is considered the better person, the person more grounded and realistic --- Nick or Pedro who sleeps like a baby, birth to death, while not caring a whit about the insidious assault of rust on his boat trailer springs and shackles? Some things succumb to ruin whether they are cleaned and lubricated and sprayed or not. I’m wondering, does Nick, on his deathbed beg his survivors to ‘take care of my stuff, you know…’

I’ll field this last question myself. The answer is yes and the proof can be found in Egypt in the Valley of the Kings. Pharaohs, the head dudes, who never had to polish or scrap anything, anytime had all their good stuff buried with them. They just weren’t going to take any chances.

Is there Nomadness upon the land? Is Nick out there hiding in plain sight? Nick?

noproblemo2 - 4-1-2010 at 08:47 AM

Well, as for the Neat Nick, so be him, as for me, yep I have my "clutter" stuff and I like it around me it's a part of who I am so even if it's old my stuff could just be someone elses treasures after I am gone, may they have fun going thru it, but for now I just "might" occassionally use it..... :biggrin:

Bajahowodd - 4-1-2010 at 03:58 PM

Somehow, upon reading this, I was reminded of a cable TV series called Hoarders.

larryC - 4-2-2010 at 06:51 AM

What I hate, is when I clean out a bunch of stuff and throw it away, I usually need one or two of those items for some reason the very next week. You can't win.

Iflyfish - 4-2-2010 at 07:18 AM

I move it, she moves it and I move it back. At times it seems to move itself lending credence to the notion of chupacabras. Doesn’t everyone enjoy a good movement?

Iflyfish

Pescador - 4-2-2010 at 07:33 AM

You have somehow managed to hit upon a basic human need not too far above or maybe below things like nutrition, acceptance, and some of the other baser needs that should not be mentioned on a family forum like this one. When Marika knew that her disease was, in fact, terminal, she spent a lot of time worrying about her things and sense of order. She commented that it was very likely that I would date and have other relationships, but her one overriding fear was that someone would come in and mess up her stuff. So this served a very useful purpose and I quickly learned that when I cleaned up the garage it was never good enough and it was only when she did it that things became organized in a relevant and meaningful fashion. Being the quick study that I am, I quickly learned that in order to keep the peace, I needed to always let her clean the garage (like I really wanted to do it anyway).

Osprey - 4-2-2010 at 08:56 AM

Pescador, do I understand that you actually let your wife TOUCH things in your storage space? (except the washing machine and soap) Most of us have very strict rules about who can enter the storage area and who has permission to touch or move anything belonging to the king. Most of us delineate areas, zones so as to be clear about permits: hazmat, sharp end tackle, delicate reels, rods and parts, special lubricants, tools (man tools not gardening things), electrical gadgets and components, etc.

Udo - 4-2-2010 at 01:35 PM

You're correct, in your assessment, George.

My wife is always threatening to help me clean either the shed or the garage, but she knows better than to touch anything in there...that's my kingdom!

Quote:

Originally posted by Osprey
Pescador, do I understand that you actually let your wife TOUCH things in your storage space? (except the washing machine and soap) Most of us have very strict rules about who can enter the storage area and who has permission to touch or move anything belonging to the king. Most of us delineate areas, zones so as to be clear about permits: hazmat, sharp end tackle, delicate reels, rods and parts, special lubricants, tools (man tools not gardening things), electrical gadgets and components, etc.

However...I have made one rule about the stuff in there. If I haven't used it in the last two years, or don't remember what it is for, it goes into the yard sale.

Our annual yard sale (this one is from 2009)

Martyman - 4-2-2010 at 02:46 PM

Udo
Where's your Keppel Lettermans jacket? $1000 for the record player? muy caro

Martyman

BajaBlanca - 4-2-2010 at 02:53 PM

$100

where do you hold your garage sales !!! I want to go to the 2010 one !! Can I cart all the unsold stuff for our local fundraising garage sale ???? I 'm just saying .......

vandenberg - 4-2-2010 at 03:16 PM

Quote:

Jorge,
Have you anything regarding this in writing. :?:

Would you be so kind as to advice my "better half" of this rule. Been trying to convince her, that, if things work smoothly, to leave well enough alone. But she thrives on moving stuff around and having anything, including my most sacred belongings, in the same place for any longer then 6 months, constitutes a miracle.
And I'm afraid that, short of a divorce, my situation is hopeless.
Now, if I need an item, of which I know to have several, I just go to town and buy it. Faster and a lot less frustrating.
:lol:

Udo - 4-2-2010 at 03:45 PM

The Keppel jacket is still in the closet, along with that of my son's and daughter's.

Quote:

Originally posted by Martyman
Udo
Where's your Keppel Lettermans jacket? $1000 for the record player? muy caro

Martyman

p.s. I theenk you misread the sign, Marty!

Udo - 4-2-2010 at 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
$100

where do you hold your garage sales !!! I want to go to the 2010 one !! Can I cart all the unsold stuff for our local fundraising garage sale ???? I 'm just saying .......

a U2U is on it's way, BB.
We'll get together for the leftovers of my 2010, although my 2012 will be the largest, since I don't want to have any leftovers for when we move South. All I want is my commercial kitchen equipment. Who knows...we may start a taco stand where we hang our shingle.

Controlling Chaos

Gypsy Jan - 4-2-2010 at 04:07 PM

With neatness and order is a valiantly doomed attempt to keep the bogeyman away.

When I started to lose dearly-prized living beings to the great vast void out there, I gave up my anal retentive attitudes towards the things that we collect over a lifetime.

Hubby can collect anything he wants, pile it anywhere and administrate and/or dispose of those items as he pleases.

Don't get me wrong, I am very easily distracted by bright and shiny things and I appreciate the people who care for and keep safe the beautiful objects in their life so that they survive in the cultural record.

I just don't envy them.

woody with a view - 4-2-2010 at 05:02 PM

can i have dibbs on your fishing gear? you aren't gonna have time for mundane crap like fishing anyways...... :light:

Udo - 4-2-2010 at 05:38 PM

I am still buying
all the fishing gear I can get my cheap hands on, Woody.
And I am still waiting for a Lowrance HD fish finder to go on sale. It is currently selling for about $650-$700 U.S. Even on the internet the deals not to be seen anywhere. It's like Lowrance has some fair-traded deal with their dealers.

woody with a view - 4-2-2010 at 06:03 PM

HD??? does it give you the weight of the individual fish on the screen?

Udo - 4-2-2010 at 06:45 PM

It's the 1080P version of a fish finder. I saw the whole series of HD fish finders at Bass Pro in Rancho Cucamonga, and the resolution on the screen is incredible! :light:

One can easily discern baitfish from large ones. :bounce:

vandenberg - 4-2-2010 at 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by udowinkler
one can easily discern baitfish from large ones. :bounce:

Skipjack Joe - 4-2-2010 at 09:43 PM

I don't really like very neat people very much. The Felix Ungers of the world. They're hell to live with and are basically very unhappy people. Caught in a vicious cycle of never ending work life just passes them by.

The trouble with neatness is that it's a waste of time. Good comes out of it but it's time that could be spent with new joys and experiences. The satisfaction of, say, rubbing a car to the point where you can see your own reflection pales compared to the satisfaction of driving it down a country road on a spring day.

And yes my desk is cluttered. Stuff builds up for weeks, then is dumped clean and starts to build up again. I've never understood those coworkers that carefully line up all of their papers into equally space sections at the end of each day. But that's basic neatness. The neurotic ones are more interesting to watch. They have an almost visceral hatred for dirt and disorder. It's akin to religious zealots and fanatics. Rigid personalities, they have difficulty with change. Germs lurk everywhere and they're on a constant vigilance for their presence.

Osprey - 4-3-2010 at 06:44 AM

Skip, I thought I was being honest and brave about my views but you greatly widened the gap. Anglo culture wants order -- you and I would fight the rest over building henges and pyramids and such. When I think of if, where the hell were the slobs way back when? History recalls zero slob heros so you are sooooo right about zealots, dirt and germ haters. When I encounter neatfreeks I treat them with kid gloves because I want to reverse a little of the pain they got tieing neat to personal worth while they were tots. Maybe our Moms didn't spank us for not cleaning our rooms. Forever thanks, Mom.

Iflyfish - 4-3-2010 at 08:15 AM

It's all about potty training and to quote Eric Berne, M. D. "if it ain't anal, it ain't funny." Psychoanalysts joke. Think about it.

It goes like this. Nature calls, kid answers. Parent says "do it here". Kid says "It is my creation and I will do it where I want." Parent decides to train kid. Depending upon methods used and emotional tenor of the entire process the kid develops feelings and attitudes toward themselves and their stuff. In this dynamic you find the birth of artists, cops and hoarders.

IflyfishindirtywadersandIguessthatsaysalot

baja-ebonny - 4-8-2010 at 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Martyman
Udo
Where's your Keppel Lettermans jacket? $1000 for the record player? muy caro

Martyman

baja-ebonny - 4-8-2010 at 05:58 PM

Is that Mark Keppel ??

Udo - 4-8-2010 at 06:41 PM

Yes, it is, Mark Keppel

baja-ebonny - 4-9-2010 at 05:07 AM

Alhambra Rules !!!!!

Santiago - 4-9-2010 at 07:18 AM

I once had a partner who would do the interviewing for new hires while I crept outside to look into their car. If the back seat was full of junk, burger wrappers, empty coke bottles etc they would not be hired. He would always ask two questions: "Do you put up Christmas lights on your house" and "When do you take them down". Any answer other than "Yes" and "By Jan 15th" disqualified the interviewee. Sheesh

Udo - 4-9-2010 at 08:13 AM

Another Aztec

Quote:

Originally posted by baja-ebonny
Alhambra Rules !!!!!

Martyman - 4-9-2010 at 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by baja-ebonny
Alhambra Rules !!!!!

Them's fightin' words pardner!