The purge continues.
As I attack the list of things I've been avoiding, I'm finding such pleasure in clearing out both my mind and my garage that I fear I'm becoming a reverse hoarder. Is it possible that releasing the need to hold on to things is a sign of satisfaction and contentment? For me, it feels like it.
Here's a weird analogy:
If I'm a hot air balloon, the more lines I have tethered to stuff below me, the less I travel. As soon as I start cutting those tendrils to my past, I am lighter and more efficient. Time to fly.
Today, I packed the old 32" CRT Sony television we bought in 1995 into the minivan along with about 50 cans of paint, stain, varnish, and other assorted hazardous household waste the previous owner of our home left in the garage. The TV was the p90x TV until it finally died last month. It weighs about 150 pounds (no exaggeration), and is a huge hulk of a piece of junk. The paint cans have been sitting in our garage for SIX YEARS. I see them every time I go in there, and they've been vaguely stressing me out for that entire time.
So, with a quick Internet search, I discovered that Los Angeles makes it extremely easy to get rid of unwanted electronic/household hazardous waste. They have dropoff locations throughout the city called "S.A.F.E. Centers," which accept TV's, monitors, paint, electronics, VCR's, household chemicals, or practically any e-waste with a cathode tube.
I drove out to the one in Northridge with a bunch of stuff, certain that it could not be as easy as it sounded.
IT WAS EASIER.
It's setup like a drive-thru, and there are guys in Breaking Bad style jumpsuits waiting to empty your car for you. I popped the hatchback and waited. They don't WANT you to get out of your car. In 3 minutes, I was on my way, minus a junky old TV and a shitload of paint.
I drove off, very impressed with my city.
My garage has more space, and so does my brain.
I'm clipping all these stupid things bogging me down, and it feels great.
