Man – this hits home! So very much like something I would do, including the bit where it was glued back together…
In an oddball way, keeping mementos of our past helps ground us – helps to remind us where we have been, who we once were and how far we’ve gone since then. It reminds us that we are still that person – but not that same person at the same time, because we’ve grown so much since the time when this artifact was really relevant in our lives.
It’s why things like school year books are kept – even those where the signatures, like this cast, only remind us of socially awkward days of our youth when making friends was difficult.
On the other hand – there’s a balance between keeping a few mementos – and hoarding stuff. I’ve shed many things that I thought I never would let go of that fall into that category. On the other hand, I’ll always keep my very first scientific calculator – the one I engraved with my initials and used it in my first Chemistry class. The liquid crystal display is intact still, even if the solar panel cracked a long time ago. It doesn’t “work” as a calculator anymore – but it “works” on another level – a reminder of how much I always enjoyed science, all the memories of the times I’ve used it and the joys of learning… even as a reminder of what scientific calculators were like way back when.
ditto for me about the social scene. The girl I wanted to sign my year book never did but when I look in it a lot of other girls did. Girls I now would much prefer to have in my life. Funny how we focus on the impossible when the possible is right in front of us. Those movies of ‘reliving’ our teen years are so right on about wanting to do things differently, with finess and grace. Oh well, we survived and have good friends who appreciate us for who we are. One guy who was a bit of a bully at my 30th reunion came up to me and apologized! Seems being a jerk does sit well in one’s latter years.
Okay. So how many of those people are talented artists, bringing joy to others daily, with a gazillion fans on GoComics, and a MFA. How many of them have a loving family; human, animal and imaginary? How many of them are likely to receive a restraining order from Rachel Ray at any moment? Throw the damn cast away; it probably still smells!
fermiproblem about 11 years ago
Man – this hits home! So very much like something I would do, including the bit where it was glued back together…
In an oddball way, keeping mementos of our past helps ground us – helps to remind us where we have been, who we once were and how far we’ve gone since then. It reminds us that we are still that person – but not that same person at the same time, because we’ve grown so much since the time when this artifact was really relevant in our lives.
It’s why things like school year books are kept – even those where the signatures, like this cast, only remind us of socially awkward days of our youth when making friends was difficult.
On the other hand – there’s a balance between keeping a few mementos – and hoarding stuff. I’ve shed many things that I thought I never would let go of that fall into that category. On the other hand, I’ll always keep my very first scientific calculator – the one I engraved with my initials and used it in my first Chemistry class. The liquid crystal display is intact still, even if the solar panel cracked a long time ago. It doesn’t “work” as a calculator anymore – but it “works” on another level – a reminder of how much I always enjoyed science, all the memories of the times I’ve used it and the joys of learning… even as a reminder of what scientific calculators were like way back when.
jhampa about 11 years ago
ditto for me about the social scene. The girl I wanted to sign my year book never did but when I look in it a lot of other girls did. Girls I now would much prefer to have in my life. Funny how we focus on the impossible when the possible is right in front of us. Those movies of ‘reliving’ our teen years are so right on about wanting to do things differently, with finess and grace. Oh well, we survived and have good friends who appreciate us for who we are. One guy who was a bit of a bully at my 30th reunion came up to me and apologized! Seems being a jerk does sit well in one’s latter years.
ottod Premium Member about 11 years ago
Okay. So how many of those people are talented artists, bringing joy to others daily, with a gazillion fans on GoComics, and a MFA. How many of them have a loving family; human, animal and imaginary? How many of them are likely to receive a restraining order from Rachel Ray at any moment? Throw the damn cast away; it probably still smells!