D. and I have done A LOT of sorting and culling and donating and disposing of our belongings. The only real packing we had done, however, was of books and CDs and DVDs. Now, those three categories make up a significant percentage of our worldly belongings, it's true, but on Thursday I had the sickening epiphany that we had only packed the easy things -- all rectangular, essentially the same size, and not terribly fragile -- and that the vast majority of the real work of packing was still before us.
So this afternoon, I finally tackled the room full of fragile, non-rectangular items of irregular sizes: the kitchen. First, I fortified myself with delicious pizza. Then, I set up our small television in the kitchen so that I could distract myself from the misery of packing with episodes of The Gilmore Girls. (Side note to ask: Why didn't you all ever tell me that I should be watching this show?! On a whim, I rented the first season from our local video store the other day, and now D. and I are totally under its spell, such that I've now got the dates for the release of Season 6 on DVD [Sept. 19] and the Season 7 premiere [Sept. 26] in my calendar. This move is now officially the Gilmore Girls Move, because that's our ongoing entertainment for this whole relocation project.)
And I have success to report! Aided both by the incredibly expensive dish- and glass-packing paraphernalia that D. bought the other day and by ADM's boxes and bubble wrap and packing paper from her own move (she has been a total life-saver! Plus, we're reusing before recycling and are thus officially Good People), I managed to pack up most of our dishes and glasses and get started on the pots and pans before punking out for the evening. I'll get started again tomorrow morning; my goal is to have the kitchen essentially done when D. arrives home in the late afternoon. And seriously, once our books and DVDs and CDs and the kitchen are packed, we're in pretty good shape, right?
Oh crap, you're quite right to point out the flaw in that self-satisfied statement: the basement. Or, as I'm now calling it, the Accursed Basement. I've discovered that the problem with having a huge basement is that it allows one to exercise no self-discipline at all in keeping one's crap under control. Our basement is full of five years' worth of junk that we never use and don't need, which was no big deal when we had the huge basement, but now that moving time is here, is a Huge Deal! I have spent countless hours thus far sorting through the stuff down there and throwing away or donating most of it, but I am not yet finished with that project. Reason #1 to finish up the kitchen project tomorrow: So I will have an excellent reason not to continue tackling the far scarier basement project! At least I've learned my lesson (I hope) about the danger of having almost unlimited storage space. I resolve to do better in the future.
But wait, that's ending this post on something of a downer note. And really, I'm feeling quite pleased, because I have finally advanced beyond rectangular, non-fragile items into the real business of packing, and I've done just fine. And tomorrow, bolstered by the rest of the pizza (the second half of which is in the fridge) and by more Gilmore Girls episodes, all will be well as I finish the kitchen. I am of good cheer! Or, as I taught my 5-year-old niece to say this morning, "I'm cookin' with gas now!"
You're so brave, and strong, and true! You should be pleased -- it sounds like you did a ton of work, and some at least slightly scary work as well. We'll tackle the basement together this week.
Love,
D.
Posted by: D. | July 23, 2006 at 12:06 AM
Oh my god I LOVE GG! I have seasons 1-5 on DVD and watch them over and over. I am pretty obsessed. Great packing strategy!
Posted by: Rachel | July 23, 2006 at 05:11 AM
My sympathies on the non-rectangular stuff. So you've had a meetup (with packing materials exchange) with ADM and neither of you let on!? Or have I been tuned out? I'm sorry I'll miss seeing you, but am looking forward to my own ADM meetup.
Loving the very familiar-looking marginal to-do list, btw.
Wishing you both fortitude on the Augean Basement. I'm thinking maybe there should be a Cat Hymn for basement cleaning fortitude...hmm...If we come up with a good one, I can sing it, too, when I start tackling my mom's basement.
Posted by: Tiruncula | July 23, 2006 at 06:36 AM
I've packed and moved myself more times than I care to remember, and I'm good at it, but it is NO FUN. So you definitely have my empathy.
One moving tip: you can use sheets and towels to pack up some breakables and then you've taken care of two sets of stuff at once.
Yeah, and I had the accursed garage when I was packing for seminary. I vowed NEVER again, and I'm trying to stick to it, but I have a lot of extra space now so its a challenge.
Good luck with the move! And perhaps a blogger meet up when you get settled?
Posted by: revdrmom | July 23, 2006 at 11:40 AM
I *have* told you to watch GG! Or at least I've blogged my enthusiasm, which amounts to the same thing. At least we can now all chant ONE OF US! ONE OF US!
Best of luck with the move, m'dear.
Posted by: meg | July 23, 2006 at 05:49 PM
Congratulations on discovering Gilmore Girls just in time for them to help you through the move! You have a lot to look forward to with them :-)
(and greetings from a first-time commenter)
Posted by: Repressed Librarian | July 23, 2006 at 11:24 PM
Gilmore Girls is great! If you want a break between seasons, try Felicity - one of my friends threw her back out a while ago, and after I rented the first season for her, she was totally hooked.
Good luck with the packing -
Posted by: af | July 24, 2006 at 11:52 AM
Yea you for getting so much done! Be brave. Be strong. It'll be over soon and you'll be in fabulous new city!
Posted by: Linda (FM) | July 24, 2006 at 04:10 PM