I am not quite a hoarder. I mean I'm not like some of those poor souls you see on some of those reality shows who are in danger of being buried or suffocated by stuff. I tend to keep papers. I think it has been so ingrained, ie, taxes to keep documents for years after their relevance. Just in case. I was actually trying hard to break this habit, and was about to toss my copy of transfer papers on a car I sold a few years ago, (that I am sure is now long gone from this jurisdiction.) Something held me back, so I just stuffed it into the HOLD file I have for limbo papers such as this. It popped into my mind while I was renewing my vehicle insurance, so I inquired. I was floored when the insurance agent informed me that I have to keep any copies of transfer papers for SEVEN years! I have parted ways with vehicles that I am certain are in car heaven (or hell) long before that time runs out--yet I am expected to keep the documentation that at one point in time I made a transaction to purchase or dispose of it. I am now on my 6th vehicle in my string of vehicle ownership. By these rules they are forcing me to hoard documentation on the most current three. So I guess I was safe ditching paperwork on the Tempo, Metro, and Swift. Cavalier, Wave, and newest member (affectionately known as Escape Pod!) need to sit in filing cabinet prison for a term yet.
More about the filing cabinet prison. I keep all kinds of paper in there, some neatly filed by year or subject, and other stuff is just labelled CORRESPONDENCE. This is mostly letters, from an era when I wrote a lot of them, and to several people. Most of these nice folks wrote back, so after their replies were read into the file they went--and stayed! Once in a while I will flick through and pull out a few for a trip down memory lane. They always go back, not planning on throwing out memories! On my most recent rummaging, I found another small paper based memory. On one hand I was delighted to find it, and let the memories associated with it come flooding back. On the other hand, I was mildly annoyed with myself that I had lost track of this little treasure. If it was just out in the big world, no one but myself would assign any value to it. I admit today there is no real value, but the memory it can recall. To me it is priceless, and if keeping it means I am hoarding, then so be it. I will admit that keeping that little scrap based on a memory is an idiosyncrasy of mine!
This led me to think of more idiosyncrasies: I always saved the best part of the meal for last. I can remember my Dad asking me why I wasn't devouring steak he made, and I recall stating that I was saving best for last. I guess that was just one of the peculiar things I did that made me, ME. I still have to pull the ripped strands off the TP, as they look like they shouldn't be there. I can leave them, but I strongly prefer to have them gone! I like an empty vehicle before I start singing along to whatever is in the CD player, or on the iPod. It's not that I despise an audience or think my voice is horrible (maybe it is!) but singing to my tunes in the Escape Pod is just my thing that I do. I do it because I want to feel whatever it is that song gives me. As i get older I care less what I look like while I am singing and driving. I am trying to get better about embracing my idiosyncrasies. It's about the small things that give us pleasure. They may seem odd or peculiar to others, but they are what make us who we are. (Excuse me, while I crank the volume mid-song to a really good part!)
So, unless I asking for an opinion, I will happily embrace my idiosyncrasies on a daily basis, and not give a damn what anyone thinks. Don't like something about my appearance? It may just be a favourite part for me, and as I am steering this Life, it will be my decision. There are few things in life that are truly under our complete control, and if it's not hurting another, it's no one's business but my own if I want to be a little weird about little things that are important to me!
