21 January 2011

Uncompelling Mysteries: Spousal Snooping Edition

I am supposed to be writing my dissertation, which is big and scary and thus encourages procrastination. Today I engaged in level 4 procrastination, the levels of procrastination being as follows:
  • Level 1: Not even trying to do the thing that needs to be done, e.g. watching The X-Files on Netflix and knitting;
  • Level 2: Doing something that is useful, but has nothing to do with the thing that needs to be done, e.g. cleaning or paying bills;
  • Level 3: Doing something useless, but in physical proximity to the thing that needs to be done, e.g. using the computer to read DListed with the document dissertation.scriv open behind the browser;
  • Level 4: Doing something that ostensibly will help you to get more work done in the future, but ensures you get nothing at all done now,  e.g. rearranging furniture in the office.
Accordingly, today I spent part of the afternoon moving four bookcases and a filing cabinet about the office. I found a bunch of things I had no idea were up there, including CDs I was supposed to list on Alibris, several presumably awesome books I ordered and had shipped to the house while I was overseas, and this little storage unit that I have dusted many times but never looked inside.

Today I did look inside, mostly because I'm nosy and the office was formerly my husband's dumping ground for weird items from his past, but also a little bit because I enjoy storing small items in receptacles, much like a raven or squirrel, and thought this might be something I could commandeer for my own use. Would it be empty or would it be full of things? An uncompelling mystery, indeed!

Q: What does my husband keep in that little two-drawer storage unit in the office, anyway?

A: Top drawer, shoe maintenance supplies; bottom drawer, ostrich egg, bangle carved with elephants, and South African antacid.


To be honest, the shoe polish was more of a surprise than the ostrich egg.

5 comments:

Caitlin said...

Truly excellent. I also enjoy squirreling away small things which resulted in many, many plastic storage towers that I have, to date, whittled down to only 3 in our office, 1 in the bathroom, and 1 in the bedroom. I have yet to continue whittling down the collection though I know it needs it. I blame work and school. (Coincidentally, this combination is also what I blame a myriad of other things on--it works for me.)

Ostrich egg, eh? I find this interesting. Why is he keeping an ostrich egg?

Auntie Maim said...

I have been hoarding jars to store kitchen things in. Now pretty much everything in the pantry and snack cabinet is in a glass jar instead of whatever perfectly decent container it came in. At least I'm entertained.

You know, I really have no idea on the ostrich egg, but we do both have a penchant for oddments -- we also have a replica cave bear skull, vintage New Orleans postcards, a print from an illustrated edition of Edgar Allen Poe stories, and who knows what else. :)

Cari said...

This is why we are friends.

Also, I hope you commandeered the bangle. Also also, "commandeered the bangle" sounds like a euphemism.

Auntie Maim said...

Heeeee. I was going to, but was informed that the bangle is actually a stand for the egg, so now I'm looking for a place to show the egg.

Auntie Maim said...

... which also sounds like a euphemism.