Dumpster Digging
More like sidewalk collecting. Despite my best efforts, I have inherited a complete lack of shame when it comes to picking things up off the streets. I've been doing this for years and I've gathered (in no particular order):
Oh yes, the vacuums. I'm fairly certain that's what started it all with my father. Can't forget those!
Anyway.
Part of the appeal was getting to take things apart. I was a habitual taker-aparter-of-things growing up, an early "deconstructionist". I was one of those kids who just HAD to know how things worked.
The other side of the coin is the fixing and reassembly. The diagnosis and remedy for any given mechanical or electrical problem was the height of the challenge taxing not only the cognitive but the creative as parts and materials were not always readily available. Reassembly although still a challenge, was usually relegated to the status of "annoying task to get done before I can enjoy the fruits of my fixing".
That was my motivation for a long time. The primary motivation I should say. Another part I like is finding good homes for the restored items. Homes where they will be used and appreciated and not left on the curb.
As I've gotten older (and hopefully wiser)I've found an even better reason. Fixing things keeps them out of the landfill. We've got precious little land as it is and using it (even the seemingly unusable land) to dump all of our disposable goods in seems like a massive waste.
By the way, disposable goods these days include TVs, refrigerators, furniture, sporting goods, and as ever, vacuums and fans.
Even funnier are the people who are the complete opposite. The hoarders. People who have storage for the things that they cannot let go of. I understand this to a certain degree. What I cannot figure out is paying rent for stuff that you never see until it rots away and is of no use to anyone. I'm not talking about documents and old yearbooks and stuff. I'm talking about the same stuff I see being thrown out. Doesn't anyone donate anymore? WTF is going on? Am I crazy? Who knows? All I know is I just rescued about 26 board feet of mahogany worth around a hundred bucks that will now be used for either trim or shelf material. I was going to grab an old office chair too but chances are it'll be there tomorrow anyway so I may pick it up then.
Whatever. You don't have to fix things. You don't have to want to fix things either. Whether you subscribe to the "One man's trash is another man's treasure" theory or not, I'm telling you it's true. All you gotta do is find a way to not throw it away. Sell it for parts, fix it, give it away, I don't care. Just try not to throw it on the curb if you can.
P.S. All the window trim is up and I'll be posting the links to the Flickr feed soon. Late.
More like sidewalk collecting. Despite my best efforts, I have inherited a complete lack of shame when it comes to picking things up off the streets. I've been doing this for years and I've gathered (in no particular order):
- a rowing machine
- an elliptical trainer
- a shortboard
- about a dozen computers
- printers
- monitors
- fax machines
- a number of fans
Oh yes, the vacuums. I'm fairly certain that's what started it all with my father. Can't forget those!
Anyway.
Part of the appeal was getting to take things apart. I was a habitual taker-aparter-of-things growing up, an early "deconstructionist". I was one of those kids who just HAD to know how things worked.
The other side of the coin is the fixing and reassembly. The diagnosis and remedy for any given mechanical or electrical problem was the height of the challenge taxing not only the cognitive but the creative as parts and materials were not always readily available. Reassembly although still a challenge, was usually relegated to the status of "annoying task to get done before I can enjoy the fruits of my fixing".
That was my motivation for a long time. The primary motivation I should say. Another part I like is finding good homes for the restored items. Homes where they will be used and appreciated and not left on the curb.
As I've gotten older (and hopefully wiser)I've found an even better reason. Fixing things keeps them out of the landfill. We've got precious little land as it is and using it (even the seemingly unusable land) to dump all of our disposable goods in seems like a massive waste.
By the way, disposable goods these days include TVs, refrigerators, furniture, sporting goods, and as ever, vacuums and fans.
Even funnier are the people who are the complete opposite. The hoarders. People who have storage for the things that they cannot let go of. I understand this to a certain degree. What I cannot figure out is paying rent for stuff that you never see until it rots away and is of no use to anyone. I'm not talking about documents and old yearbooks and stuff. I'm talking about the same stuff I see being thrown out. Doesn't anyone donate anymore? WTF is going on? Am I crazy? Who knows? All I know is I just rescued about 26 board feet of mahogany worth around a hundred bucks that will now be used for either trim or shelf material. I was going to grab an old office chair too but chances are it'll be there tomorrow anyway so I may pick it up then.
Whatever. You don't have to fix things. You don't have to want to fix things either. Whether you subscribe to the "One man's trash is another man's treasure" theory or not, I'm telling you it's true. All you gotta do is find a way to not throw it away. Sell it for parts, fix it, give it away, I don't care. Just try not to throw it on the curb if you can.
P.S. All the window trim is up and I'll be posting the links to the Flickr feed soon. Late.
posted by Jordan at 23:27
2 Comments:
I love that you pick stuff up off the street. It reminds me of back-in-the-day when my uncle used to do that. Maybe this means you are old? J/K. But, it's so Hawaii to me and I love it.
Like I said, I used to have to "walk" with my dad so it comes naturally. I AM old, thanks! I just started following your blog and holy crapcakes, you've already got more posts in February than I've posted since opening my stupid account! Good jorb!
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