Clearing the cobwebs

Since we know that we'll be moving, I'm trying to take the time now to go through our things, weeding out those that are just taking up space. One of my latest projects was my old college notebooks. In them I found notes and papers and poems and stories, all things that I had created in a time long before I became who I am now.

Some of them have no real meaning for me. The statistics notes? Ha! Gone! Happily tossed into the trash. But some . . . some still resonate. They help me remember who I was and how I got to where I am now.

Remembering seems to be a running theme for my thoughts lately. I find myself revisiting books, even if it's just a favorite passage or chapter. Julie gave me a signed first edition of Fair and Tender Ladies as a gift several years ago, and the book now falls open to my favorite part.

Heather loves to make fun of me for it, but I love Empire Records. I watched it again recently, and it brought back memories. Great art? No, definitely not. Certainly few people who haven't actually worked in a record store would have such an affection for it. But if you have been in that environment, you can see that the characterizations are absolutely perfect, and it's yet another way for me to remember where I've been.

Of course, the story isn't anything like my experience. I never had an assistant manager who stole $9000 to gamble. Never had a massive concert on the roof. But we did have people like Warren, who thought working at the store was the coolest thing ever and wanted to be like us. I think Warren is my favorite character because of that.

Even my new read is following the remembering theme. The Film Club has so many parts that make me think about my life, where it's been and how that affects the progress, both as an individual and a family.

I never talk about a book while I'm reading it. If I'm asked, I'll give a vague, "Oh, it's decent so far," but rarely more than that. My opinion and perception change throughout, and as a result I'm reluctant to talk about it until I can see it as a whole work. For The Film Club -- unlike any other -- I really wish that I had someone reading right alongside with me so that we could discuss it as we go.

All of that is heavy handed and convoluted, but it's where my thoughts are these days.