Monday, October 25, 2010

100 Words: Email

Last night I watched a show about hoarders.

This woman was so emotionally attached to her, for lack of a better term, crap, that she couldn’t get rid of anything. When someone suggested she try separating herself, one item at a time, she broke down.

Today I was looking through my email and thought, “I should clear this out.”

I periodically clean out my inbox, but my folders are reminiscent of that hoarder’s rooms – riddled with debris.

I was nervous because there’s no going back from deletion, but I was doing an ok job.

Well, until I got to yours.

24 comments:

Lorraine said...

I am the anti-hoarded. I throw everything away. I delete every email. I do my best to erase all memory.

And that's all fine and good until I want to look back and there is no evidence left.

Certainly there is a happy medium?

Lorraine

Anonymous said...

*sigh* ME TOO. I am so scared of deleting my e-mails. Even though I am fully aware I can retrieve them from my deleted items folder. WTF? Why can't I let go? Why? WHY?

the Tsaritsa said...

If you have Gmail you never need to delete your e-mails! At least that's what they tell me every time I try to delete some emails.

Baglady said...

Love it. I love the cliff hanger ending! Nice work.

Kimmie said...

I am this girl. I keep all emails. I have emails from years ago. My SMS even archives to my emails. And from time to time, it's served a good purpose. But now...it only tortures me...I read emails from him all the time...and then feel like shit. >.<

JUST ME said...

That show gets me SO ANGRY. I just want to shake those people.

Which is probably why I'm not a therapist.

Didactic Pirate said...

That show is compulsively watchable. It always starts off fine and harmless... and next thing you know, they're pulling cat corpses out from underneath a mattress.

I'm afraid of deleting emails. The one I do decide to trash forever is the one I'm going to need to refer to later.

hiphophippie.com said...

That show is creeptastic! I saw one where they found two dead cats in this woman's house. The cats had been "missing" for 10 years...gulp.

I like deleting emails. I always try to get my inbox to zero, doesn't always happen, but it sure feels nice!

Jon Hanson said...

The lady friend and I watch that show and we both always feel bad for the families that have to deal with this person who loves their crap for them their own sons, daughters, etc.

But it's easy to fell sorry for the hoarder themselves too since they get so heartbroken over this absolute meaningless stuff. They are actually PAINED by someone throwing away their broken dishes.

SD
simpledudecomplexworld.blogspot.com

Anna said...

I'm with Lorraine. I was really bad living at home/with college roommates/with people in general. "Hey have you seen that-" "Oh I threw it out."

If I didn't use it today, it's old news.

I'm so poor.

Paige said...

i only hoard fashion magazines... but i dont know why though

Just Plain Tired said...

I'm the exact opposite to being a hoarder. Which isn't necessarily a good thing either. I've occasionally realized I needed something I'd already tossed out.

BugginWord said...

I'm not going to tell you how many days I spent figuring out how to save all my old emails when I switched from a pc to a mac. I NEED my old emails. All 50 gig of them. But I know where both my cats are so I'm ok, right? RIGHT?!?!

nina@themissadventuresofnina said...

I have OCD so I like to clean my inbox, but I do have folders with OLD stuff. I keep it as a proof that I was NOT crazy and said person WAS an asshole to me. It's refreshing, really.

rubbish said...

Threw out a load of clothes today. Would get rid of the Wife and Daughter as well if anyone would take them off my hands.

Red Cynic said...

I always watch Hoarders when I need a little extra motivation to keep my house clean. I have the a similar problem with my email, perhaps it's time to clean it up too.

The mad woman behind the blog said...

Same way. Can't delete an email, never filter my inbox and it all kills me. I'd like to think I'm not a hoarder but my friend (an expert on the subject) says that I am.

Yikes

Anonymous said...

Ha! Love this.

I can't wait until they do the "Cyberhoarders" spin-off. I'm that person who will delete a bunch of unneeded files, then get up at three in the morning and dig through the cyber trash to retrieve them all.

Yankee Girl said...

See, I think by putting emails in folders I am actually getting rid of them.

Well, at least I am putting them all in an organized place, right?

Right?

Or course I just forget about them. I am sure on day I will just delete entire folders and be done.

Ed said...

Time to move on.

I can always send you a new one, if it helps.

mylittlebecky said...

i never delete emails from actual people. because i'm SICK! but however, i'm not anywhere *near* the limit, i went back just recently and i must admit, things made me smile.

The Kid In The Front Row said...

I am so tempted to do a mass clearout, 100%. Of course, that'd be dumb and ridiculous and counter-productive, but it'd feel soooo good.

Unknown said...

I lived with a hoarder many years ago and was very tough, I think more people hoard than we know about, it's usually kept a secret.

Daniel said...

If I can't fit my life inside of my car, I don't want it. I mean, I'll take it, temporarily, but I no longer want to own more things than what I can't personally relocate or move.

This is why I sleep on an air mattress. (Or, used to, rather. Now I sleep on a LoveSac cause my air mattress popped.)

I also own a 50" TV, and I was indeed able to fit that in the back of my Subaru.

When I leave my current place, anything I can't cram into my car, it's going up on Craigslist or in the dumpster. I hate "stuff"...