O.K., about the Freecycle thing. It's not that I'm so wedded to my stuff that I think it's so swell or anything and I'm so picky about the recipients - I am, after all, trying to get rid of it. And it's not that I'm trying to vet potential recipients - I don't care if they ebay it, set fire to it, drive around all day picking up free stuff in between visits to the bank to count their money, or whatever. I just want it gone and I don't want to put this perfectly good stuff into a landfill. It's as simple as that.

Some people I know are convinced that they must keep every object that they have ever owned, no matter how their lives or circumstances may have changed over the decades. And these are not people who have lived through an economic depression, refugee situation or any other circumstance where you might think that keeping all that stuff could be possibly classified under "Prudent". I am not one of these people. And, since I am only slightly sentimental, I have no problem in liberating from my drawers and closets items that have my life has finished with but which may find a valued existence elsewhere even if they allegedly signify something "special". Bridesmaid's dresses? Gone. A wedding present that, although lovely, I have never been able to use or even properly display and given by people who I can picture in my mind but haven't seen in 20 years and I'm not even sure they exchange Christmas cards with my parents anymore? See ya. The Ikea shelves I bought for my first apartment with my first post-college paycheck and which, despite being somewhat worn are still good looking and usable? Well....?

Actually, the Ikea shelves are among the things I'm trying to Freecycle. Along with a black lacquered armoir, maple headboard, desk chair, metal garage-type shelves, a box full of brand-new wrapping paper rolls, and six dining room chairs. Each of these offers (Freecycle-speak for "stuff I'm looking to get rid of") saw an enthusiastic response of upwards of a dozen or more e-mails. And each also had as many as five flake-outs before I finally gave up.

So it's the flake-outs that get me. They either finalize arrangements and don't ultimately show up or try to reorganize the whole thing - Wait, I want you to deliver it to me even though your post said it's for pick up? Can you throw in a few bucks so I can repaint? I'll come to your house at 11 p.m. to see if I want it for sure so be sure to be home. And so on. This is just a sample of the Freecycle madness I've experienced in the last week and I really am just so over it. The curb down by our mailbox is now serving the same function and with no effort from me other than to put the stuff out. Retro, maybe. But it works.

In an unrelated note, I've been informed that it's National DeLurking Week. So leave a comment, why don't you, and say hello!