Is Past Truly Prologue?

I've been saying for years how great it would be to get rid of all the clutter and take on more of a minimalist existence.

I don't mean I'd get rid of everything; I'd certainly keep my clothes, my media and gadgetry and kitchen necessities.

But I'd get rid of more than just paperwork. Do I really need to hold onto a small statue or a wall hanging so I can tell curious visitors I got it in Singapore? Or was it Bali?

I am, however, one of those sensitive, nostalgic types. I do like thinking back to those and other trips. Ahh, the stories.

But do I need the stories? I'm getting ready to begin the second half of my life and the stories haven't helped me so far. And I'll still have these stories, just not the trinkets that trigger inquiries from others, and that's plenty OK.

So as I prepare for my move to Brooklyn next week, is it OK to just get rid of a lot of my stuff? It will certainly make the move easier and I'll no doubt find new things about which to become sentimental. Or should I keep everything because the past is irreplaceable? Once something gets pitched, isn't it gone forever?

Mike Update

I haven't really talked about Mike on here in a little while, so let's get caught up.

You might remember, he learned about a year ago that he had squamous cell carcinoma. The initial reports were a little cloudy; I couldn't tell if it was skin cancer or throat cancer. Unfortunately for Mike, it was skin cancer near his throat.

He's been fighting a good fight, not necessarily taking names but still beating this sickness like only a Cleveland tough guy could. He spent more than 30 years as a blue-collar laborer at the Lincoln Electric plant in Euclid. Surely a chemical or two from that place over such a long period of time is at least partly behind this.

Anyway, last week, Mom called to say a lump was now in Mike's upper leg. Of course they feared the worst and so did I when Mom told me about it.

But I'm here to report good news. Mike's lump is a hernia. I guess learning you have a hernia is hardly good news, but considering what else it could have been, you embrace the small victories.

dinakaplan

If I wanted to be happy, I'd try to live like dinakaplan. But then I'd be the biggest name-dropper of all time. Girl only seems to Tweet when she's getting on another international flight.

Busty Whores

It's pretty funny how some women on Facebook use some sexy shot of themselves for their profile picture when their day job requires them to be a journalist. Please make up your minds; you can be a busty whore or a journalist, but probably not both. That is all.