book « Robin Writes

Not every book is good. Not every story you’re going to read is going to be good. But everyone has a story worth telling.

I personally believe that – that every person has a story. Everyone goes through different things, everyone has their own issues to handle, and everyone reacts to things differently. I always like hearing people’s stories.

There’s something about authors that I’ve always admired. Being published requires you to put yourself out there. Whether your writing is intensely personal or just a good piece of writing that you want other people to read, it is a part of you, and you are exposing yourself to the world when your work is published. You are exposing yourself to the possibility of rejection, and you are exposing yourself to critique, both good and bad.

Now, I am not saying that everyone should write a book, by any means. Not everyone is the best at articulating their stories (although in this day and age, sometimes it seems like anyone can write a book). Not everyone should be a published writer. Honestly, sometimes it is hard to even sit there and listen to someone talk. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t all appreciate the fact that everyone has had to deal with something at some point in their lives.

That’s why I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt and to be nice whenever possible. It’s easier to get hurt that way sometimes, when you give people too many chances and they let you down all the time. Sometimes you have to know when to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt and stop letting them take advantage of your kindness. But I learned that old saying, “Treat people as you would want to be treated.” So that’s what I do. I’m not saying that my way of thinking should be adopted by everyone. But I think there is some merit to it, and maybe everyone can try to do this just a little bit more.

I always thought that, even though I might not like a certain song or movie or book or whatever, it’s something that other people appreciate and understand, and it’s another kind of art that takes courage (or, I guess you could say for some people, arrogance or cockiness) to put out there. I think, even if I don’t like something, I can appreciate the fact that someone else likes it, and let them like it. I don’t have to like it. I can appreciate the fact that someone has taken the initiative and made him or herself vulnerable to get his or her art out into the world.

I know we don’t live in a world that necessarily honors effort over other things. But hopefully we can still keep that in mind when we go about our daily business, interacting with people, making choices, forming opinions, speaking our minds. Everyone out there is trying. Trying to make good lives for themselves. Maybe even trying to get their messages out into the world, like all artists do. Some are more successful than others. Some go about their lives being nicer and kinder than others. We might not agree with everything everybody does. Actually, I can guarantee you that we won’t. And we will inevitably come across people who try to hurt others, or maybe don’t try to do anything at all. But in the end, we’re all human. We can give most people credit for trying.

I’m not suggesting that everyone try to psychoanalyze everyone with which they come into contact to figure their stories out. This doesn’t have to be in the forefront of everyone’s minds. But maybe we can tuck this away, somewhere in a corner of our minds, and maybe remind ourselves everyone once in a while, so that we can act with a little more kindness and appreciate the attempts.

So, complain, pick apart, criticize all you want. Just remember that the people on the other end of your comments were making an effort, just like you do in your own lives. They struggle, just like you do. They have their own stories, just like you do. They could very well give it all right back to you.

So all of those songs and paintings and books you don’t like – give the artists props for trying. Of course, you’re entitled to your opinions. But all of you are entitled to have your stories respected.

Remember George Carlin’s shtick about stuff? Can you say that last phrase three times fast?

Today’s topic is stuff. What you have; where you keep it; what you need versus what you want. One of my writer friends, Annie Brewer, blogs and writes books about having stuff – and how to live with less. I don’t presume to know as much about this as she does, but in the context of prepping, I’m going to give you a few tips.

Your stuff. You love your stuff, or at least like it. Or you did, when you bought it. Somehow it accumulates and takes over your closet, your garage, your shed, your basement.

What happens to your stuff if SHTF?

If you bug in, nothing, probably. If you bug out… well, you can’t take it with you! You have to determine what is useful stuff as opposed to non-useful. That’s probably a good idea any time, but especially if, you know…

So what do you do? First, stop accumulating more stuff! For example, last year for Christmas I got my husband a “volunteer” spot at the Senior PGA Tournament that was here in town. Okay, so he also received, from them, a hat, a shirt, and a jacket. But those things are useful.

For Fathers’ Day, we gave him a ticket to go ghost hunting at The Book House in July. Not only does it benefit The Book House, but again, no stuff! And if he brings home a ghost as a souvenir, he’ll be sleeping with in out in the greenhouse…

(As a side note, for Mothers’ Day I got dirt and garden plants = useful stuff.)

Let’s assume you stop the madness; you stop getting more stuff. What do you do with all the stuff you already bought?

First, you have to decide what’s important – like your great-grandma’s rocking chair or your lawn mower. Or your book collection. Divide all your stuff into four categories: important, useful or potentially useful, necessary, and superfluous.

Only you can decide what’s important to you; useful or potentially useful can include all kinds of things and are what you need when SHTF. Necessary, of course, are things that are needed now, before SHTF. Superfluous, well, again, only you can decide that!

Of course, I don’t mean for you to make giant piles of stuff. Make a list. Or start with one room. Here, I’ll give you an example:

Our guest room.

In this room there is a bed, of course, an antique dresser, an antique dressing table and bench, and a small bookshelf. There are also a few pictures on the wall, some decorative fake ivy, a few knick-knacks, and a closet. The closet holds a hodgepodge of, well, stuff.

Obviously, the bed needs to stay in the guest room or it wouldn’t be a guest room. I’m pretty attached to the dresser, because it was one of my first finds and I got a heck of a deal; plus, it’s over 160 years old. And again, guest room! The pictures, too, are important to me, and some of the knick-knacks, like a couple of tin train cars that were my dad’s. All of these things fall under that “important to me” category, so they’re staying. Oh, and the bed too, because it’s “necessary.” The rest of the knick-knacks would probably go on either a “get rid of it” list or a “eh, whatever happens to it, happens to it.”

The closet, on the other hand is trickier to determine. Most of the hanging clothes are dress clothes which we wear… oh, once in a blue moon. Truthfully, some are decades old and should be given away. I seriously doubt when SHTF we’ll be going out to dinner. Or, well, OUT to dinner, but not out to dinner… oh, never mind, you get it, right?

There are also some miscellaneous stuff the kids have left or lost over the years, and a bunch of wrapping paper, boxes, gift bags, etc. Oh, and my ice skates. Don’t ask. A few clothing items I’m rather attached to – as well as those skates – like my old camp staff jacket and shirt. And my great-grandmother’s confirmation dress, which my daughter and I also wore for our confirmations. So, again, a few things which are “important,” a lot that can be tossed. I also store blankets in the closet – these fall under useful (well, in the winter) and potentially useful. So those definitely stay.

Now, my advice to you, using my guest room as an example, is to pack and store the important things; in my case, that would be the photos, those couple knick-knacks, my staff jacket and shirt, and maybe the ice skates. Hmmm. Maybe.

Anyway, keep these boxes/totes/whatever with your cache of food and supplies; have them clearly marked and, if you have to bug out and you have room for any extras, you can throw them in your vehicle too.

Now, tossing or donating stuff can help free up your time – less moving stuff around, less dusting, etc., – but you don’t want to live in a cell either. There’s no reason you can’t have decorative, um, stuff, lying around, brightening up the place. Just know that simple can be good, too. And, if you aren’t attached to the décor, it won’t be as hard to leave it.

And if what’s important to you is packed and ready to go, it’ll be a lot easier to just GO, without worrying about your stuff or trying to run around and collect it all. In fact, it could be very detrimental to health and well-being when SHTF if you have to waste time trying to find the important “stuff.”