Personal Belongings

There’s a lot of talk around here about budget cuts and potential layoffs. No one feels safe. In fact, we were called into a budget meeting several weeks ago and before the meeting, one of my coworkers told me how he put all his belongings in a cardboard box and asked me if I’d send it to him if something happened.

Several months ago I decided it was time to start backing up all my personal files I keep here at work. I didn’t own a computer for a very long time, so all my personal digital photos and documents I kept on my office computer. I finally moved all my photos off my hard drive and onto disks just in case I was called into a meeting and asked to not go back to my office.

After the holidays, I tend to clean things out and start anew. These days, with imminent layoffs and an inclement budget forecast for FY10, gathering important personal items is wise. Because I feel like I’m constantly getting rid of things, I never considered myself a pack rat, but apparently (photos to follow) I keep a lot of things for whatever reason.

I started this job in 2001. The girl before me left a lot of stuff in my desk. I got rid of a lot of it but kept some of it. Like these pastels. These may have been here for years before her time too judging from the design and look of the box. I guess I thought someday I would get artsy and draw a picture with them. Hasn’t happened.

Back in 2003 I took a nonfiction writing course up at the University. I submitted a series of emails I sent to my friend Ilene. Ilene and I had this thing where we would watch 7^th Heaven just so we could write to each other and bash on it. After the course I got this email from the instructor who encouraged me to publish them. Never did. But I like to keep this around as a reminder that a professional writer thought I was publishable.

This here is a phone holder. My mom (or Santa Claus, can’t remember which) gave this to me. I’ve had this ever since I’ve had my first phone. Back then phones were big enough to fit snugly in there. No longer.

Oh right, along with the pastels, I decided to keep these little circle stickers. We use them to indicate a piece out in the gallery is sold…so not very often. Martha Stewart showed me how to make decorative streamers with them. So a few Christmases ago I made a bunch of these and hung them from the windows in my office. Except this year. I forgot.

I never really found a good place for this little stained glass window my mom brought back for me from someplace. I think it’s supposed to be the rose window at Notre Dame. It looks good placed up against a blank word doc on my computer screen though doesn’t it?

The dolphin stamp. My coworker left this on my desk once, or maybe he even handed it to me as a “gift.” The cool thing about this stamp is that it lights up when you press down on it. I keep it around because my friend’s son likes to play with it when they come to visit.

I forgot I put all this salt and pepper in a plastic baggie. I don’t remember where I found it but apparently I felt strongly that they be kept around. I think I kept it around for my edamame I used to snack on in the afternoon.

It’s amazing how much personal stuff one accumulates at their office. I’ve heard horror stories of people getting laid off and then not being allowed to come back and save files on their computers or emails or pictures. I have a bunch of CDs here, books, toys – for the kids that come to visit. Maybe it’s time I transfer the important things to a more secure environment.