Purging

I spent last night purging. It felt great! Don't worry, I'm not venturing into the dangerous world of the ultra-thin and extremely messed up. I prefer to let my binging stay put, thank you very much. I purged paper. Two years worth of paper. I decided that enough was enough, and there was no reason for me to hold onto the notes I made while studying nitrogen metabolism or major histocomaptability complexes.

As I am an admittedly hopeless pack-rat, this was a very big deal for me. I see the potential for EVERYthing to possibly be useful in a pivotal way some day. Imagine being caught without it! Horrors! How would I survive if I didn't have the clear plastic CD-shaped things that come on the top of a new pack of CD-ROMs? I mean? What if I needed... an extra coaster... or... a new face plate for a clock or a mini-frisbee? You never know. Ooo, it would make a good circular stencil, too...

What potential lay within those 15-20 notebooks full of paper? Knowledge! In my own handwriting! What riches! In some part of my brain, I was going to use those notes often during our clinical rotations, and even beyond in my medical practice. The other 99.7% of my brain - the logical part - was able to beat that little voice into submission last night. I tossed it all! I whittled it all down into one, slim, efficient Notebook of Knowledge. And, believe it or not, I'm tempted to toss that, too! Bring in the new! Out with the old!

It feels good to get rid of some old baggage. Now, I'm lighter and more portable. I can pick up and leave at a moment's notice. Well. Actually, not really. I only purged class notes. I still have the rest of my life nicely packed away into little rat holes all over the country. Maybe some day I'll get to those, too...

But now, I need to go home and pack! Tomorrow begins my West Coast Tour. Or, should I say The Important Parts of the West Coast Tour. Those being: Portland, San Francisco and San Diego. As a true Oregonian, I cannot acknowledge the existence of the middle part of California. ALSO: A true Oregonian recylces. So, while I may have 'purged' my notes...they're actually still in my apartment, waiting to be hauled to a recycling center... So sue me!