Box 6: Friday, Jan. 6, 2023

CONTENTS: Just a couple of days after clearing out a box that contained items from our younger daughter’s desk, today it’s the other daughter’s turn: Today’s box includes some of her schoolwork and other documents. Because I’m not a complete monster, I texted her to ask if she wanted me to hang onto any of these documents. Here was her answer, which I quote in full:

“Nah.”

Except she didn’t put a period after the answer. This makes me wonder: Am I marking myself as an old person when I punctuate my texts? Actually, don’t answer that. I know the answer.

DISPOSITION: After removing her class scribblings, we’ll give the notebooks to someone we know who likes to use them to take minutes of meetings. Most of the course syllabuses (fun fact: “syllabi” also is acceptable as the plural of syllabus) were tossed into the recycling bin, but only after considerable effort to remove dozens of staples. Staples are my new least-favorite thing. I did hang onto some of the materials in the box, however; drawings, essays about herself that she wrote for many different classes, that sort of stuff — you know, stuff a parent can use as blackmail material with their adult children. We’ll file that material away for safekeeping, but not in the garage. The box contained a couple of three-ring binders, which I will place in a box in the garage that contains many other three-ring binders. This box will wait for another day.