Empty the Trash!

There's nothing quite as intriguing as that little trash can icon on my computer desktop. Its sits there quietly, filling up day by day. The last time I checked I had about 800 pieces of trash. I hesitate to empty it. There have been days, I have dug through that trash, looking for a file, or a note I didn't think I needed anymore. I had to confirm an appointment yesterday, and I couldn't find the email reply. I, in my cleaning mood, emptied my trash.

I do the same thing in my office. There sits my rubbermaid trash can. Full. I don't think it holds 800 pieces, but it does hold a lot. And I can recount the many times, I've had to dig in it, looking for some note I wrote myself. I'm a graphic artist. Filing away information in folders does not work for me. Out of site, out of mind. Can't find it. Piles are different that trash. I know what's in my piles most of the time.

I use my trash can also as a tabletop to hold important papers, as I sit at my computer and design intricate brochures for million dollar corporate clients. Haven't lost anything, yet. Another reason, not to empty the trash.

I opened the door to my teenage daughters room. I can't find the trash can. I think her whole room is one. It took my breathe away, and I slowly closed the door and backed away. My son's room is no different. My husbands trash can is the top of his dresser. Its also the place spare change gets tossed. He empties that trash can about twice a year, or when things start falling off the edges. Even my dog, Zoe gets into the trash. She has a different motive though, she is looking for food. She is quite clever in pulling over the metal heavy-duty-dog-proof-trash can. If there is even a little bit of the liner showing, she grips it with her teeth and down it goes. Now, I've never actually seen her do this. I'm just imagining her mischief when I am away. I end up cleaning up after her. I don't mind her mess as much. She's a dog, and lacks opposable thumbs. My family doesn't believe in emptying their trash and they do have opposable thumbs.

Then there's my friend Bernice. I am teaching her how to use a computer. I think she asks me more questions about that icon, than anything else. I have spent some time in her home. And when she needs to find something, she goes to the file, and gets it. Amazing! And it doesn't matter how many times I tell her that she will never fill up that trash can, she insists on opening it, looking inside and throwing things away. She wants to see that empty trash can icon. I sometimes wish I was more like Bernice. But then, when I need to dig through my trash looking for something important, it would be gone.