Junk

So, yesterday I tidied my office. I went through files and folders and cupboards and shelves and GOT ORGANISED.

And I was surprised at what I found. Old drafts of stories. Old drafts (and drafts, and drafts) of books I’d written before deciding they were rubbish. My work for a (pretty crummy) distance learning writing course I did years ago. Enough highlighters to last me a lifetime. Old notebooks.Birthday cards and Christmas cards from people I don’t speak to any more – they’re the things that reminded me how much things have changed in the years that I’ve been writing/trying to write. Eight years. Who’d have thought that!


Anyway. So with the files and cupboards done yesterday, today it was time for me to tackle my desk drawers. To say their organisation had been neglected would be an understatement. But I don’t really keep much in them aside from a bit of stationery and a few odds and ends. OR SO I THOUGHT! (I also thought the drawer was pretty small. Hmm. How wrong one can be.)

This is what came out of it.

Christ on a bike indeed.

So, what was that stuff?

Well, more highlighters. An array of staplers. The camcorder battery I’d been looking for for months. Tape. Stuff. More stuff. Pens. Pencils crayons. Lighter fluid. Even more stuff.

The largest paper-clip I think I’ve seen. (Pictured next to my watch for scale. I don’t do things by halves, you know.)

And this. Which was very much not expected.

(For those younger readers here, it’s called ‘a cassette‘. And it’s an audio book about a chap called He-Man.) Like I said, it’s funny how things change. This used to be cool. And modern. And I used to be young.

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nikperring

Nik Perring is a short story writer, author, teacher of writing, and editor from the UK. His stories have been published widely all over the world. His books include the widely celebrated Not So Perfect (Roastbooks 2010), A Book of Beautiful Words; and Beautiful Trees; and he co-wrote Freaks!(TFP/HarperCollins, 2012).

13 thoughts on “Junk”

  1. I LOVED He-Man, and, of course, and probably more, I LOVED She-Ra. It was typical after-school viewing while Mum made tea (yes, posh types, we had 'tea' not 'dinner').Watching that now I can't help but wonder why he held his sword 'aloft' and I think – that's an odd word choice for the audience in mind. I never ever noticed it back then. It was obviously more aspirational than I remembered 🙂

  2. I used to love He-Man! Adored the feature length Christmas special they did where Orko lands on earth and… ahem. Anyway, it's not mess, it's part of the creative process.

  3. "By the power of Greyskull" what are you going to do with all that? Your desk drawer is a tardis. I dig the tiny post it notes though – I use those – but I am astounded at the sheer volume of matter upon your desk, sir!

  4. ha ha , this was a really funny post. being the queen of junk myself, i admired the stuff that came out of your drawer.ok, so now you can rest for a couple of years ( that's what i do after a major clear-out)

  5. I love photos of junk. Sorry ' lovely piles of things from drawers'. They make me feel more normal:-)ps where did you get the stand up clip thing – the upright thingy you put paper in when you want to copy type? You see, I can't even describe it well enough to google it.

  6. When I saw the photo of your desk, I was shocked! I actually thought that was what your desk looked like before you cleaned up! Teach me not to read things more carefully! Duh!Do you still own a cassette player? I have one in the car! Used to love He-Man and, of course She-Ra!

  7. Sorry to take a while replying, folks. Thanks for popping over and saying hello. And yes, He-Man rocks. But not as much as tidy offices! Lane, it's a copy holder. A bit like this…www.google.com/m/products/catalog?client=ms-opera-mini&q=copy+holder&channel=new&source=search&cid=1107901738061102035&ei=ju7FTOjTOpCcmAPO8tCRAg&ved=0CAoQ8wIwAA

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