Lists: Forever and Always


Remember lists?   It’s time for a new entry.  Read about my list posts here, then comment and add your own thought.  At the end of the month Random.org will choose a winner from everyone who added to any April list to receive an autographed novel.   Remember, please stay away from politics, religion and general snarkiness, or the gatekeeper will “lose” your entry.

I’m moving.  I’ve told you that before, and I bet you’ll hear it a time or two more before the moving vans arrive.  But as a novelist, I spend a lot of time figuring out how to make “ordinary” things “extraordinary” for my readers. This means a certain amount of contemplation on even day-to-day events.

I move quite a bit, which is wonderful, considering that I’d never throw out anything if I didn’t.  This time, though, I’ve been in the same house for thirteen years.  This means thirteen years of accumulated items I was certain I could never part with.

Guess what?  I can part with lots of them, and I am.

This did set me thinking, though, about what we can’t part with in our lives. What is precious to us, so precious that we would do anything to keep it?

Today’s list asks that question.   As always I’ve listed five, but you can list as few or as many as you’d like.  Just do it in a comment right here, and you’ll be entered in the giveaway.

Since it goes without saying that you have people and pets in your life you would not want to live without, this list is for non-breathing object.

The Things I Could Never Give Away

1:  Anything that makes me laugh.  In my case this includes the wizard in a crystal ball who answers important questions so I don’t have to, and Percy, the Singing Pig who sings “My Girl” as he shimmies back and forth on my bookshelf.

2:  My computer.  You understand why, right?

3:  Photos.  Although, let’s be honest, how often do we look at them?  Still, mine represent my past, and it’s a great pleasure to relive it.

4:  Fabric, sewing supplies, quilt books and magazines.  Getting rid of any of these is futile, since I would immediately begin to stash fabric again, probably on the trip to my new house.

5:  Jewelry.   I’m not a collector and I have very little of value, but much of what I do have was given to me by family or friends.  That raises the meaning of each item to a whole new level.

I felt a huge need, even a duty, to put books here, but quite honestly?  My research books are no longer as helpful as the Internet.  The novels I love are easier to store as ebooks now.  And there is always that most wonderful of places, the public library, if I want to re-read a favorite on paper.  I’ll be taking my keepers, of course, but not as many as you might think.  I can’t live without books, and I am eternally grateful that I will never have to.

Now, how about you?

Congratulations to Marilyn Seitz, who won the March list giveaway and will receive an autographed novel.  Thanks to everyone else who participated.

15 Comments

  1. Katherine Gegner on April 3, 2012 at 7:45 am

    My grandmother’s diaries.

  2. Belinda on April 3, 2012 at 10:06 am

    My girls first pair of shoes.

    Pictures

    The rocking chair my mom had as a little girl.

  3. Audrey Bonnell on April 3, 2012 at 11:21 am

    1 Craft Supplies are at the top of the list. Tried to get rid of stuff before moving back to my brand new apartment. Guess what! I was doing a craft project and I had given away all my lace, just had to buy new supplies to do it a little different.
    2 Books but only those from my favorite authors and maybe the Father Tim series. Some of my favorite Christian favorites but the rest are so much easier on my Nook.
    3 Photos You I don’t go through them very often and I have them on my computer and CD’s but there is just a feeling of closeness when you can hold a picture or have it framed on your wall.
    After 2 fires I have found that most things are just STUFF even the things that are from special people in your life. The things mean so much but once they are gone you still have the memories. Those never go away.

  4. Beverly Silvestre on April 3, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    Little nick-nacks that where my Mom’s, just remind me so much of her. Family pictures and videos. A huge, very old family bible, even though it is falling apart, it has notations written in by family before I was even born.

  5. Cheryl Rasmussen on April 3, 2012 at 3:07 pm

    1. Same as Emilie’s # 4 plus beading supplies, needlework supplies and knitting supplies. All my quilts that I have made and have kept for myself. Everything else can be replaced. I did give away an old family bible when my mother passed and have regretted it every single day.

    2. Photos etc

    3. Jewelry

    4. All of my Precious Moments Figurines which is alot because they were given to me on special occasions by my children, friends, mom.

    5. Every one of my counted cross stitch items that I have stitched. They are not replaceable because it took me years and years to stitch them and I have over 300 pieces which include framed pieces, pillows, Christmas ornaments and many many more.

  6. Debbie Hearne on April 4, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    I’ve had a hard time answering this because like Audrey our family had a house fire in 1991 and lost everything. Material things that I thought I could not live without were suddenly gone.

    I would choose to keep 2 things. The last birthday card that my oldest son gave to me before we lost him in an accident in 2008 because it is so special to me. The other thing would be my security blanket that was given to me by my youngest son. The blanket/throw stays in my recliner with me at all times.

    • Emilie Richards on April 4, 2012 at 3:01 pm

      This had to be a hard question for you to answer on several levels. But wonderful choices.

  7. Cynthia Dunlop on April 5, 2012 at 8:17 am

    Emilie, that is a hard question, I think it would be hard for me to part with anything, that has to do with my family, my books and my jewerly supplies.

  8. Jean Henry Mead on April 6, 2012 at 11:40 am

    Joanna is amazing. I’m blown away by all her accomplishments. I’ll also be inteviewing her at one of my blog sites soon.

  9. Maureen Johnson on April 10, 2012 at 1:48 am

    I couldn’t live without my needlepoint suppies or my wool.
    Photos and books are definite keepers. My rings and my favorite quilts. I couldn’t choose just one item as apparently I’m quite materialistic and selfish (which I didn’t realize until I started making this list). But, I’m certainly not going to fret about it.

  10. Debra Kilgore on April 27, 2012 at 8:54 pm

    I have recipes, scrapbooking supplies, fabric stashes, books of course and small trinkets of my kids childhood. They the Grandkids that is , may want them, Right. That is what I say anyway

  11. Liz on April 28, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    I agree with Audrey that memories are what count, although some of us, as we age, need aids.

  12. Rebecca Cook on April 29, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    I would never give away the quilts that I inherited from both my grandmothers. The quilts may not be the best ones ever made and certainly would not win any shows. But, these quilts are extremely valuable to me.

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