Dispensing of things is a curious business sometimes. Our society defines has value in unexpected ways. We have given away piles of perfectly usable merchandise, including furniture, appliances, toys, clothes, and computers. We have thrown out hundreds of items that are still functional but worthless because new replacements are readily available and no one can be found to take the used things.

A few of the things yet to be sold, or given away … Click for larger.

For example, I have a completely operational color TV, and a combination print-fax-scan device. Our local recycle place won’t accept them. Apparently the TV is too old, even though it works perfectly. I don’t know why they won’t take the 3-in-1 device.

But while I can’t sell or even give away those things, I discovered that I can sell an obsolete version of TurboTax software for up to $25 on eBay.

Why? Because as it turns out, people sometimes need to reprint their old TurboTax files. If you’ve lost the paper copies and didn’t make a PDF, you are forced to find an obsolete copy of the software to open and reprint the file. This problem is apparently so pervasive that someone has even made a business out of it. So when I discovered a 1999 version of TurboTax in my old files, I put it on eBay. It’s weird what has value.

The cameras are going on eBay …

Speaking of weird, here’s the latest from my friend in Nigeria, “Dr. Lilian Williams.” She is still interested in sending me a fake check for $2,500 for a rusted-out car.

HELLO,
THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING BUT THE CHECK WAS SENT BACK BY THE COURIER SERVICE USED BECAUSE THEY DONT DELIVER TO P.O BOXES SOI URGE THAT YOU GET BACK TO ME WITH YOU FULL NAME AND FULL HOME ADDRESS SO THAT THE CHECK CAN BE SENT DIRECTLY TO YOU.
THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING ONCEMORE.
I AWAIT YOUR REPLY.
DR.LILIAN WILLIAMS

I’m not eager to provide this scammer with a home address, so perhaps I’ll give up on the quest for a souvenir fake Nigerian check. It’s not worth opening a private mail box just for this. If anyone else wants to volunteer an address, let me know, otherwise I’m going to say goodbye to Dr Lilian.

Yesterday: six hours at storage. Our cumulative time on this project of dispensing with excess stuff has to be in excess of 60 hours at this point. We are still at least 20 hours from our goal of having cut our total volume of stuff down by half. I am beginning to chant the mantra Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle as I work. Clearly, the first “R” is the important one. I doubt I will ever want to buy a big house again — they fill up with stuff too easily.

Eleanor and I are talking about schedule on a daily basis now. We think we will be spending Christmas Day in Corpus Christi, TX. I’ve updated the official schedule with the information we have at present.