Leaving Trunk: Where I’ve been and where I’m going…
Time to leave another place of residency. Cue the music!
Taj Mahal – “Leaving Trunk“
I went upstairs to pack my leavin’ trunk
I ain’t see no blues, whiskey made me sloppy drunk
I ain’t never seen no whiskey, the blues made me sloppy drunk
I’m going back to Memphis babe, where I’ll have much better luck
I ain’t never seen no whiskey, the blues made me sloppy drunk
I’m going back to Memphis babe, where I’ll have much better luck
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Thinking about our move to London and the place that I lived. Lots of time spent on the East Coast of the States (New England & Florida). Going to have to start packing again before we split. The key to packing and picking your life up and toting it around from country to country…downsize! Keep jettisoning the stuff you absolutely do not need.
The stuff you do need and the stuff you are tied to with emotional heartstrings are what you bring along. It gets hard to decipher the stuff need versus the stuff you are tied to. For instance, I have a massive music collection. No chance this doesn’t come with me. I also have a very sizable collection of books relating mostly to music, but also to other major interests of mine (Hunter S. Thompson, the U.S. Civil War, business and philosophy books, etc.).
I keep hauling these around with me, because some day I am going to have an office/study (or “The Vault“) where I can put these in. Some of these books I may not look through for years, but when I need a fact or to verify some obscure story behind a song…I can run to it.
Here are all of my books: Judd’s Library
Chances are I am not getting rid of these books. But, there are many things I will get rid of. For instance, I have the six month and one year rule on clothes. If I haven’t worn it those time frames, it could be on the trash heap. Of course there are some items you just don’t wear a lot. If it is something I don’t wear a lot, but want to have…it stays (I’ve got this cool embroidered flower shirt I love. Doesn’t get a lot of wears, but it is a keeper).
(Me in my cool flower shirt…works best with beer in hand. Venice circa 2002)
Anyhow, I start the keep/don’t keep process in two weeks. I am going to be ruthless on the “absolutely do not need” and brutal on the stuff that could fall into that category. I’m going to document that process, too. As always, I make sure to give all of the left over clothes and such to the Salvation Army or some other cause.
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Like I said, I am starting to rack up the global miles on where I have lived. Here is a map with all my old haunts. If you zoom in close enough you may be able to spot all my old Skeletons luring in dark places.
(click on the pins for details)
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I liked how you said, “the stuff you do not need and the stuff you are tied to with emotional heartstrings.” I have never heard it put that way before, but that’s exactly how it feels. I definitely understand the connection to books. I have paid a boat load of money to ship books back and forth from east to west a couple of times. It pays off to keep them… I also have a clothes rule, but mine is about a year.I imagine documenting the process with will allow you to bring closure to your “stuff” that has in one way or another…Kept you company!”A rack of my old haunts…I really like the imagery in your writing. It draws me in as a reader and I can feel what you are feeling and describing.
Hey Judd – great peek into your book library. I’m curious – what, in your opinion, is the best Stones bio? Haven’t read any… I loved Ronnie Wood’s autobiography.
(for me) that is an easy one, Pete. Stanley Booth’s “True Adventures of the Rolling Stones”. He was “there” and he makes you feel like you were as well. He writes it from a “shoulder to shoulder” perspective and he can also describe it as a curious onlooker as well as a “I got too close and got burned” view. I have read it 8 times. It is like putting on a favourite song.It is also a great cultural take on the times.Link: http://books.google.com/books?id=3WAFAAAACAAJ&lr=&rview=1
Jessica…”feeling and describing” what I am writing. Thanks. So does that mean you wouldn’t mind helping me pack?! Cheers. Judd