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Good Old Stuff




Walmart is on the agenda for Friday. It’s not a day to go to Walmart. I was just there a few days ago to avoid going on a Friday or weekend. I bought ink for my new color printer.


Last night when I printed something on my regular printer, I was about out of ink. I have several printers left over from business. They must be 20 years old. They print well, using laser cartridges. I’m not about to get rid of them because they work with my computer, which is also old. None of this is wireless. Everything plugs into each other. If there is a problem, I can trace it.


The new printer is a color printer. It plugs in and has to be special ordered as everything in the store now is wireless. It uses ink cartridges.


When I was working. I had a color printer, nothing fancy or one that printed real fine. I only used it if my partner and I were going to produce a business advertisement. This wasn’t very often. In fact it was so seldom, the ink cartridges would dry up. I did everything to fool them, but it rarely worked. I covered the little metal containers with sticky notes, maybe even Saran Wrap. They still wouldn’t print. They constantly outfoxed me. I would have to open new cartridges, which were expensive, so I wasn’t too excited about color printers. I ended up either giving that one away or junking it, I don’t remember. 


The thing was, the printer worked great as long as it was used on a regular basis. It didn’t know it was old or outdated.


The cable guys laughed like crazy this past Spring when they looked at my computer. It is old. The program is outdated. It works, though, and I know how to use it.


The old stuff seems to be constructed better and lasts longer than this new stuff. I was driving wonderful, older cars. They had a lot of miles on them. They were physically comfortable. I just about got in a serious accident because of a blind spot situation, which served as a warning. I was the sole caretaker of my spouse who had Dementia. I had to upgrade cars. In addition, there were keys. I had to upgrade away from those.


I was so disappointed in the brand new car. It was pretty. It had all the safety equipment and more, but I hated it once I drove it for 20 miles. It sounded like a tin can. I couldn’t see out of it. The seat was not comfortable. There was too much safety equipment built into it. I guess I am the car canary.


I got rid of it and all of the cars and ended up with one that I could see out of. It is not super comfortable, but it does the job. It has all of the safety equipment and keeps me from backing over people who jump behind me when I am backing out at the grocery store.


It doesn’t bother me to have older equipment. I would’ve liked to keep at least one of the cars, but it wasn’t safe to do so. My spouse would’ve found a key no matter where I would have hidden it. And who knows if the car would have been the ride to go and try to find a game of poker.


There are so many out there who have to have the latest stuff. I guess it’s a status symbol, or maybe their self-worth is based on stuff. Then they throw away the old stuff or trade it in for something newer. Who buys it?


What I do know is the old stuff works. It has to be used to keep its parts going. It’s like our bodies, they stiffen up if not used.


The problems that present are the ones about non-use, like the old ink cartridges. After a while, they can’t be salvaged.


These non-use issues are like doors. There are so many closed doors. As I work to re-enter life and get hit with episodes of extreme grief, I think how easy it would be to leave the doors closed. I have blundered big time through some that I should’ve kept closed. I should’ve slammed one door shut, but I’m still a doer. If I don’t go through the doors, my parts (brain, emotion) will get stuck. I have to brave the unknown.


I will try to wrap and preserve some of my parts.


Does Saran Wrap come in extra large?


Contemplation: How beneficial is it to have all new stuff?

Let me know how you are doing. I care.


Sincerely,

Lynn Brooke


© 2024 Our New Chances

Photo Credit: © 2024 Rachel Gareau

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