Monday, September 27, 2010

Memories Offline

This week I am leaving my day job after almost 8 great years! Among my most grueling tasks has been packing up my office after roughly 1800 days of work -- a number that makes 500 Days of Summer, look like a drop in the bucket.

Among the dried up markers and pay stubs was a paper trail of memories dating back to 2002. In each drawer and cabinet are relics that document the last 8 years of my life. Among the most valuable items were: a birthday card from a friend that has since passed away, a photo of me and Anna Nicole Smith from Fashion Week when she was promoting TrimSpa, an apology note from the first guy who broke my heart, a train pass from Montclair from when I couldn't afford NYC rent and a business card from a cutie I met the night my best friend came out to me on the roof of the Gansevoort Hotel.


Although I love tweets, texts, chats, BBMs, wall posts and FourSquare check-ins these communications are forever fleeting and can make the past seem to completely disappear from our newsfeeds, inboxes and eventually our lives. Just think of the birthday wishes we receive on our Facebook walls. After just a few days those heartfelt messages are buried beneath updates on where we ate lunch and what we think of that evenings' Dancing With the Stars performance. The lack of permanence creates an emphasis on the here and now with less thought left for the where we have been.

As we all continue to move as fast as a status update, I hope we do not become a world ridden with NOstalgia -- a place that is less humble, where people forget their history and are less thankful for the journey that took them to their final destination.

Right now my last 8 years barely fits into 6 large cardboard boxes -- and I hope in the next 8 years I only accumulate more baggage. Even if that makes packing up a total b*tch.

11 comments:

  1. Here's to more baggage!

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  2. "Action Sports Account Manager?" Girl, you should give him a call!

    Won't be the same around here without you.

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  3. Your best post to date...Every day I think about how quickly life is passing and how arbitary most of the things we do are. Congrats on your new life victory and remember...as one Ketchum door closes, a whole new life of doors swing open!! xoxoxo
    PS that was one of the most fun nights ever!!

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  4. Hope u don't plan on calling the cutie

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  5. Thanks for the support guys!!! Love you.

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  6. Not sure why you're leaving or where you are going but a big decision was probably(hopefully) made and congrats on that alone. Nice post, makes me sort of sad. Parallels the letter writing is the *real* communication-lost. As a tech junky myself( known fact), I like your list although I do not take part in all of them, no idea you like Big Black Men(BBM)??????????lol. I shall take note.

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  7. One of my favorite posts you've ever written.

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  8. The new BBM -- love it!

    I did not mean to go Nicholas Sparks on everyone, but it was definitely an emotional experience I wanted to share. Love to you all and glad it resonated. xo

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  9. SUPER DUPER RANDOM ALERT: does the girl on the right hand side have the initials GM? if so, i totally recognize her. she was my friend's older sister and a cool older girl who i worshipped from afar in like 4th or 5th grade I WAS convinced she was like Dawn from the babysitter's club brought to life!

    in other news: i hear your name in like every other ketchum brainstorming mtg. so out of sight but not out of mind!

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  10. No she is actually LB my first boss ever and an inspiration ever since. She is Dawn from Babysitter's club meets Cindy Mancini from Can't Buy Me Love. Thanks for reading Lexie and for your kind words. xo

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