Its strange that since our work/data is now stored in a digital form, the importance of spring cleaning seems to have reduced. Here in India, other than spring, its the days leading up to Divali (a major festival usually at the start of winters) that sees all households in the throes of a major clean up. Wardrobes, shoe racks, store rooms, kitchen stores and so on all get a thorough make over often with a coat of paint as well. Tons of faded/torn/outdated/outgrown clothes are either given away to the needy or some are possibly recycled into mops/dusters.
Yet I find that our digital ‘storage’ too must be cleaned occasionally. While it may not be necessary to ‘throw away’ things, data may need to be transferred into another format or some such ‘geeky’ treatment.
Here is another post that has emerged out of my e-spring cleaning of the October 2007 vintage!
…..
This has been a difficult week for me.
Reason? I was finding it really difficult to procure a particular soap bar.
Elementary, you may as well say like the legendary Sherlock Holmes. But there
was a huge barrier.
Reason? I was finding it really difficult to procure a particular soap bar.
Elementary, you may as well say like the legendary Sherlock Holmes. But there
was a huge barrier.
Seeing the deteriorating state of my kadahis
my domestic help recommended a particular brand to get them to sparkle. “None of this
fancy stuff you bring is any good,” she said. However she did not know its
name. Seeing my confusion she helpfully described the product to me.
my domestic help recommended a particular brand to get them to sparkle. “None of this
fancy stuff you bring is any good,” she said. However she did not know its
name. Seeing my confusion she helpfully described the product to me.
So I set off to the local shop confident of
making a purchase. What happened was totally surprising. The shopkeeper was
completely foxed by what I was asking for. Any fancy description seemed to draw
a blank.
making a purchase. What happened was totally surprising. The shopkeeper was
completely foxed by what I was asking for. Any fancy description seemed to draw
a blank.
Finally I began with the description I had
of the soap. I wanted a bar with a picture of a lemon on it! It had to have a
particular fragrance. It was specifically meant for aluminium vessels. This
brought strange looks from everyone on both sides of the store counter. I
seemed like an educated lady, had come out of a car and here I was describing a
brand like an illiterate person! I went from shop to shop with this description but
no one could provide me the ‘right’ stuff. I did not even know what right was
anymore. Did we really have such a large range of cleaning products? Then why
could I not find one for my kadahi?
of the soap. I wanted a bar with a picture of a lemon on it! It had to have a
particular fragrance. It was specifically meant for aluminium vessels. This
brought strange looks from everyone on both sides of the store counter. I
seemed like an educated lady, had come out of a car and here I was describing a
brand like an illiterate person! I went from shop to shop with this description but
no one could provide me the ‘right’ stuff. I did not even know what right was
anymore. Did we really have such a large range of cleaning products? Then why
could I not find one for my kadahi?
Here I was a self-proclaimed celebrated
hostess, shopaholic, mall savvy and alert consumer who could not get one bar of
soap. My ego thoroughly deflated I picked up the first one I was offered at the
10th shop and returned home.
hostess, shopaholic, mall savvy and alert consumer who could not get one bar of
soap. My ego thoroughly deflated I picked up the first one I was offered at the
10th shop and returned home.
‘This is not the one’ she pronounced.
I gave up. I told her to get a wrapper
from somewhere and I showed the shop keeper to give me the kadahi panacea. The joy I felt that day was something I
had not felt even when I had managed to pick up the rare kantha sari at
the monsoon sale!
from somewhere and I showed the shop keeper to give me the kadahi panacea. The joy I felt that day was something I
had not felt even when I had managed to pick up the rare kantha sari at
the monsoon sale!
The struggle was worth it because my
utensils are sparkling now! Lesson Learnt: Keep an open mind and learn from
everybody. There is no substitute for experience and recommendations from such
a person will invariably make a positive change.
utensils are sparkling now! Lesson Learnt: Keep an open mind and learn from
everybody. There is no substitute for experience and recommendations from such
a person will invariably make a positive change.
Age should not be a barrier but mental
attitude can be. Overcome it and open your mind there is a wealth of learning
waiting for us!
attitude can be. Overcome it and open your mind there is a wealth of learning
waiting for us!
NOTE:
Kadahi: Wok
Kantha: A type of embroidery from India’s West Bengal state
Best!
Archana
We did a lot of spring cleaning today ourselves. Not data, just the old fashioned kind!
There is something wonderful about going back and looking at what we have written in our "youthful" days of blogging. To see where we have come from, and the type of writer we have become. Simply astounding the journey we make, without even knowing it
Thanks!
🙂
Glad you got a head start on spring cleaning, and finally found what you needed. It's nice to meet you, and I look forward to seeing you at A to Z!
Julie
Thank you Julie.