..."losers, weepers!"

This weekend John discovered that I seem to have lost an important serial number. It was for the new duplex scanner he got me for Christmas. He needed it to access some important software for a special bonus feature to complete an important project with the scanner. The number was printed on the flimsy paper sleeve that the scanner cd came in. I vaguely remember throwing something like that out recently in an organizing attempt.

We had a tense evening after that. After fruitlessly searching for what seemed like hours--me for the cd sleeve, and him for the serial number on their web-site, he finally emailed customer service and resigned himself to waiting until today when he hoped they would get back to him.

I was very relieved when I learned that they did get back to him this morning and gave him helpful advice--wow! customer service that really serves the customer!

This has high-lighted, yet again, how incompatible our personal filing methods are.

John's 'system' is sort of the "Frozen" (Disney movie) method -- "let it go, let it go." Combined with a natural mulch approach-- Papers drop off of him like leaves off a tree. They start to form layers and I suspect would eventually biodegrade like so much mulch, if I let them.

After 20 years of marriage I have given up on trying to keep him perfectly tidy and organized. I file things I notice that I know are important. But, I confess, I turn a blind eye to a lot of it. You have to pick your battles, right? Eventually though I reach my maximum mess tolerance limits. Then I tend to go on a ruthless organizing rampage. Sometimes this is good and I get us organized, at least for a few days. Other times, like this one, I let zeal overcome wisdom and I throw away something important.

Maybe a better system would be: once a week I could gather up all the vagrant papers from around the house. I could take care of ones that I know what to do with. The rest would go into a box. Then once a month, or once a fortnight, I could try to cajole John into helping me deal with the ones still in the box. It's worth a try.

Anyway, I'm thankful:
1. John forgave me for losing the serial number
2. the customer service people were helpful
3. we finally decided to "just do it" and sign up for the trip to Israel (see the last post)
4. I finished filling in my sample ballot. So I am ready, for better or worse, to vote tomorrow.
5. I didn't fall flat on my face when I stumbled on the stairs at the play Saturday.