Day 3 - 131 -- Drowning in Paper

When I find myself cleaning, it generally is an avoidance activity. Today I planned to clear through some old files to make room for new files and yet I found myself avoiding this task with multiple little fritters that kept popping up in front of me. I should be writing materials for the conference presentations in late summer, so clearing parts of the office makes sense from that standpoint. That I found other things to avoid the avoidance behaviour, made me laugh.

For legal and ethical reasons many files are saved for 1-7 years. I did find that some of the items I'd saved in files were there in sixteen different versions -- the final one is the only one that matters. So, I really need to take a moment to pull the old copy before adding umpteen newer versions to the same file. That is another item to keep in mind for the future. Right now, though, I need to clear out a lot of old paper -- recycling some and shredding others. I got through three of the active files that sit on the desk and on top of the lateral filing cabinet. Tomorrow it is the file drawer in the desk and then two major drawers in the upright cabinet. Some of the papers will be from years back -- and may be the only copy since several hard drive failures have occurred over the years, with many files gone with each failure.  I do expect there are duplicates of some items, so sorting and clearing will help find these while making room for the new additions and projects. Sounds simple, but seems to be a bigger issue than I had thought <smile>.

A song that seems to fit today's activities and thoughts is from the early days of an iconic band. While the background sentiment is unpleasant, on the surface the lyrics fit. Enjoy!

Yesterday's Papers -- The Rolling Stones