Stuff

I wandered through a couple of local retail establishments this afternoon. Christmas stuff is out on the shelves. This fact does not offend me, it's more of a source of astonishment. Or curious fascination. Or bafflement. Or something. I am amazed at the sheer and enormous quantities of stuff out there. Most of which I am not the least bit interested in purchasing. Particularly any item with a holidayish theme that requires batteries and has a switch that throws a normally inanimate something or group of somethings into motion. Along with the animation comes noise, sometimes tinny electronic music, or singing or possibly sounds derived from various members of the animal kingdom. You know, the things that kids or men (who are at the moment not under the supervision of their wives or girlfriends) will push the little red button and turn the damn things on! And these devices, ladies and gentlemen, cannot be turned off! Once activated, they go through their little routine and then shut off when they are quite finished, thank you. I suppose one could upend the offending machine and rip out its batteries. I just move to another aisle. I wonder, though, who buys all this stuff. And what compels them to part with their money to obtain the coveted items. And why the items are coveted to begin with. We like our stuff. As well as containers to properly sort and store the stuff. I like my stuff. Sometimes I'm quite amazed at the amount of stuff I've accumulated thus far. I'm currently in a cleaning out and lightening up the load kind of mode. Going through things and passing on what I no longer need or want to someone who might need or want more stuff. The ebb and flow of stuff. I'm keeping the pink flamingos.