Thing #166: Acrylic Paint

True story: in 2006, I constructed a do-it-yourself Seattle Seahawks beer helmet to bring to a Super Bowl party. Needless to say, my friends were impressed. I built it using parts from a hardware store and a few additional supplies from a craft store. The helmet itself is long gone, but I found these leftover (2oz) acrylic paints:

• 2 True Blue
• 1 Metallic Sequin Black
• 1 Spring Green

They've been in a storage bin ever since that classic game, so I decided to put out a "who wants these?" call on a major social network. To my mild surprise, multiple people offered to take them. I guess I have artsy friends! Becky was fastest, so she and Jeff get to paint something. Maybe their own beer helmet?

I threw in the brushes, too, because without paint I don't need brushes. I do art like once a decade.

Thing #145: Flannel Tarp

I'm calling this a "flannel tarp" because I have no idea what it actually is. It feels like a flannel sheet, it's bright turquoise in color, and it has little tie strings in each of the corners. Maybe once upon a time it was a piece of a hippie hut?

My best guess as to its origin: perhaps I used this as padding material when I moved out of my parents' house? I just found it stuffed in a closet and it's pretty beat up (holes, stains, etc.) so I have no reservations throwing it away, whatever it is.

(As far as I know, my parents never lived in a hippie hut.)

Thing #134: Beach Towel

You can easily justify owning two beach towels.

Maybe you're just hangin' out with your friend and you guys decide to go to the beach, but your friend is all "hey man, that sounds fun but I don't have a beach towel on me" and then you're like "dude, it's cool, I totally have an extra beach towel" because you planned ahead for just this exact scenario, word for word.

This happens less than you'd think, though, so I've decided to reduce my total inventory of beach towels by 50%. I did this by getting rid of the more embarrassing towel, which would have been a smart move until I realized that now I have to post a photo of the more embarrassing towel. This is the sound of a plan backfiring.

Thing #128: Three-Hole Punch

I think it goes without saying that "three-hole punch" sounds way more awesome than what it actually describes.

Thing #115: This American Life CD

Alaina loaned me this NPR recording back when we were in a play. I finally got around to listening to it, long after the play was over, and long after I remembered why she loaned it to me.

In any case, my CD player (by which I mean my Xbox 360) kept skipping over one track, so I found that you can listen to this episode online. I did, and enjoyed it.

Thing #107: Bath Mat

Apparently if you don't pick up a bath mat often enough, it can get all moldy and gross underneath and partially fuse to your tile floor. Yeah, really! Probably a combination of shower moisture, no open windows, and the mat sitting right next to the radiator all winter.

I may replace it at some point, in which case this entry would be invalid. But hold on, I've thought this through: I have an old towel that I was going to get rid of, but now I'm keeping that as a poor man's bath mat (which I will remember to wash more often, I hope). If, at some point, I give in and acquire a new bath mat, I'll just get rid of the towel, and I'll still be ahead by one item.

Realistically, I'm lazy and I'll probably just use keep using the towel.

Thing #92: Platinum Select MasterCard

In 2010, I had credit card debt that I couldn't pay off in a month or two. I opened this new account in order to take advantage of a balance transfer offer where I'd pay no interest for 18 months. I'm happy to report that I paid the debt in time, which means I don't need this card.

I'd actually never closed a credit card account before, so I was expecting some resistance. Sure enough, I was transferred to an "account specialist" who proceeded to offer even more resistance than I imagined. I mean, she was good. She really, honestly had me second-guessing my decision to close the account.

But in the end, my stubborn persistence defeated her superior logic. A strangely satisfying way to win.

Thing #71: Plastic Compasses

These compasses were used as decoration for a nautical-themed party a couple years ago. They have a little sentimental value, but I can't keep everything, so now that I've found all six of them, off they go.

Thing #38: Ibuprofen

It almost feels like cheating. Last summer I brought some things back from my parents' house, including a gym bag that I just recently opened to find all kinds of random stuff from long ago. I found plastic bags with coins in them, souvenir mugs, etc. I'll have plenty of easy choices for getting rid of things.

Especially this one; the prescription was issued 7/24/03. Discard 7/24/04.

Yes, there are pills left. No, I didn't take any. But I thought about it. For science.

Thing #33: Bag of Salt

I bought this last winter to be a nice guy and clear out Sarah's back path, which was solid ice. But then I found a significant salt stash in her basement, so I didn't need to use the bag I brought.

I didn't need it for myself, either, since my apartment building already has snow removal service. So, this lived in my storage space for about a year until I gave it to Nate, who rents a house and is therefore responsible for his own snow removal.