Relocation

Travel Light, And It's Not A Problem

by Paul Jason Clegg (cleggp@megadodo.com)
written 19 Jul 1994

This article is classified "Real"


Every once in a while, or more, if you change jobs a lot, a person will
move to a new place of residence, such as a new house, apartment, dorm
room, or bus station.

This, to put it bluntly, is a major pain in the ass.

It's not that bad, if you're not sentimental, and if you're very sensible
about what you keep.  However, if you've lived in the same house for over
twenty years, and you decide to move, you find out exactly how much crap
you've managed to accumulate.

Moving should not be a bad experience for any hitchhiker, since, by
definition, hitchhikers are used to travelling light, and relocating
often.  However, hitchhikers who've been spoiled by travelling light
should be warned not to get involved in helping move anyone else.

Husbands will inevitably complain about all the knickknacks their wives
insist on keeping, and yet they'll never throw away the spare tire from
the car they sold fourteen years ago.  Wives will inevitably complain
about all the tools their husbands insist on keeping, and yet will not
throw out the musty ball of yarn that has since changed color to a sickly
green, simply because they insist they'll start knitting again, after
seventeen years.  Fathers insist on keeping broken things that they will
promise to fix after they've moved in, and mothers will never give away
any of the closets full of clothes they'll never wear again.

And of course, they'll insist on bringing the furniture, which is just
too heavy for a hitchhiker to really be bothered with.

Also, be prepared to break things.  Usually, by some luck, the things
broken will be things you really didn't need or want anyway, and this
will present an excuse to toss it, but don't count on it.  Also, don't
try to intentionally break something, under the premise of an accident,
because anything intentionally broken will always seem intentionally
broken, no matter how you try to hide it.  This I've learned from
experience.

The best time to move is probably the fall or spring, where you can
work up a sweat, but then cool off just by doing nothing.  Never try
to move in the summer, where you sweat just thinking about moving.
After a day of moving in 100 degree (Fahrenheit) weather, with a
humidity of 75 percent, you will have no fluid left in your body, and
you'll probably be very uncomfortable.  Unless, of course, you're in the
military, and stationed somewhere near the equator, like Texas, in which
case this kind of weather is a welcome relief.

See also:
  • Travel Necessities

  • Go to [Root page | Title list | Author list | Date list | Index]