Vertical Storage

I have fallen in love with everything vertical storage represents! Seriously, the more I dwell on it, I realize that although it surrounds me, I am just now taking notice in its beauty. Similar to that cell phone commercial where you see the bars in the background of EVERY photo, it has stalked me all along regardless of the consideration I provided. The advanced version of VS, which for those of you who do not know, MVS (Mounted Vertical Storage) is just the stuff dreams are made of…well, at least for us organizing gurus. FACT: I am obsessed with watching a show on TV entitled “Clean Sweep” where they take an OCC (out of control) room and organize it beyond belief. The rooms go from a pile of mush to a transformed super command center with “defined” areas.

I think my brain must have vertical storage. NO JOKE. I literally can feel the information enter VS units within my noggin which contain highly complex files, folders, tabs, and dividers on each category when introduced to someone/something. Is that normal? Am I the only one? If not standard, I might just commit myself; I ask you - is white my color? My computer is the same way...an organized system of folders, subfolders, sub-subfolders, on and on. I think SOME people’s brains must resemble the OCC rooms before they are clean swept – just piles of randomness waiting to be applied. Oh how I would love to enter and organize their brains so they could retrieve random dates and information when presented the task. SECRET WISH - I also sometimes want to know how others feel while they input/access information just as I would appreciate knowing how it feels to be shy.

NOT that I would want to live my life permanently as an introvert or anything but I would like to live a day in the life. Crazy you say? Yes, I know! My step-dad always told me that I needed to understand how people (who do not possess such a STRONG personality as my abundant gift) feel and process information so I could be sensitive to their concerns and needs. I have tried to envision this mind frame and significantly fail each time. While I try to “put myself in their shoes” it never works. Where do I begin? Honestly, I believe that I have given it a fair go, I have observed their behavior, asked questions about their feelings on certain items and situations, attempted to make correlations and theories and ever expand my repertoire on the subject but I am still not quite “getting it.” I guess I will just give myself an “E” for effort, a pat on the back, a cookie, whatever else and move on…

I suppose what my step-dad was trying to say is; I am not very sensitive, which can be better defined as I tell it like it is. Why not? I think everyone secretly wants to hear the truth, right? Besides if you get it all out there, nothing can sneak up from behind and bite you in the “you-know-what.” People NEED to hear the truth; however, others fail to enlighten them because it is NOT considered proper; I blame our society for this common misconception. Now, don’t get me wrong – by no means am I saying that we should express every thought that crosses our mind to every person in our path and of course I am still deciphering the appropriate boundaries for this problem. Notwithstanding, although it can be considered rude to comment on certain things, they need to be said and I believe saying them should not be attached to any stigma.

For example, a couple of months ago I went to visit my grandma (who I believe is the reason for the majority of my personality) and her first comment before I even crossed the door frame was “you have put on some pounds since last time you came to town.” Now, everybody pull up your jaws…was I offended? Heck NO. Some people would maintain that she should have kept that observation to herself but I am glad she said something. To her credit, I had gained, albeit 5 lbs. or so, but in one’s day to day life sometimes we tend to overlook these small additions to the scale. Having someone we know and love point them out to us, well, should make it all the easier for us to “cardio up.” Side note: When I asked my other grandma if she had noticed any weight gain she confirmed the observation but refrained from mentioning it; however, since I asked…

Now, if some random stranger had commented on my weight does that “cross the line?” I am still trying to figure this puzzle out; it is a tough call! Personally, I know I should probably train myself to not speak my mind so often; however, I think that particular task would be more difficult to undertake than others just learning to confirm to my mindset. Is that realistic? Uh, big fat NO but in my perfect Harp world you just never know! Allow me to conclude this random rant with one of my favorite lines from an old Scotch-Irish prayer “Lord, grant that I might always be right, for Thou knowest I am hard to turn.”