Octopus Overlords

Once upon a time I had a trigger point. It's basically a charlie horse that never stops. Mine was in my neck, and putting pressure on it relieved it, at least momentarily.

So on the recommendation of physical therapists, my health insurer bought me this weird green hard-plastic self-massage thing that looks like a sawed-off shepherd's crook with some knobs attached. The insurance company paid $120 for it because that was cheaper than an actual masseuse. Crazy as it sounds, it helped. The trigger point finally relaxed and my chronic neck pain went away. But that involved a different weird medical thing that I'll save for later.

But the weird green plastic thing didn't. It's still hanging on a hook in my office, ready for action should the point ever trigger again. I have no use for it (I hope) but I can't throw it away because it cost $120 in dog years.

What "other stuff" do you have hanging around because you can't throw it away and don't know how to get rid of it?

Heh, google comes through on the first try. Behold the Thera-cane:

I know I've seen one of those before...maybe in a torture chamber.

Sure thats not a contraceptive device?

i've actually been wanting one of those (and i was told by a massage therapist to go for the original Thera-cane and not the $30 Chinese knock-offs). if you want to sell, let me know.

Looks like a marital aide to me.

hitbyambulance wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 2:17 am i've actually been wanting one of those (and i was told by a massage therapist to go for the original Thera-cane and not the $30 Chinese knock-offs). if you want to sell, let me know.

So have I, after seeing them suggested in a bunch of different articles and videos. FWIW, the original Thera-cane, by the original company, has an MSRP of $40 and is on Amazon for $30.

Having to move to a rental (and shortly having to move again to new house), has really opened my eyes as to what I need and don't need to hang on to.

The amount of pure unnecessary crap we had to move in and out of storage was such an eye-opener. Even after purging, the amount of stuff remaining that we don't need is still pretty overwhelming.

Still, it's really hard to get rid of stuff that you know has value, but that you don't actually use. And getting money out of it is probably more trouble than its worth. So you just hang on to it. I try to keep sunk costs in mind with all things, and not get hung up on what I paid for something when deciding whether to toss it, but it's hard.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:27 am

hitbyambulance wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 2:17 am i've actually been wanting one of those (and i was told by a massage therapist to go for the original Thera-cane and not the $30 Chinese knock-offs). if you want to sell, let me know.

So have I, after seeing them suggested in a bunch of different articles and videos. FWIW, the original Thera-cane, by the original company, has an MSRP of $40 and is on Amazon for $30.

I have the Body Back Buddy Classic, or as I call it, the weird backscratcher.

Sunk cost is a fallacy...

Are we retiring the original Random Randomness?

Did it become too big? too random? Too big to random?

This is the often neglected sub genre of random things.

Dos this subtopic include random stuff, or just random things? I have lots of stuff and things, and often can't tell them apart. We may need to come up with an official definition to know what's acceptable in here.

YellowKing wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:46 am The amount of pure unnecessary crap we had to move in and out of storage was such an eye-opener. Even after purging, the amount of stuff remaining that we don't need is still pretty overwhelming.

Yes. We downsized in 2019 after being in our last house for 12 years. An entire two-car garage was filled with furniture that was donated and a 30 yard dumpster was filled with stuff that just needed to go.

We still have too much stuff and I'm getting ready to order *another* dumpster for our current house as a way to get rid of even more - things we lugged to the new place that we haven't touched after living here almost two years. It's insane.

George Carlin will tell you all about stuff.

Maybe the title should be The other stuff, or crap you don't need but can't let go.

I'm happy to let my extra stuff go, it's just not always easy to find someone to take it. I hate just throwing stuff in the trash if it still works - it feels wasteful, and it's bad for the environment.

Sounds about right. Health insurer pays “medical stuff” price of $120 for an item that costs maybe $4 to make, retails for $30 by the manufacturer, and can be regularly found for $20 and below on sale.

I think I paid $15 for ours on sale at Mast General Store.

It’s good, though! $120 good? No.

gilraen wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:17 am I'm happy to let my extra stuff go, it's just not always easy to find someone to take it. I hate just throwing stuff in the trash if it still works - it feels wasteful, and it's bad for the environment.

When we were getting ready to move, it was nearly impossible to give furniture away. I was told by an estate salesman he'd basically be charging me the labor to move my furniture and haul it to the dump because no one is buying dining room sets anymore. All our stuff eventually went to the Salvation Army and I hope someone is using it, but man...what a waste.

Sunk cost is a fallacy...

She has a stilted way of speaking like Shatner. Its like her talk buffer fills up and she has to empty it before continuing.

My problem is that I rotate hobbies, and while I have a reasonable amount of 'stuff' for any one of them, the ones I'm not actually involved in end up being space hogs. If I could rotate my inactive hobbies into a portable hole, then rotate them back out when I want to pursue them for a while, I'd have so much more space.

For example, I haven't painted miniatures for a couple of month now, and haven't painted actively since my D&D group folder during the lockdown. And yet 2/3 of the free space in my bedroom is dedicated to miniature painting. I wish I could vanish it until I'm ready to paint again, but I don't have storage space, and I know I will cycle back into a painting phase one day, so I can't get rid of it.

You need a tackle box or small drawer cabinets.

Daehawk wrote:She has a stilted way of speaking like Shatner. Its like her talk buffer fills up and she has to empty it before continuing.

I think she's trying very hard not to pepper her speech with a lot of "uhhh uhhhh ummms" while being filmed. However, I completely sympathize. I'm always fascinated watching people who are very good public/broadcasting speakers who can naturally flow through a speech without using those delay words.

dbt1949 wrote:You need a tackle box or small drawer cabinets.

Bag of Holding.

Just don’t overload, puncture or tear it, unless you want all your little mini figs floating around the Astral Plane.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:36 am

Sunk cost is a fallacy...

She has a stilted way of speaking like Shatner. Its like her talk buffer fills up and she has to empty it before continuing.

But what did you think...about...the proposition she was presenting...regardless...of the presentation, itself.

I like the book example. Sometimes I will trudge on through based on an author's reputation, thinking it must get better. Sometimes this will result in a payoff, but it is rare. Unless I am sure, it is a good idea to read/listen to a sample. I know there have been samples that caused me to drop the manuscript post haste.

No opinion. But did think she was cute.

YellowKing wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:46 am Still, it's really hard to get rid of stuff that you know has value, but that you don't actually use. And getting money out of it is probably more trouble than its worth. So you just hang on to it. I try to keep sunk costs in mind with all things, and not get hung up on what I paid for something when deciding whether to toss it, but it's hard.

That's the whole idea behind this thread. I am surrounded by stuff I don't want or need but that's too valuable to throw away and hard to give away.

Hitbyambulance made me an offer on my Thera-cane and now I'm thinking "hmmm, what if my trigger point comes back someday? It doesn't take up that much space."

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:25 am Dos this subtopic include random stuff, or just random things? I have lots of stuff and things, and often can't tell them apart. We may need to come up with an official definition to know what's acceptable in here.

Stuff and things are both fine, but no junk. If you color outside the lines, I will berate you.

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:28 am Sounds about right. Health insurer pays “medical stuff” price of $120 for an item that costs maybe $4 to make, retails for $30 by the manufacturer, and can be regularly found for $20 and below on sale.

I think I paid $15 for ours on sale at Mast General Store.

It’s good, though! $120 good? No.

Yup. It was a lot of years ago so I don't remember the exact price, but I do remember being shocked that it was over $100. Insurance money isn't real money.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:29 am

gilraen wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:17 am I'm happy to let my extra stuff go, it's just not always easy to find someone to take it. I hate just throwing stuff in the trash if it still works - it feels wasteful, and it's bad for the environment.

When we were getting ready to move, it was nearly impossible to give furniture away. I was told by an estate salesman he'd basically be charging me the labor to move my furniture and haul it to the dump because no one is buying dining room sets anymore. All our stuff eventually went to the Salvation Army and I hope someone is using it, but man...what a waste.

When Wife paid to have her late brother's house trashed out, there were three pieces of furniture that she wanted -- things that were passed down from her grandparents. We already have more furniture than we have room for, and it was expensive to ship from MI to MA, so she reluctantly let the idea go. She offered it to other family members; no takers. Finally tried giving it away to anybody; nope. Nobody wants a china cabinet or a dressing table. The guy who disposed of everything said they were in marginal condition anyway. Every stick of furniture in that house landed in the dumpster or at Goodwill.

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:10 pm Every stick of furniture in that house landed in the dumpster or at Goodwill.

I have a Singer sewing machine from the 1930s or 40s and a cedar wardrobe that's from the 1950s; both belonged to my great grandmother. The idea of trashing them bothers me, but I honestly don't' know what to do with either of them.

Antiques Road Show.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:29 pm I have a Singer sewing machine from the 1930s or 40s and a cedar wardrobe that's from the 1950s; both belonged to my great grandmother. The idea of trashing them bothers me, but I honestly don't' know what to do with either of them.

those old Singers are actually fun to use and high-quality to this day. they're also super tough and relatively easy to repair - replacement parts are still being made for those. (and if it's a Featherweight, even i might be interested)

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:29 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 3:10 pm Every stick of furniture in that house landed in the dumpster or at Goodwill.

I have a Singer sewing machine from the 1930s or 40s and a cedar wardrobe that's from the 1950s; both belonged to my great grandmother. The idea of trashing them bothers me, but I honestly don't' know what to do with either of them.

I know from friends who are into sewing that there is a robust market for vintage Singer machines. I have no idea if yours is desirable, but I would do some searches and see.

If you're the record-keeping sort, The Salvation Army will give you a receipt for any and all donations at whatever tax-deductable value you claim.

My mom used to work making Singers and says the ones before the mid 1970s are usually mechanically solid and easy to repair.

Like Peter Paul and Mary.

Holman wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 4:18 pm If you're the record-keeping sort, The Salvation Army will give you a receipt for any and all donations at whatever tax-deductable value you claim.

So will Goodwill, and they aren't horrible to LGBTQ peeps.

I've been selling on Mercari lately, made over $1,800 since September of 2020! Used Craigs List for 2 years when we were moving out of the house into a condo, good experiences with that venture too. Facebook has a Market Place to sell unwanted things, bought and sold on there as well.

Consider putting things out in your yard's "free" zone first before filling up your dumpster. Putting stuff you no longer want near the curb is a great way to cycle things out of your life. Amazing how it's there one minute and gone the next! Many people are looking to repurpose or sell the metal or simply have a need for your thing.

One person's junk is another person's treasure!

gbasden wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 6:57 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 4:18 pm If you're the record-keeping sort, The Salvation Army will give you a receipt for any and all donations at whatever tax-deductable value you claim.

So will Goodwill, and they aren't horrible to LGBTQ peeps.

Good point.

Holman wrote:If you're the record-keeping sort, The Salvation Army will give you a receipt for any and all donations at whatever tax-deductable value you claim.

Ummm, Trump’s tax “reform” bill effectively killed writing off charitable donations. I think you have to hit $24K now to itemize IIRC.

Edit: it went up even more since then. It’s now at $25K married filing jointly.

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:24 pm

Holman wrote:If you're the record-keeping sort, The Salvation Army will give you a receipt for any and all donations at whatever tax-deductable value you claim.

Ummm, Trump’s tax “reform” bill effectively killed writing off charitable donations. I think you have to hit $24K now to itemize IIRC.

Edit: it went up even more since then. It’s now at $25K married filing jointly.

Yeah, those receipts I get from the Vietnam Veterans for clothing pickups aren't worth anything anymore. They still get a couple bags of Wife's castoffs once or twice a year anyway. Me, I wear clothes until they develop holes. My nice shirts date to the '90s. In the Before Times I used to buy one or two new clothes a year, but that's over.

I mentioned that the Thera-cane relieved my trigger point, but didn't actually eliminate it. When I was getting PT, traction helped me more than anything else. I laid on my back while the therapist grabbed my skull and gently, but firmly, pulled. My vertebrae liked that. When my insurance company decided I'd had enough PT and said no more traction for you, I bitched about it to my doctor friend. Turned out that a medical equipment sales rep had given him a home traction device as a promotion, and he was coming for a visit in a few weeks. Would I like it? (with the understanding that I might have to give it back on short notice).

Hell yeah. Free head-puller! A quick googling shows something vaguely similar for $350. Mine resembles a medieval torture rack and weighs at least 20 lbs. If any of you old broken-down people with heavy heads want to know more I'll take a deep dive through several strata of random things and excavate to see if it has any identifying marks. It would cost a fortune to ship, but not $350.

This is a good example of an useless thing that's too valuable to trash and hard to give away. An untrained user could over-stretch and do serious damage, and I wouldn't want to be the guy who gave/sold it if that happened.

When I was in a car wreck in the late 80s or early 90s it fucked up my back even more. My chiropractor put me on what I called the rack. It was a table I laid flat of my back on and it pulled my legs one way and my head and shoulders the other while some large roller rolled up and down my back about 2" off the table. Wow. Was fun.