What to do with my old stuff

Steph · February 17, 2007, 07:28:32 AM

So I was rumaging around my things recently and realised that I have a ton of information that I gathered during my transion and pre-transitions days (Pre... there's that word again

). I'ts mostly printouts of topics I reasearched but to be quite honest I don't need anymore. I think it's time to purge.

Steph

Buffy · February 17, 2007, 07:55:23 AM

Steph...

I did the same honey.

Offered them to anyone who wanted the stuff, then shredded everything andplaced in with the trash (where my old life had gone previously).

I scanned some useful stuff (like me speach therapy notes), which several people at Susan's have....

It was a good exercise in breaking away from the past.

Buffy

PS... Have my SRS photos on a CD, might use that as a coffee coaster

HelenW · February 17, 2007, 09:36:18 AM

Is there a local support group that you can donate them to, Steph? Maybe through your therapist? Our group has a fledgling "lending library" with books and videos and the like for all members who want to use them. The best way to get this info to new-awakened TS's would be through that route, I would think.

hugs & smiles
helen

Sheila · February 17, 2007, 10:24:23 AM

I kept some books that I liked and the rest donated to PFLAG. I use the books that I have for information to those who need it, but I just like them around. As far as papers go, I tossed them to the trash. Anything that reminded me of my past, even some pictures I have tossed, I know, don't give up on your past. I just don't want to be reminded, but I won't deny it ever existed. Right now my books will be at our city library in a case about Transgender issues along with my picture and a brief bio. Pat is in the picture too.
Sheila

togetherwecan · February 17, 2007, 12:07:48 PM

Quote from: Sheila on February 17, 2007, 10:24:23 AM
. Right now my books will be at our city library in a case about Transgender issues along with my picture and a brief bio. Pat is in the picture too.
Sheila

wow Shelia, I know I don't know you, but reading this really made me feel proud of you. Courage, you have it. :hugs: wow just wow, what a wonderful thing for you to have there for others to gain strength from.

Steph · February 17, 2007, 01:27:14 PM

Good points... I think that I will donate the books to the local library, except Cindi's book of course, as that one has a place of honor. And like others I think that all my printed internet stuff will end up in my shredder. I was thinking of donating it to a support group but realistically the group should have access to the internet and be able to download current information.

Thanks for the tips folks.

Steph

togetherwecan · February 17, 2007, 02:07:54 PM

Quote from: Steph on February 17, 2007, 01:27:14 PM
Good points... I think that I will donate the books to the local library, except Cindi's book of course, as that one has a place of honor. And like others I think that all my printed internet stuff will end up in my shredder. I was thinking of donating it to a support group but realistically the group should have access to the internet and be able to download current information.

Thanks for the tips folks.

Steph

Steph even in this technological age many don't access the internet and many may not be in a position of privacy to search for things you may have already printed out...please please donate that to a resource center...it may make the difference to a 16 yr old now instead of when she is 40.

Steph · February 17, 2007, 03:09:19 PM

Quote from: togetherwecan on February 17, 2007, 02:07:54 PM
Quote from: Steph on February 17, 2007, 01:27:14 PM
Good points... I think that I will donate the books to the local library, except Cindi's book of course, as that one has a place of honor. And like others I think that all my printed internet stuff will end up in my shredder. I was thinking of donating it to a support group but realistically the group should have access to the internet and be able to download current information.

Thanks for the tips folks.

Steph

Steph even in this technological age many don't access the internet and many may not be in a position of privacy to search for things you may have already printed out...please please donate that to a resource center...it may make the difference to a 16 yr old now instead of when she is 40.

I will do that, it's the odd bits that will go into the shredder. And hey if I find a support group nearby without a computer I just happen to have one colloecting dust in a closet that i could donate.

Steph

togetherwecan · February 17, 2007, 03:13:12 PM

Quote from: Steph on February 17, 2007, 03:09:19 PM
Quote from: togetherwecan on February 17, 2007, 02:07:54 PM
Quote from: Steph on February 17, 2007, 01:27:14 PM
Good points... I think that I will donate the books to the local library, except Cindi's book of course, as that one has a place of honor. And like others I think that all my printed internet stuff will end up in my shredder. I was thinking of donating it to a support group but realistically the group should have access to the internet and be able to download current information.

Thanks for the tips folks.

Steph

Steph even in this technological age many don't access the internet and many may not be in a position of privacy to search for things you may have already printed out...please please donate that to a resource center...it may make the difference to a 16 yr old now instead of when she is 40.

I will do that, it's the odd bits that will go into the shredder. And hey if I find a support group nearby without a computer I just happen to have one colloecting dust in a closet that i could donate.

Steph

Yay, thank you! :hugs:

and BTW if you have any good stuff that would be helpful to us SO's lemme know before ya toss it!

Steph · February 17, 2007, 03:20:14 PM

The SO's stuff is Gillians and I would never touch her stuff, we not if I knew what was good for me.

Steph

Cindi Jones · February 17, 2007, 06:28:49 PM

I purged everything. I kept nothing. I regret getting rid of some of it like some of my diaries and personal pictures. At the time, I wanted nothing to remember the "old" times. But I've changed some and feel more comfortable with my past. I sort of wish I still had those things worth remembering.

Cindi

tinkerbell · February 17, 2007, 07:56:02 PM

Honestly I hadn't thought about this. But I know that I am not getting rid of my books or tapes (yeah, I am ancient, and don't have "CD's" or "DVD's" on anything related to TS issues

). However, I have plenty of pamphlets which I collected over the years, articles from magazines, some voice tapes (I could get rid of those).

I think that what Helen has suggested is a possibility. When I transitioned. I had lots of nice, new, kind of expensive men's clothes and I donated them to the Good Will; I guess I could do the same with some of this stuff although I know a few acquaintances who could benefit from them, too.

tinkerbell

Maud · February 18, 2007, 07:34:31 AM

I keep my medical and records in a safe and my trans related stuff on my computer in an encrypted sparseimage so unless your a safe cracker or can break 128-bit encryption you're not going to come accross anything in my room that indicates I'm trans, I perged it all to those two places after I just got annoyed with being reminded of it constantly just seeing things around my room, and this way people that don't know can come to my place and i'm not paranoid about them finding something.

Sheila · February 18, 2007, 11:36:39 AM

My trans related medical or legal I guess, like my name change document any my surgery letter from my doctor and my therapist I had copied and I have them in both cars in the glove compartment and I also have them in my filing cabinet at home. So, if I ever have to have these documents I have them within reach. I do carry them in my suitcase if I'm going by either plane, train, or ship. I guess I'm just kind of paranoid that way.
Sheila

Melissa · February 18, 2007, 12:14:42 PM

I haven't really gotten rid of much of my stuff. I still have baby photos and such. I think it's unhealthy to deny one's past, but I think getting rid of transitional related materials is a good idea since it's not something you need anymore and it's a reminder of a painful period you had to go through.

Melissa

gina_taylor · February 21, 2007, 04:50:04 PM

Six years ago when I was starting my journey I accumulated a lot of information. Boxes of pages on everything dealing with everything on transsexualism. I was trying to find out where exactly I fitted in. Unfortunately my mom found a lot of my boxes and she's looked through a lot of it and she was astounded on how much information I had collected. She believes that my brain has deteriorated and that I have been killing off brain cells because of packing my head with so much useless information. But the way that I've seen it is that I've been trying to find cure for my problem and so I've been looking for everything related to my problem. Fortunately right now I have found a cure and that is that I must live full time as a woman and suffer the consequences that come with it.

Gina

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