Tonight I went through three shoebox-sized boxes of "miscellaneous important stuff" that followed me here to the new digs. These seem to be functioning as a time capsule of sorts. Among the items I have stashed away in these boxes over the years:
- The San Francisco Chronicle, Thursday, May 30, 1996, the front page of which uncharacteristically sported Herb Caen's column. This was the day Caen told his readers he was dying.
- A printout of a job posting on IDG.com, dated 11/10/98, for "Associate Editor, Here's How Online / PC World, Online Services Group." In pencil is my shit-I'm-excited scrawl reading 11:00 A.M. FRIDAY. That must've been the interview.
- A $98 credit at Fry's Electronics, dated June 11, 2001. I was issued this as a result of the Fry's Low Price Guarantee, but after receiving it, I went through a long period of buying no goodies at Fry's, and I forgot I had it. Then I remembered I had it, but by then, I didn't know where it was anymore. Now here it is. It has no expiration date on it. They should accept it, right?
- The New Yorker, September 24, 2001 issue. Front cover: Black towers on a black background. Two years ago now. Heavens. There is a mailing label on the cover. It lists a place where I no longer reside.