My kind of strange

I'd have to admit that I'm kind of strange. I find myself appearing odd around other people. Sometimes it makes me laugh and other times I feel self-conscious. I always have a reason for what I do but I don't always have an opportunity or the interest to explain. As I have mentioned before, I'm a dumpster diver (i.e., I forage for things people have decided to discard). I don't actually get into dumpsters, although I know people do that. I just keep an eye out for what people put out for collection. When I find something, I either keep it if I can use it, donate it, sell it or freecycle it. Either way, I keep it out of the landfill at least temporarily.

The other day I was taking a walk after my husband came home from work. It was my free time so I breathed in the fresh air, shook off the constant feel of sticky, little fingers grabbing me and walked. It was a nice walk and I enjoyed feeling my blood pumping. At first enjoying the moment was enough but then I spotted something in an alley as I was passing by it. I swear I have a second sense for treasure. I decided to detour back to the alley and explore.

What I found was a crime as far as I am concerned: a children's bed frame in good condition (but it was under a lot of heavy stuff so I couldn't get to it) and a topiary (a metal frame where plants can be trained to grow around it into the shape). It was large and very rustic looking. Ok, so it was covered in fake plants - I knew I could remove that. I could see it's potential and it's value. These things aren't cheap. I estimated it would cost about $50-75 to purchase.

Now, remember, I was out walking alone in the neighborhood. How was I going to get this 5 foot tall, metal thing home? Being the goofball I am, I decided to carry it - several blocks. Here I am in our relatively nice neighborhood which is inhabited by mostly older, comfortable-living, NORMAL people and I'm digging through someone's trash and carrying a large, metal thing around like I do it everyday.

I walked and walked, shifting this large thing from hand to hand because it was getting heavier. I was obviously conscious of the fact that I looked like a goob but what was I going to do? Leave it there? Nope. So, I just tried to go faster and faster. Just as I was about to turn down our street I began to hope that no one was going to see me, or rather, I wouldn't see anyone seeing me. Hoping got me no where. A nice, normal lady was out in her yard talking with her nice, normal male neighbor and they both looked up at me. They appeared a bit puzzled. I know she said something to him with a chuckle but I couldn't quite make out what she said. It was something about "metal" and "walking". Whatever it was was not, "hey, she just saved that great piece from the landfill. Good for her!" No, it was more like, "she's weird and let's make sure we both agree that she's weird so we can reaffirm how normal we are." Ha ha ha.

I admit I'm strange and, frankly, I'm proud of it because being normal these days hasn't gotten us very far. It's normal to throw stuff away without thinking of the consequences. It's normal to buy cheap junk that costs somebody somewhere. It's normal to insulate ourselves from the world in our homes, watching bad tv so we don't have to deal with how depressing life can be when all you do is work and don't have anything to show for it. Normal isn't normal if you look at how people lived for thousands of years before all our great ideas of progress and consumerism came along to create the fake bubble we all seem to be living in these days. We've cut ourselves off from the real beauty of life and replaced it with a plastic, anaerobic, chemical-laden turd - but it sure is nice, isn't it?

So, I'm strange but I'm relatively happy. I buy fewer things than most. I try to buy local foods and products. I garden a small plot at a community garden. I try not to throw things away and reuse what I can. I'm still too normal though no matter how much I try but at least I'm trying.