So I was just looking through my CD collection for inspiration for nominations for @Mean_Mr.Mustard’s latest song poll*. There, on the very bottom of a stack of CDs, I found a copy of David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall. I was completely unaware I owned that. I have absolutely no memory of ever having owned it, no memory of how I got it. I like David Sedaris enough that I might have bought it on impulse if I found it at a used record store or something, and then put it on the shelf and forgot about it. Or did I receive it as a gift, and put it on the shelf and forgot about it? I really don’t remember.
*That was a bust, by the way. Every actual music CD I own is already in my music library on my phone, which I already looked at, so there was nothing really new there.
I’m betting for a LOT of people that will be media. I’ll often run across a book I don’t remember buying. I read a review, think it sounds interesting, buy a copy and shelve it - never to return. The worst is when that happens a year or two later and I think “Hey, I meant to buy that!” And get home to discover I already did.
This past weekend one of the recessed can light bulbs in my bedroom burned out. This is the first time I’ve needed to replace a bulb since we remodeled in 2004. I bought a 2 pack at the store. When I went to put it in the garage cabinet with the rest of the light bulbs, I found another 3 flood bulbs in unopened boxes. When, why and who bought them? I have absolutely no idea.
I buy books for other people as gifts pretty frequently - I am very grateful for Amazon’s purchase history, so I can check and make sure I don’t buy my giftees the same book twice.
So often that I stopped bothering to remember what I owned altogether. I assume I already have one somewhere and only after failing to find it will I go out and buy one and find a place to keep it where I’ll find the one that I did already own.
I don’t even know how many times I’ve gone to buy a book for my Kindle only to have Amazon tell me that I previously bought it. I also just finished my last box of tea, so I ordered a dozen more. When they arrived, I opened the drawer to put them away, and saw six already there.
I stumbled across an old shot gun about a year ago that I had forgotten about. I had moved it several times in the past 40 years but never really looked at it. I had planned on refinishing it when I got it. I guess I just set it aside and never thought about it again. I did the refinish and it came out great.
We have a bag. It’s a nice Burberry tote thing. An ugly color though. It hangs in the mudroom. No one will claim it. I didn’t buy it. We argue about it all the time. Everyone has a theory. Mostly around me buying it and being ashamed or embarrassed. Heck, I’d use it. It’s the idea that they’ll get validated if I do. I can’t let that happen. Oooh Noooo. Not giving in.
I told the Lil’wrekker to sell it on Poshmark or something. She ain’t done it yet.
Yup. I have several CDs that I bought twice (not realizing that I already owned them), and a couple of RPG rulebooks that I accidentally bought for a second time.
When my gf’s ex moved out he left a ton of stuff; tools, skis, more tools, stuff I never identified, etc.
Installing a new kitchen faucet, I needed a basin wrench. I didn’t remember ever owning one, so I was going to the hardware store to buy one.
First I figured I’d look through the drawers in the garage to see if I needed anything else for the project. While doing so I found three basin wrenches. One was definitely mine, I’d just forgotten about it. I was so glad I didn’t buy a fourth.
Just the other day I went into my jewelry armoire (that sounds very fancy but it’s just a bunch of costume jewelry!) for some earrings to wear. I have my earrings sorted by finish and color. I was sifting through the silver earrings and came across a really cute pair - hammered brushed silver (not real silver) with a small brass colored moon attached. I have no recollection of buying them or getting them as a gift. I’ve never seen them before. I love them and wear them quite often now.
My 22-year-old “nephew” has been seriously into LEGO for the past several years. I’ve bought him a few sets, and his parents seem to enjoy building them, too, but I hadn’t played with bricks since I was young. I’m a jazz musician, though, and late last year I discovered the jazz quartet set: I got it for myself in March, and figured I’d see if I liked it. I kind of expected to not have the patience.
I wound up liking it enough that the next month I decided to dig out an Eiffel Tower set I’d bought in 2017 (friends and I went to Paris that fall; as a joke I’d bought a set for each of us). While looking for that box, I discovered a Fallingwater set that my mom gave me for Christmas in 2010 – I love Frank Lloyd Wright, and had recently gone to Fallingwater for the first time – that I had completely forgotten about! I was truly astounded for a moment, and still can’t quite believe I kept it all of those years (and through several moves). I’m so glad I did, not only because it’s a pretty set but because it’s so discontinued that it’s not even listed on the LEGO site anymore.
Since March, I’ve completed 8 sets of varying size/complexity: next up is the jazz club.
About a year ago I found a pair of Sketchers walking shoes in the closet that I didn’t remember buying. Which is odd because I only own about five pairs of shoes so it should be something easy to keep track of. I think I bought them then they just got shoved to the back of the closet and I forgot about them. Of course now that I found them I wear them all the time - right now in fact!
Prepare to get a second mortgage. They are cool, but expensive.
We’ve been cleaning out a drawer or a closet every day, and have been finding tons of stuff we forgot we had. Just yesterday we found a fancy cookie maker and some long bread pans from when my wife was making bread for restaurants.
