Since my project is documenting the many things in my garage, I was rooting around on what it is that triggers memory. I found this nice interview with happiness philosopher Alain de Bottom talking about his book on Proust, of the madeleine cookie fame. Like anyone who comes from a house of pack rats, I believe each item (or whiff of a madeleine) unlocks a past experience. And that's what causes us to hoard. The logistical problem is you can't hoard everything everything. Every letter, novelty coffee mug, children's book, or pair of bellbottoms-- there's not enough physical and mental space! My consolation is to take a picture of each item. Then instead of actually having the item, I can look longingly at the photograph.
