Pieces of Paper
Friday, July 10th, 2009I have two questions for you, but first I present the evidence.
Exhibit A: Concert, museum, event, attraction, and ride tickets dating back to 2002

Exhibit B: Movie stubs dating back to 2006

Exhibit C: Subway/transit passes from four cities dating back to 2006

Question 1: Evidence of obsessive hoarding or an endearing collection of memories?
Question 2: Hang on to all of them, some of them, or toss ‘em all?
Please supply your answer in informal, short, persuasive essay format (commonly known as “the blog comment”).
p.s. working on special guest judges for the next installment of the Mascot contest. Hopefully early next week.


Well, I always think it sounds like a good idea and when we go on vacation my daughter wants to save everything, then it kicks around for a year being moved from place to place and I toss it. Sigh. So if it was me? Toss it. I’m harsh that way though and not very sentimental.
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Tam Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Forgot to say I can’t wait for the next Mascot competition. Go Moose!
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To begin with, I am the exact same way and keep mementos of train cards, movie ticket stubs, and tickets to concerts, plays, galleries, etc. That being said, my vote is for throwing away all except those contained in Exhibit A. Allow me to explain.
First, why keep the metro cards? Don’t you have other mementos of your trips to the cities they are from? No one ever talks about the places they’ve been and then showed their collection of train tickets. “Oh yes! I remember this train ride quite vividly; there was a homeless-looking man sleeping in the aisle!”
Second, when I look through my collection of movie ticket stubs, I can’t even remember 85% of the movies or what they were about. How is a ticket stub going to remind you of the movie? Isn’t that what Netflix and buying them is all about?
Finally, tickets to concerts, galleries, and such can be much more easily displayed for “coolness factor” (just look at your header) and can provide a focal point for topic of conversation. Also, they have the most and best memento value.
Again, my vote: throw away all except Exhibit A.
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I keep movie stubs and concert tickets as well. Not sure why really. Back in 1999, I started a journal wherein every movie I see I list it, where I saw it, when, and who with. Because of that, i suppose I have no need to keep the movie tickets anymore, and probably should just throw them away.
My point is, maybe you could do that as well. Spend 5 bucks on a cheap journal and just write them all down. Then you wouldn’t need to keep them. I dont see a need for the metro cards myself. but the concert tickets, I’d probably hang onto. At least for a little bit longer. Maybe when you get to NY, you’ll see you have no room or whatever for them, and pitch them then. Or myabe not. Depends on how sentimental you are.
Good luck!
HUGS….
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Toss it all. It happened to me once involuntarliy (anyone remember Wixom court??!?!?!) I lost most of my worldly possessions. It was in a way very liberating.
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I keep all of my concert/event/movie stubs! I say keep ‘em. Then again, I’m an admitted packrat….
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I used to keep ticket stubs, etc. I threw them all away a couple months ago when we moved back to California. It was a little difficult to actually throw them in the trash, but liberating as well. It’s nice to simplify and not have so much stuff.
I organized all my husbands stubs, etc. from when he was growing up and added them into his photo album (it’s a 3 ring binder type). So that may be another solution.
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I also keep my movie stubz. I put them in a jar on my desk so I can alwayz remember seeing really shitty moviez and proving to otherz that I actually saw “House of Wax” starring Paris “even though the Gods are crazy” Hilton in theaterz.
I keep concert tix too, cuz you pay a buttload of $$$ to see the showz, so why not keep them as complimentary mementoz?
I’d get rid of the transit cardz cuz they just remind me of the subway stationz and those are dirrty and piss me off.
PS…I might be mistaken, but the movie ticket in the upper left hand corner looks like it’s for a film called “The Cock.” Care to elaborate/explain/share?
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Jere Keys Reply:
July 12th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Actually, it’s for “Hancock.” I’m not sure if I’d rather have you believe I paid money to see a film named “The Cock.”
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Enrico Reply:
July 12th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
OMG I saw House of Wax in theatres too!! But I think it’s more horrifying that Jere saw Hancock….
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