POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Pre-HAART Long-Term Survivors => Topic started by: wolfter on June 30, 2011, 06:33:20 am
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I'm old school when it comes to keeping an address book. I've been thinking lately of purchasing a new one since I've had this one for such a long time. 1/2 the entries are of people who have since passed away. I'm wondering if this doesn't somehow affect the psyche every time I use it. Does it somehow diminish their importance to me if I finally discard it or should I "retire" it and keep it as a keepsake?
I wouldn't say it causes depressive episodes, but since I tend to be extremely emotional, it produces a euphoric episode. What have some of you done with yours?
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I have several old address books that I've retired. They're mainly filled with people who, for one reason or another, have passed into, through and out of my life. Some good, some bad, some living and some passed on. I keep them in a file box that also contains birthday cards or other paper mementos of note as well as old diaries. I get it out from the back of my closet when I'm feeling nostalgic.
While much of my current contact info is kept in my email address book or on my mobile phone, I still keep a regular address book for those times when electronic information is lost or temporarily unavailable.
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While much of my current contact info is kept in my email address book or on my mobile phone, I still keep a regular address book for those times when electronic information is lost or temporarily unavailable.
You wouldn't have that problem if you used this: http://www.google.com/contacts
I enter contacts in my stand-alone application ("Address Book") on a Mac, then I can sync it with my google account so that it's always backed up off-site, as well as being accessible from any other computer when traveling, etc. plus it's accessible from my phone.
I've not utilized a manual address book for a decade.
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You wouldn't have that problem if you used this: http://www.google.com/contacts
I enter contacts in my stand-alone application ("Address Book") on a Mac, then I can sync it with my google account so that it's always backed up off-site, as well as being accessible from any other computer when traveling, etc. plus it's accessible from my phone.
I've not utilized a manual address book for a decade.
Yeahyeahyeah.... doncha think I've got that covered?
But what if there's a power outage at midnight and nobody in walking distance has electricity either (I don't have a car and the buses don't run late at night). And what about when your ten-year-old SIM card on your phone eventually gives up the ghost like mine did earlier this year? I would have lost several phone numbers if I didn't have them backed up on paper. Electronics are not fail-safe, but my little black book is... unless of course I misplace it or forget to enter a new contact.
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Yeahyeahyeah.... doncha think I've got that covered?
But what if there's a power outage at midnight and nobody in walking distance has electricity either (I don't have a car and the buses don't run late at night). And what about when your ten-year-old SIM card on your phone eventually gives up the ghost like mine did earlier this year? I would have lost several phone numbers if I didn't have them backed up on paper. Electronics are not fail-safe, but my little black book is... unless of course I misplace it or forget to enter a new contact.
Odd, I've not had these issues in an entire decade of use. So, uh... yeah, you've got that covered, fo' fuckin' su'
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Odd, I've not had these issues in an entire decade of use. So, uh... yeah, you've got that covered, fo' fuckin' su'
Well, I have had those issues. Like the time the power went out on the entire west of the island and I needed to ring someone. My mobile's battery was flat and I couldn't access the number online either. My little black book was a life saver that night. It wasn't all that long ago either. Same thing with losing numbers on my SIM card. A few of them I didn't have online, but I did have them in MLBB.
But anyway, I'm bowing out of this thread. I only just realised it was in LTS, thought it was in OT. I've given myself 30 lashes with a wet noodle in penance.
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I have an old address book that covers the 70's - 90's. I will always keep it, to remember the names of some dear friends I have lost. Also, it's funny but looking through it, I find names for people that I have absolutely no recollection of. That shouldn't surprise me too much, since I can barely remember what I had for dinner last night.....
;)
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That shouldn't surprise me too much, since I can barely remember what I had for dinner last night.....
;)
Now you have me going through my ancient address book (yes, Ann, I still have it -- vintage Paul Smith black leather too) and looking up old tricks on facebook, that is if they were fortunate to progress past just jotting down their first name and phone number (which is most of them).
Ah, so now I locate Reggie, possessor of large cock that I dated in 1997, and Marello, the lying sack of shit that was in the Army... seems he's moved to Atlanta and hasn't aged very well. I wonder if he finally divorced his wife. :)_
Can't find Luis as last I heard from him was when he called me collect from a maximum security prison.
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I still have a few torn and tethered old leatherbound address books with ornate lock snaps that go back to
1971. Some entries are in my handwriting, friends, family, and acquaintances along with little notes here and
there. Like Ann, many of the people in my old address books have long passed on. Still they are nice little keepsakes.
Currently, mobile phone contact entries like most people today.
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I can't throw anything away so I them all. The one thing that stands out in seeing them spread out is that they get progressively larger...as I cannot read or write small print anymore.
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Probably not a surprise here--I'm dreadfully old school. I prefer pen and paper for most forms of written communication (avid note sender and possessor of personalized stationary since I was a young man--blame or credit my grandmother) I too have those lump-in-the-throat producing address books. I decided to store them in a bookcase in my den. I can still go through them when I need to.
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Wolfter;
Keeping names of deceased friends in a "new" phone book would be an excellent way to honour their memory. I urge you to do so. You should tuck your old book somewhere safe in your home. You will find that it is good to reminese every now and then.
Bertram. xo
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I have a fetish one that I bought at Brooks Brothers in 1986. Its checkbook size, dog eared, and I write everything in pencil. I never used it for real after the mid 90's, everything is on computer. But once a year I put any notable new addresses in it and throw it back in my sunglasses drawer.
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I did buy a new one but kept the old one and added it to my collection of queer memorabilia. These past 2 years have been the most productive mentally in a long time (in great parts thanks to most of you). I just don't think it's productive or healthy to have that visual reminder so often. I'll never forget my peeps, but they really don't need my undivided attention any longer.
Every so often I take out all my old photo albums and have a drink with these people and I've reached that happy place of enjoying those occasions. In a way, I've held them so close and near, that I've allowed few new friends to enter my circle. And that wasn't so bad when Bill was alive, but it just wasn't working any longer.....thanks guys and gals.
Greg