The dustbin of history

I thought going through all of my childhood things at my parents' house would be sad, if not traumatic.

A few hours and several hefty bags later, I was relieved of this notion. Very little was spared, save for the comicbook collection, a Route 66 sign and a Transformer I was going to give to Goodwill today, but turns out might be worth something on eBay.

I filled two of their recycling bins with old school papers, notebooks, newspapers and posters, plus folded boxes whose contents should have been tossed years ago. Anything that wasn't slated for charity or recycling ended up in the giant City of Charlotte garbage can -- filled almost to capacity.

Look homeward. To unload the detritus of your youth and get a fresh start. It's like leaving home all over again.