Okay, let me tell you about this thing I tackled, the ‘Austin Dustin’ project, as I ended up calling it in my head. Wasn’t anything high-tech, just dealing with a real mess.
It started because I just couldn’t ignore that back corner of the workshop anymore. It had become a dumping ground. You know how it is, one thing gets put there, then another, and soon enough, it’s this mountain of… well, mostly junk covered in a serious layer of dust. The kind of fine, grey dust that gets everywhere.
So, I decided, right, today’s the day. Pulled open the door to that section, and poof! A cloud hit me. Seriously, it was like an archeological dig through layers of neglect. First step was just hauling things out into the light. Old paint cans, bits of wood, tools I forgot I owned, some that were broken.
Had to actually go get a mask because breathing was getting rough. Just kept pulling stuff out, sorting into rough piles: definite trash, maybe useful, and the ‘what on earth is this?’ pile. That last one was surprisingly big. Found an old toolbox, completely rusted shut. Spent a good twenty minutes trying to pry it open, thinking maybe there was treasure inside. Nope. Just more rust and some disintegrated washers.
Digging Through
It’s funny what you find. An old cassette player. Haven’t seen one of those in ages. Pushed the buttons, obviously dead. Still, made me stop and think for a bit. Waste of time, really, when you’re trying to clear up, but your mind wanders.
Anyway, dragged the trash bags out. Swept the floor. Man, the dust. It just swirled around. Felt like I was just rearranging it. Wiped down the one shelf that wasn’t completely falling apart. It looked a bit better, I guess.
At the end of it all, the corner was usable again. Not spotless, mind you. That kind of deep dust, it feels like it’s part of the structure now. But at least I could get in there without needing an expedition team. Tossed out most of it, kept almost nothing. Just felt like a chore that needed doing. Nothing glamorous, just the reality of dealing with stuff you’ve let pile up. That was my ‘Austin Dustin’ adventure. Done now, thankfully.
