File this under WTF.

[draggonlaady]

There is a drop point for recycle stuff down the road a bit from my house. I've ranted before about people ditching trash here and blocking the bins. I typically spend about half an hour a week cleaning this crap up. Occasionally people ditch totally-not-trash items. In the last two weeks, I have found 3 pairs of shoes, two of which were (conveniently enough) women's shoes in my and my friends' sizes, brand new and still in the original boxes. The other I'll be taking to Habitat for Humanity, because I don't fit a size 9 1/2 mens.
Yesterday, I also found a "Santa's Marching Band" musical Christmas decoration. Not new, I think, as the box was taped closed, but still in it's original box, still with the $90.00 price tag on, and as far as I can tell, in perfect shape. Works fine--I plugged it in this morning.
Not sure exactly what I'll do with it, since I don't generally bother decorating the house, but that's not the point. The point is, WTF kind of thinking causes someone to spend nearly a hundred dollars on something and then just ditch it? This completely confuses my use-everything-until-it's-falling-apart brain.

Comments

[evil-egg.livejournal.com]

It's utter madness, it is. Why not just keep the receipt?

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Well, like I said, I don't think it's brand new--the box was retaped closed. But still, it's in fine shape. Why not sell it on ebay or give it to Goodwill or HfH? it's plain stupid and wasteful to leave stuff like that at a recycle drop.

[evil-egg.livejournal.com]

A real sign of the times, eh?

[livingdeadpan.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it was a gift.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

for me? heh. not really what i was hoping for, and rather chancy that i'd find it before it got smashed or water ruined

[sphynx-again.livejournal.com]

That is strange. Maybe they've confused "recycle" with "donate."

As for using till it's DEAD, I'm in that quandry now. I want a breadmaker, a fancy one that makes normal-shaped horizontal loaves, with timers, and all the bells and whistles. Problem is, I have a breadmaker. It's now 9 years old, banged, dented, rusted, ugly as sin, smells kinda funny, and makes odd-shaped loaves. But it works. Darn well, for that matter. Part of me wants to send it to Goodwill and just buy the one I want. But I just can't bring myself to replace a perfectly good appliance that works fine! That and it looks so awful I'm not sure anyone would want it anyway, and then it really would go to waste. Maybe I have developed an emotional attachment to my breadmaker. That would be weird.

Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone!

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Yup. I'm pretty fond of free stuff. it's just annoying that people are so wasteful.

I'll be mailing you a box o' books this week :)