How to tell if something is broken.

A few days ago I DJed for a church dance. I had taken my router hoping that I'd be able to create or bridge or whatever an internet connection so that I could download music on the fly (good idea).

It all worked out well, but when I got home and tried plugging it back in it didn't seem to be getting a connection, I swapped the cable with a different one and then it began to function.

Last night I was cleaning up my computer desk area and trying to decide if the cable was broken. Since I've had a problem with it once before (though it was working for several months straight this time) I decided to cut it in half and throw it away.

That's right. If you're not sure if something is broken, the sure-fire way to know is to break it.

You see, the most important thing isn't actually to use or keep the thing in question, it's just to know whether or not it needs to be thrown away. Once it's broken, it's want to be tossed.

I do this with lots of things actually. I find it's the best way to keep myself clutter free. It also help prevent that OCD obsession with not throwing something away which works (even if it's worthless or impractical).

Once I decide I don't need a piece of paper I rip it. Once I don't need a CD I break it in half. When I find something that I'm not sure what to do with and it's not worth giving away, I break it. If I'm not sure if it's broken and it's not worth much, I break it.

Occasionally I regret my action a moment or so after, but then another moment goes by and I realize that it's better this way.

After all, the more stuff you own, the more stuff owns you.

P.S. I didn't follow through on my decision entirely, I was actually feeling to lazy to cut the cable at the time, so I simply threw it away, but that's what I would have done normally.