When Matthew moved to Syracuse, he moved in with some super vegan, organic, save-the-world types.... He learned to buy clothing at the Salvo and to purchase his food from the local Farmer's Market. He mastered the makings of a compost pile and how to reuse all his plastic bags.It was a great flip from his Manhattan New York lifestyle which was mostly designer clothing and materialistic things.... Can you believe how surprised I was to hear that he has been dumpster diving! I love it! I mean, I have lots of friends that dive... but never, in my life did I picture Matthew jumping into a bin of smelly garbage, sporting rubber gloves, trashy clothes, tearing through dumpsters until 7am! Yay Matthew!
I guess, Syracuse University let out last week and the students are ditching their stuff! So many of the kids are from overseas..... throwing away everything imaginable.... Matt's nextdoor neighbor found a brand-new Mac-book Pro tucked away in a garbage bag on South campus... Matt found a necklace from Tiffany's, a really cute bong, so many bags of clothing, packaged food, furniture, Easter baskets, skiis, a new stereo, art supplies - he has so much salvaged stuff from the dumpsters - his entire living room is no longer a room to live-in.... just piles and piles of stuff. After they wash everything, I think, Matt and Sara are going to have a garage sale next week. I have to get over there and take photos... you have to see his house... it is madness!
6 comments:
Stuff like this always amazes me. I cannot believe what people will throw away!
What's the old saying:
What is one man's garbage, is another man's treasure. Sounds like Matt hit the jackpot. Saving the planet, & making a little cash. Not bad.
Welcome back. Hope you get to relax, and enjoy.
:)
One person's garbage is another person's treasure. I've only done 1 dumpster dive in my entire life, but I found the most amazing thing - an 8"x 11" framed picture of me in the act of doing that very dumpster dive. Imagine how quickly someone would need to act in order to (a) snap the picture, (b) develop it to a particular size, (c) frame it, and (d) deposit it into the dumpster - all without my knowledge.
I always put my stuff on Craig's List or take it to the Salvation Army. If it's not useful to me anymore, I'm usually pretty sure someone else can use it. I just gave away a BBQ grill this morning that I didn't have time to repair, and the elderly gentleman that saw my Craig's List ad was very pleased to get it (and has the time to repair it).
Hey, are you ever going to get back out West for a photo tour? If so, make sure you hit me up for another shoot.
Mark
It's funny because Matt, who usually wears sexy male clothing - is now wearing crazy ghetto rockstar clothing that he found in the dumpster.... Rockawear.... he is so ghetto fab!
I suck are remembering cities.... How far west is your West!? : ) I am probably never making it to Vancouver again - Trying for LA in late September - Seattle/Portland in late October.... : ) You're in Portland, if I am sort of right.... I want to work with Danger Ninja, Compass Rose, and Mike Long again - I will be back!
HOLLY CRAP!(No offense Matt) How many dumpsters is all that? Has he found anything alive under all of those piles? WOW!
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