h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I subscribe to the Darwin theory of tidiness. Take my desk for example (and replace it with a gadget-encrusted new one, please ), there are a couple of small areas where I can see the black ash effect laminate but mostly the desk itself is just a cheaply constructed foundation for the real living-desk on top. There are a few glasses on it, the one I'm currently using is easiest to reach. There's a pile of books, the one I'm currently most interested in is on top and the ones underneath are open at the most interesting pages. If the pile gets too big and falls over it makes me move some of the less frequently used books to the bookshelves. There's a little valley with a psion docking station in it which would quickly fill up if I stopped using my psion. There's a mousemat and just enough wrist-room in front of it to allow me to operate my mouse. There's a pile of cd's and yes you guessed it, my favourite ones have mysteriously worked their way to the top. There are other examples of this phenomenon on my desk but I'll stop listing them before this entry actually brings tears of boredom to anyone's eyes and get to the point. It's not messy, it's allowing the forces of nature to create an efficient workspace.

That's what I keep saying- that's nature's way of handling stuff... I mean- the chosen CD's get on top. ALWAYS! The most loved books arise above their lesser brothers. ALWAYS! There's really order in the chaos, but, like true geniuses, messy people are just misunderstood, and therefore considered lazy and/or stupid.
Vive' le Mess!

But mess isn't that well organised. There's the reverse gravitational effect of favouriteness, but there's also the teleportation effect of absolute favouriteness. The CD you really want will be in another room. The book with only two chapters to read will not be teetering on the edge of the pile by your bed.

I think that's probably the effect of trying to .... not sure if I can bring myself to say these words .... "tidy up", occaisionally.

A reply... after all these months... and all you can suggest is "tidy up"...

If things go missing there are normally two reasons:
1. Its been borrowed.
2. Went missing when I last tidied up. This interferes with the natural process and thjrows the system into Chaos.