If your house was on fire, what material possessions would you rescue first?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238349)
Walnut Creek, California
October 14, 2015 6:15pm CST
For no particular reason, I was just thinking about my most treasured material possessions. Looking around, I see several pairs of vintage loudspeakers that I've lovingly restored. I see lecture notes, many of which are not backed up on my computer. And I see books, including a very early edition if Mark Twain's "The Innocents Abroad."
But I think the two objects I would rescue first (if my house was on fire) would by my two favorite guitars. One is a Collings OM-1, and the other is a Larrivee LS-05. Speakers can be replaced. I rarely look at my Mark Twain book. I can re-write my lectures (though it would be a pain). But musical instruments are like people: no two are the same, even of the same model number. My two favorite guitars are irreplaceable.
If your house was on fire, what one or two (non-living) objects would you rescue first?
7 people like this
10 responses
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
15 Oct 15
My husband would take his guitars, too. I would take the photo albums with the pictures of my family in them.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238349)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Oct 15
It's interesting to stop and think what's most important to us (other than the people and critters in our lives, of course). Really, I SHOULD be more concerned with things related to my livelihood (lecture notes, documents, and such like) than my guitars. But I was just being honest and saying what came to mind.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
15 Oct 15
@TheHorse Simple store all your prized photos and stuff on a portable hard drive and grab it when you pick up your dog and run out the door. At least you'll have all you need to start over again and haven't lost any of your precious memories because they are on a hard drive in your hand.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
15 Oct 15
I have been thinking about this. I would want to take my tablet, simply because I know the computers are too heavy to take and so I would need something for computing. But the important things like photos, etc., well they are in all sorts of places around the house. All the things I should save are in different places. So, now thanks to reading this, I need to pack up all my things that I want to save and put them in a box by the door in case of emergency.
@TheHorse (238349)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Oct 15
As I noted to @Cahaya , realistically, my computer would have to be the first thing. Too may pictures, articles, lecture notes, and class handouts stored on there (and not adequately backed up) to let it go. Then would come the guitars. It IS good to know where your most important stuff is!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238349)
• Walnut Creek, California
18 Oct 15
@Rollo1 Excellent point! Since I'm too lazy to get a flash drive and store things, I should email my most important documents to myself. I'd start with exams and class handouts. My old Epinions would be in the hundreds. I also Have hundred, if not thousands, of cool pictures on this computer. You've seen a few of them--my sunset shots and such like.
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
15 Oct 15
After some important papers, my wallet and cell phone, I would take my personal Bible as it has many notes that I've made. It would take much time to re-write them. Oh yes. my photo albums!
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
16 Oct 15
@TheHorse So true! I would take things, if I had the time, that would be hard to replace. I live in a 12 story building and usually when the alarm rings I just quickly grab some clothes and run out. Thankfully so far, it has been mostly false alarms because somebody was cooking and burned stuff or the fires have been small and were quickly put out.
@TheHorse (238349)
• Walnut Creek, California
18 Oct 15
@1hopefulman I had amplifier catch fire in my house, but I was able to unplug it and take it outside--no damage to anything else. I've never lived in a tallish building. I wonder if it would change my perspective at all.
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
15 Oct 15
Purse and laptop, I think. I was in a dilemma of choosing between cellphone and laptop but I already memorized the important phone numbers so yeah. Laptop it is.
@TheHorse (238349)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Oct 15
@cahaya1983 I reckon, putting all passion aside, my computer would be the thing I'd grab. It has too much important stuff on it.
1 person likes this
