I am SOOOO busted <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

And STOP bumping this thread. Cruella DeLane could wake up at any moment! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

I forgive you Pio.

oops - did I bump it again?

I am worried and may need some help. WW and family are leaving this weekend for Mexico. Next month I'm traveling alone to Houston. There is a Home Depot very close to my sister's house. I have been using cable ties at a very high rate for the past several weeks. I still have about a billion left and certainly don't need more. I'm just afraid I won't be able to resist buying more. Is there a support group or some other aid I could use to help me resist the urge to buy more cable ties? I think I'm too weak to deal with this alone. I know I'll cave in. I think I need a sponsor. I wish Todd were here...

I could recommend a website but, unfortunately, all they do there is moan about how few cable ties they have. Not supportive, just a lot of moaning and whining and saying you can never have too many cable ties. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Quite frankly, it's pathetic.

NC with cable ties is the only way to go. Formulate a plan NOW. What will you do if you see a bunch of brand new cable ties beckoning you? You will run, not walk, run from the store.

You may see advertising for them. Ignore it. You may even see new colours that appeal to you. It's all part of the plan to hook you. Be strong.

I know you're probably right. I should be happy with the cable ties that I have. But sometimes I think about variety. I've tried duct tape but it just doesn't fulfill me. I feel like there is a hole in me that even JB Weld won't fill. I look at my cable ties and they are nice but sometimes I think about new ones - fresh ones. Is it wrong to have these thoughts? I mean, I can get some new cable ties and still go back and use my old ones from time to time. I can keep them separated and maybe I'll even appreciate my old cable ties more.

You will NOT buy a new cable tie until all your old cable ties are completely gone. When you get to the last pack, yes, I know that gives you a panic attack, you may think about getting some replacements.

You know very well that the old cable ties will gather dust and be unused forever as the new shiny ones get used until they, too, become "old" cable ties. That wouldn't be very nice would it?

The more I think about it, my old cable ties really are old. They no longer have any appeal for me. I think what I need is to just throw away all my old cable ties and start fresh. New colors. New sizes. I know I have 20 years invested in those old cable ties but they have simply lost their attraction for me. I no longer care for them. Sure we've bound many things together over the years but what have they done for me lately?

They have attached things to other things for a long time. You OWE those cable ties.

You can't even SEE that the new cable ties will become "old" cable ties before the year's even out.

You really are in a bad way. But we'll support you.

I mean I like my old cable ties and everything but I don't REALLY like them. I think going to the USA will be good because it will give me my space to decide what I really want to do with my cable ties. I think I do need this time to myself away from my cable ties.

My cable ties are old, some are discolored, many are not as pliable as they used to be. New cable ties are so bright and strong. They are VERY flexible and a pleasure to work with. I don't think I can depend on my old cable ties any more.

I wonder if the manufacturer of your current brand of cable ties understands your feelings about their ties. Do they understand your frustration, your unhappiness, your yearning for something "fresh". If you shared that with them they would then be in a position to meet your ties needs. Information is key here, Pio. You must share your feelings, your doubts, and your frustrations so that the current tie manufacturer can try to meet your current tie needs. This also gives them the information they need to decide whether your current tie needs are something they feel they want to meet. Perhaps they won't care about losing you as a customer if they feel your needs are something they can't, or don't want, to meet.

It's not that. My current cable ties have never met my needs. I've never liked them. I don't know why I've even kept them as long as I have. They've always made me so unhappy. I know new cable ties would solve all this. So why even bother with the old cable ties? I don't see the point.

This is a hard thing to do but have you considered that your current feelings about your cable ties have more to do with your own personal angst than the brand of cable ties? After all, you made a long term commitment to your current ties when you purchased so many. There must have been something very appealing to you about them, something very useful and personally satisfying for you to have made that kind of commitment.

Unless, you're the type of person who acts on a whim. Looking back, do you think you were rash and perhaps you'd not considered very carefully the purchase of the old ties? Did you act on surface feelings alone about the beauty of the ties and attributed to them characteristics they didn't poscess because their physical appearance entranced you? Or, maybe you're doing that now with the new ties. You're feeling bored, would like something new and stimulating in your life and don't know how to find that for yourself so you're looking for some thing to do that for you, sure that the newness will be what can satisfy you.

Consider that it's easy to cast blame on your current ties as having "never met your needs". It's easier to blame the ties for being faulty or not up to your current standards than it is to consider you role in the purchase and use of the ties. It's also easy to think a new tie will solve all your tie needs because now when you look at your old ties all you see is negative attributes. If you have half your mind already at the store looking over all the, what you consider to be better, "fresh" ties, your old ties will look as if they could never measure up.

Well this is a new day. My neighbor came over last night needing 10 blue cable ties. I was happy to get rid of them. I can't even remember when I got them but I was bored with them anyway. He repaid me with 10 pink cable ties. I've never had pink cable ties! This was exciting. So I went to another neighbor to see what colors he had and sure enough we swapped some cable ties. Tonight I'm going to see some more neighbors.

I guess I can keep my old cable ties and just spice up the collection a little from time to time by swapping some. That will keep me from throwing out my old cable ties for a completely new set. Besides - it is fun!

Well, yes, that sounds a good plan. But it could have pitfalls. One day your neighbour might refuse to swap you the green ones you really, really want and offer you blue ones.

You may be tempted to go behind his back and just TAKE the green ones.

I see problems arising from this plan.

As long as we are open and honest about our cable tie exchanges, I can't see how anybody could get hurt. I people weren't meant to swap cable ties, why did they make them in so many colors and sizes. It's insane to expect a person to stay with only one type of cable tie their entire life. What would be interesting about that?

OTOH if my neighbor did take my cable ties behind my back, I know I would never be able to trust him again. I would hate to think he is that type of person. I do know that I would tell all my other neighbors so that they could protect their cable ties.

Well I just walked outside and I saw "my" blue cable ties on my neighbor's fence. They reminded me of when I used blue cable ties in Muscat for Christmas 5 years ago and again when I repaired DD1's electric Jeep in Dubai in 2004. I have a history with those blue cable ties. Now I'm looking at the pink ones and realize that they hold no meaning for me. They aren't nearly as bright and shiney as they were when I got them last night. I wish I had never given my blue ones away.

Well, there you go. You are the author of your own misfortune.