Don't let anyone take away your big box of cables

Don’t let anyone take away your big box of cables

别让任何人拿走你的“线材大宝箱”

Speaking of being on the internet and finding things that make you go, “Hey! It’s not just me!” I scrolled across this skeet from Tyler Gaw: I just dug to the bottom of my Big Box of Cables to find two cables that I needed for something. They’ve been in the bottom for 10+ years. So, “when are you ever gonna use these?” was today. Don’t ever let anyone take your Big Box of Cables away.

说到在网上冲浪时发现那些让你感叹“嘿！原来不止我一个人这样！”的内容，我刷到了 Tyler Gaw 发的一条推文：我刚刚翻到了我的“线材大宝箱”底部，找到了两根我急需的线。它们在箱底躺了十多年了。所以，“你到底什么时候才会用到这些东西？”这个问题的答案就是今天。千万别让任何人拿走你的“线材大宝箱”。

I laughed. I cried. I felt inspired. So inspired, in fact, that I decided I was gonna do something about it. Something that would make me forever remember the value of that advice. I screenshotted that skeet. I printed it (in black and white with the ole’ trusty Brother). I cut it out. I pulled out my big box of cables (the one my wife lovingly labeled “FAMILY TECHNO BOX”). I cut some clear packing tape. And I plastered that thing on the front on my box.

我笑了，也哭了，更感到深受启发。事实上，我深受鼓舞，决定为此做点什么。做一件能让我永远铭记这条建议价值的事。我截下了那条推文，用我那台老当益壮的兄弟（Brother）打印机把它打印出来（黑白版），然后剪了下来。我搬出了我的线材大宝箱（我妻子亲切地给它贴上了“家庭科技宝箱”的标签），剪下一段透明胶带，把那张纸贴在了箱子正面。

Now every time I pull that box out to add YAC (yet another cable), instead of asking myself, “Why do I keep this box?” I’ll see that skeet and I’ll be reminded why I do what I do. I’ll feel a spark of joy, motivation, and purpose rekindled. (Not to mention the fact that it will serve as a warning to anyone in the family who thinks “I should just throw this away…”)

现在，每当我拿出这个箱子往里塞进又一根线（YAC）时，我不再会问自己“我为什么要留着这个箱子？”，而是会看到那条推文，提醒自己为什么要这么做。我会感到一丝喜悦、动力和使命感重新燃起。（更不用说，它还能给家里任何想动念头说“我应该把这玩意儿扔了……”的人起到警示作用。）

One day my kids will find that box in the attic amongst my other belongings. I hope they will pay heed to the timeless advice lovingly taped on the outside.

总有一天，我的孩子们会在阁楼里我的其他遗物中发现这个箱子。我希望他们能留意那条被我深情地贴在箱子外面的、永不过时的建议。