"People are keen to talk about sheds. It strikes a nerve deep down...Perhaps it's just the need to reattach oneself to some kind of certainty. Sheds seem to be a part of a collective memory and a trigger for finding a personal history that allows people to make sense of the past and deal with the future. There are many thousands of those little personal museums out there."
Mark Thomson, Tales from the Shed
More than a physical structure or defined physical space, the shed is a state of mind. It's a virtual personal space where one collects mementos, ephemera, bits of tat and all the things you know you'll find a use for some day -- both tangibles and intangibles. Things vanish into the shed only to turn up years later (but never when you're looking for them). Or they disappear through that peculiar warp in space/time known to cognoscenti as "Shedspace", only to reappear in someone else's shed. (Many believe that Shedspace is congruent with the Black Holes through which odd socks, combs, ballpoint pens, children's homework assignments and all recollection of wives' birthdays and wedding anniversaries are sucked into an Alternative Universe).
The Shed also happens to be a Usenet newsgroup, uk.rec.sheds, where hundreds, nay dozens, of like-minded souls (seated comfortably on bags of cement, swathed in favourite old cardies) sample brown ale and pork pies and happily exchange p.i.s.i.p.*. You really ought to pop in and say hello. They're a friendly bunch, usually, as long as you knock first, conduct yourself with decorum and don't barge your way in smelling of spam. Google Groups holds a massive archive, if your interest happens to lead you that way. And do have a look at the FAQ and a fine collection of tqt** at
Rusty Hinge's Virtual Shed. While you're at it, swing by
coj's wibble and browse the Sheddy Gallery.
* p.i.s.i.p. -- pseudo-intellectual self-important penc[99]
** tqt -- Top Quality Tat
[99] penc -- ROT13'ed
One of these days I'll start putting a few bits and pieces on display here. When I can find where I put them.
Oh. Right. Might as well get started then...I'll just go and fetch some more of this stuff. Ooh, here's some nice bits. Well I never!
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