They Love Their Labelmakers

In the process of working on this "Digging Out" series, I've met a lot of office organizers. And I have to tell you, they love their labelmakers.

One of them actually posed for a picture in the Inquirer with the label maker and propped it up front and center for the photographer. Another organizer, when she found out I wanted to turn my manilla file folders inside out to re-use them, wanted to paste labels over my old scribblings. Even David Allen, the bestselling author of "Getting Things Done" advocates labelmakers, as in you must, must, must get a labelmaker.

I say, I must, must, must get a haircut.

They say it shows commitment to the organizing process. I say it shows that they should be committed.

What's up with this? Are they paid by the labelmaking companies? Do they get a cut on every one sold? Maybe a lifetime supply of free labels!

We'd all like things neat and tidy, but I've got better things to do with $40 -- even if the better thing is to go out for some beers to celebrate an ever-cleaner desk, or to celebrate an even-larger mess. I'll raise a glass to the label-making crowd and to the rest of us too. God bless us all.