Don’t Let Anyone Take Away Your Big Box of Cables - Jim Nielsen’s Blog (../../styles.css)      (https://github.com/jimniels)  (https://twitter.com/jimniels)  (https://mastodon.social/@jimniels)  (https://dribbble.com/jimniels)  (https://cdn.jim-nielsen.com)  (RSS: JSON Feed) (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/feed.json)  (RSS: XML Feed) (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/feed.xml)  (RSS: HTML Feed) (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/feed.html)  (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/menu/)  (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/search/)  (index.html)        (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/) (Jim Nielsen’s Blog) Jim’s Blog  (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/search/) (Search)    (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/subscribe/) (Subscribe)    (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/menu/) (Menu)     Don’t Let Anyone Take Away Your Big Box of Cables 2026-09-09     Speaking of being on the internet and finding things that make you go, (https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/2026/its-not-just-me/) “Hey! It’s not just me!” I scrolled across (https://bsky.app/profile/tylergaw.com/post/3muzwcei6pc2k) 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.  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.  (Photo of a cardobard box with cables hanging out of it. There is handwriting on the box with a sharpie that says “FAMILY TECHNO BOX”. There is also a print out of a skeet taped over the box that says (amongst other things): “Don’t ever let anyone take your Big Box of Cables away.”)   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…”) 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.   Reply via: (mailto:jimniels%2Bblog@gmail.com?subject=Re:%20blog.jim-nielsen.com/2026/hands-off-my-cables/) Email · (https://mastodon.social/@jimniels) Mastodon · (https://bsky.app/profile/jim-nielsen.com) Bluesky