If you've never relocated a staff of eight people and their desks, filing cabinets, computers, office furnishings, and other essential things from an office that had been "home" for many years to a new one, I can tell you from personal experience you don't know what you've missed!

All that "important stuff" which has accumulated in offices, closets and storage rooms for two decades quickly becomes much less essential when you realize all of it has to be boxed, taped up and the boxes numbered so the movers will know where to put it in the new location.

I've only been National Driller's editor about four months, but I still had file cabinets and desk drawers in my office filled with my growing accumulation of files, plus other folders stuffed with paperwork left over from issues published years ago.

Although much of that stuff ended up in File 13, otherwise known as a garbage bin, I kept thinking about the drilling industry's history and its changes during the past 20 years and that many of those things were documented in the stacks of items I was relegating to the refuse bin.

If I'd had the time, I thought that it would have been interesting to look through all those dog-eared files and write an article about some of the unusual information I uncovered in the search. The more boxes I pitched into the trash bin, the less I liked that idea!

Although I did rid my files of some "ancient history" which had been languishing in manila folders for untold years, more than enough current files, office furnishings and equipment accompanied me to my new office to keep me busy unpacking for a while.

As I write this column, bulging cardboard boxes are sitting atop two filing cabinets, another box is precariously perched beside me in a chair, and two more are lounging on the floor waiting for me to decide to unpack them.

Maybe by the time I write my "Bits and Pieces" for next month, I'll have figured out where to put the stuff in those boxes, or much of it may have may joined its departed kin in the trash by then.

While I'm very happy to have a bright, new office and a nice new desk, some things don't change even when you relocate. The windows in my old office provided a view overlooking our parking lot and the large window in my new office offers the same view of our new parking places. I really can't complain about that -- at least I have a window.

Before I wrap up for this month, I need to correct one item about our new location, which I had mentioned in last month's Bits and Pieces. The correct fax number for our Marianna office is 850-482-4818. I apologize to anyone who may have been inconvenienced by the error.

Just as a reminder, our new office's post office address is PO Box 6167, Marianna, FL 32447 and our new street address is 4636 Hwy. 90 East, Suite P, Marianna FL 32446. Our new phone number is 850-482-6310.

I guess if I'm ever going to unpack all this stuff which has me surrounded, I'd better stop writing and get "moving."

Have a great October. Danny Lewis National Driller's Editor