Thursday, May 13, 2010

I Want

  • To have my furniture stay in the same place for a few days. Or weeks. Years, maybe. In any case, I want it to move when I decide to move it. Not when they get turned into clubhouses or rocking horses or trampolines.
  • To lose myself in fabric and ideas. For hours, if I want to. It's hard to get lost in five second, stolen intervals.
  • A clean floor. That stays clean when I mop it, which I seem to be doing almost constantly.
  • To stay awake long enough to watch some movies. Like "Precious" and "The Devil Came on Horseback".
  • Really clean up my creative space. Remember what wondrous specimens I have hiding there. Ditch and dust a lot of other stuff.
  • Bedrooms that don't look like clothing killing fields.

I'm Disappointed

  • That after ordering and reading Geneen Roth's latest book entitled; "Women, Food, and God- An unexpected path to amost anything"; I remain essentially unmoved. This is particularly disappointing, as I credit Roth for my hard earned recovery from eating troubles roughly twenty years ago. I still see so much in me still that I want healed and redeemed and I had hoped Geneen would fill in some blanks for me. But the truth is that I had heard much of it before, and really need a whole other layer added on. It's like I'm "Not sick enough, and not well enough either". Of course, there is much to be grateful for in such a scenario. But the disappointment is in having read the book and having only a slim sliver of an "AHA!" moment.

I'm Glad

  • to be working at home. Really. Even though the floor and the couch and the crumbs and the laundry can get really, crushingly old. I love our walks. Our laughs. Our toast with raspberry jam.
  • that the kids have smartened up in the last few days. Last week they all left their ears at home and drove me to fearful distraction.
  • the parents of my kiddies are so incredibly supportive and kind. Wow. This would be a difficult job without them, and I am sort of amazed all the time at the quality of parents that are part of my life.
  • that I still have four other books to read.
  • that it's yard sale season
  • that I found the awesomest book at the thrift shop for 25 cents entitled: "Your Home and You" published in 1962 and packed full of insights on how to be a decent human in the '60's. The photos are amazing. So is the advice on how to properly make a bed, how to fashion your own clothing, and how to look your best.

For your reading pleasure, and to leave you wanting, glad, and hopefully not disappointed, I'll share an excerpt of said book.

"Tips about spots: Beverly spent fifteen minutes trying to remove a grease spot from her dress. After the spot disappeared, she spent fifteen minutes more removing the ring that had formed as a result of her cleaning efforts. If she had taken a half minute to put on an apron before she began to whip the cream which made the spot, she would have saved thirty minutes of work."

(or, she could just live here- throw her clothes onto the rumpled couch, roll around on the crumb-ladened floor, and wait for the laundry to magically appear clean and fresh in her disastrous bedroom)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love your editorial on tips on spots...thanks for yet another good laugh, just don't seem to get enough of that.

mmichele said...

If Beverly had bought her dress at the thrift store, she could have just thrown it out.

Karla said...

Oh Joyce.... I'm so dissapointed in your "unmoved" status after reading Geneen Roth's book. I just discovered it today and after seeing Anne Lamott's ringing endorsement on the front cover, I thought I'd found my saviour. I may want to borrow if from you and see if "I shall not be, I shall not be moved" either. I'm sure missing you. Next Friday - me and the sunshine and an itty bitty sprinkler trickle on your lawn. And a "you and me" time soon too, ok? I'm leaving soon.

jenn said...

Oh how times have changed. The last time I wore a dress was 10 years ago at my wedding, and I don't even own an apron. But I would love to read the advice on how to properly make a bed... I have never mastered the pillow under the bed spread thing that they do at hotels. I have always wanted to do that properly.

gophercheeks said...

K.
How the hell do you find time to manage your dayhome, read, cook, clean, SEW, and blog.

I honestly want to know how many hours you sleep. Do you sleep?

joyce said...

Karla- if you haven't read her other four books, you should really read this one. It's not that it isn't GOOD and insightful. It definitely is, and I'd bet that you WILL be moved. Now you know where to borrow the book from...

Laughing. What better thing is there?

michelle- or taken three or four of those aprons and whipped herself up a cute little skirt.
Silly Beverley.

you really haven't worn a dress since your wedding?
Seeing as your kid has perfect manners, and phones me to apologize for running in the thrift shop... I might loan you my book on how to make a bed. just don't look at my beds for examples, okay??

GC. What an awesome comment. am I as irritating as that soul mama with her perfect life and her gorgeous non-schooled kids that she knits booties for in her sleep?

Me? I REVERE sleep. Guard it fiercely. I sleep from 10:30 to 5:45 every week day. Sometimes I pass out at quiet time too.

I just do everything simultaneously.
And maybe I'm not all that balanced. for example, I don't run, or go to the gym, or wear make-up much, or any of that SELF-CARE stuff. I often wear what is lying on the floor beside my bed when I wake up in the morning.
And I'm probably distracted.

see what a mess I am?
:)

lindalew@mts.net said...

Got to get me one of them aprons....because a spot on my dress is just more than I can bare...bear...whatever : ) L-lew