I get all weird and obsessive about them. I am not materialistic. In fact, I'm kind of a cheapskate. Money makes me nervous. I like having it, but I prefer hoarding it. And then I spend hundreds of dollars on books when I'm in a fugue state at 2 in the morning. But then sometimes I get so into things - like this table I bought that is arriving today. I literally cannot wait for its arrival so I can gloat over it for a couple of hours. And yesterday I drove to Pier 1 and bought a chair for the table - an absolutely gorgeous chair which was basically part of a dining room set, but I ripped it away from its siblings and it will stand alone. I also went to Target and bought two towels that are so fluffy and beautiful (deep brown on one side, and a pale pale blue on the other side) that I feel I might weep. I bought a little lamp for my table - which has a colored glass shade, and the thought of it makes me feel almost nervous it is so beautiful. And I also bought 2 coffee mugs (like, Sheila: do you need any more coffee mugs?) But these I couldn't pass up. They're kind of square - and they have brown interiors and a soft blue exterior with a painting of a butterfly on it. It sounds ugly but they just called to me from the shelf.
And so I sit and gloat over my things.
And I realize (weird) that I guess it's a theme. It's everywhere. I mean, I knew that - that's the whole point of the book I wrote - but it's really striking me now. I was unaware of the fact that I was writing about myself, even though that writing is MY creation, I did that, I made that up. But there's something about things. And I always knew that - which is one of the reasons why I wrote that novel that sits in my drawer. I wanted to write about things (meaning: objects). There's something potent there - more to do, more to do. Much to think upon. And the next time I write about it, I'll be sitting AT MY TABLE WHICH IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING IN THE WORLD.
Posted by sheila | TrackBackI, too, cannot resist just the right coffee mug. I have far more than I need, and yet continually acquire more. Congrats on your new table; it is good to surround yourself with things in which your senses find beauty.
Posted by: Eric the...bald at April 19, 2008 10:24 AMAlthough I don't think I've ever actually STOLEN a mug. Ahem.
Posted by: Eric the...bald at April 19, 2008 10:26 AMI am totally the same way - there's something about a good coffee mug - and I like to drink out of a different one every day. No idea why ... I just do.
And HA to your second comment!!! Made me laugh. Said stolen mug is smack dab in the middle of the cupboard picture I linked to. It looks so innocent, doesn't it? You'd never guess the many miles it has traveled, or the fact that I stuffed it in my duffel bag when the waitress wasn't looking.
Posted by: red at April 19, 2008 10:31 AMI think certain talismanic objects have appeal to non-materialistic people. I love things that combine form and function, like a laguiole pcoket knife.
Posted by: Dan at April 19, 2008 12:33 PMCoffee mugs are so deeply personal. I have certain mugs I have for particular moods. God forbid the correct one is not clean- another one will NOT do!!!
Posted by: just1beth at April 19, 2008 8:55 PMBeth - I totally have the same thing!! It's weird!! I rotate them, too - I rarely have coffee out of the same mug every day.
Posted by: red at April 19, 2008 8:58 PMDan - talismanic. An excellent word, and exactly what I mean!!
Posted by: red at April 19, 2008 9:00 PMSheila- YES! If I drink out of my shamrock mug today, then tomorrow I can drink out of my mug with the silly face or the one with the inspirational quote or the flute one. But never the same one every day- except the shamrock if I am in a VERY content mood, or maybe the quote mug (from a former student). But I must be in the right mood.
Posted by: just1beth at April 19, 2008 9:22 PMoops- double post. can you fix that??
Posted by: just1beth at April 19, 2008 9:24 PMFixed!!
So the shamrock mug is only if you are in a content mood? Or can you drink out of it every day?
I have a big white chunky coffee mug that I feel okay with drinking out of every day - but then I have a sort of midnight blue one from Home Goods in RI, a little bit fancy - which I am definitely not in the mood to drink out of every day - and then I have a little blue and white flecked camp-fire mug - that I love - and that one ... well, it's rare that I feel like drinking out of it - but usually when I do, it's a freezing morning, and I like it because the cup gets almost too hot to touch.
There are some mugs that I'm not sure why I keep around. They seem surly, unfriendly ... but when I feel like drinking out of them, I want them to be there!!
Posted by: red at April 19, 2008 9:30 PMHappy new table (and chair and mugs)! Little things make me happy, too. Sometimes it's not so much the individual things but the entire composition they make up--you seem to be setting up that room of your own that Virginia Woolf was talking about.
Posted by: Kate P at April 19, 2008 10:16 PMGod, I am such a stick in the mud. I have had coffee in the same mug something like 1567 of the last 1600 days. When I find something I like, I stick with it. I have been using the same putter for the last 30 years--it's a member of the family, and replacing it would bother me. I have special favorites among my tools, hiking garb, pens, pillows, chairs, etc.--all things I have used for many years, and will probably be using until I die. I guess I am a genetic conservative.
Posted by: DBW at April 20, 2008 12:20 AMYou can NEVER have too many coffee mugs. Now, I don't need to have a different one every day, but I need them to be there for me. Right now, I have these large mugs-part of my whole dish set (square plates-so cool-) They have this very natural oatmeal like look-kind of speckled and big. They fit 2 cups in each mug. I love them. I'm dying to see your new stuff..it all sounds gorgeous.
Posted by: mere at April 20, 2008 6:47 AMMere - I saw some square plates at Pier 1 that were so gorgeous - I considered getting them ... I love big mugs that can hold 2 cups.
The only issue with my table (which is so unbelievably awesome) is that there is less room for all the blow-up matresses when you guys come down. hahahahaha
Posted by: red at April 20, 2008 10:55 AMDBW - I'm a genetic conservative when it comes to my pens. I have been using the same pen (or the same type of pen) since I was 13, 14 years old. I buy them in bulk for fear that the line will be discontinued. I just don't feel right using any other kind of pen.
But coffee mugs I like to rotate!
Posted by: red at April 20, 2008 1:00 PMAs far as the blowup mattresses are concerned- no prob. Where there's a will, there's a way. Or, we can always rent a hotel room (there are some cool hotels with pools in Seacaucus- jacuzzi,anyone????)
As to the shamrock mug- YES! I must be content to drink from it. (??) If I am unsettled in the least, it can not be used. And I definitely have certain mugs for particular seasons. I know- weird.