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.
I, 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.
Although I don’t think I’ve ever actually STOLEN a mug. Ahem.
I 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.
I think certain talismanic objects have appeal to non-materialistic people. I love things that combine form and function, like a laguiole pcoket knife.
Coffee 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!!!
Beth – I totally have the same thing!! It’s weird!! I rotate them, too – I rarely have coffee out of the same mug every day.
Dan – talismanic. An excellent word, and exactly what I mean!!
Sheila- 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.
oops- double post. can you fix that??
Fixed!!
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!!
Happy 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.
God, 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.
You 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.
Mere – 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
DBW – 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!
As 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.
Objects in Ecstasy
Thanks to Kim for the inspiration. I’ll write more about this haunting weird controversial little movie later but for now I just wanted to mention that much of the film is fragmented, we see pieces of people, sides of their…