This week on PBS, Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea is causing quite a fervor on the airwaves. Spectacular stuff.
For those who can't get enough, also just out on the news stand is the latest National Geographic magazine, which features the awesome photo I've posted here and without a doubt, the usual fascinating NG article. The photo is from this blurb on NPR. (click on the link for details and much better views of the image)
P.S. An (unrelated to this NG photo/article) aside: One of the best days out in my entire life was spent hiking with family and friends at Pinnacles National Monument (and yes, we've returned there for more visits).
Clicking around the web tonight, I came across this adorable picture of Skipper (in a sweet pink knitted cardigan with little gold buttons) - and just had to post it:
[ image from http://www.windycitydolls.com/knitting.htm ]
Last night, whilst watching TV, I used the remote to jump between two shows which aired at the same time: Dancing With the Stars and The National Parks: America's Best Idea.
Really wanted to watch both. Not possible. Bouncing back n' forth between and betwixt two (or more) channels is silly. You end up not watching much of anything.
Using the remote thusly felt like SUCH an inconvenience. Until I realized that Hey-We've-Come-A-Long-Way from the days before everyone had TV remote controls.
Once upon a time...
if you wanted to switch to another show, you had to get up outta your chair, walk over to
the TV - actually TOUCH the TV's channel control dial - and rotate it until you got to the correct station number(s). This had to be done whenever the viewer wished for a channel change.
HubbyDear reminded me of the time, back in the early 1970's (whooaaah!) - when the plastic knob cover from our overused TV dial stripped of its threading, rotating uselessly around the underlying metal control. Until the plastic dial housing was replaced (months or years later), we had to use a pair of pliers to change channels.
Now upon this time...
We no longer watch TV with pliers in hand. Now we sit back and change channels with our trusty remote. Gently pressing the button is such an improvement over utilizing a tool to ply the dial from station to station.
We HAVE come a long way. baby.
For me, two TV shows on simultaneously of interest is very rarely a dilemma, so no worries. Yet when it does occur, I still haven't figured my way to viewing both at the same time and not miss anything at all from either one (taping is no longer an option).
Movie re-make using brilliant, if predictable, digital effects.
Based on the Jules Verne book, which, in and of itself as a read - offers plenty of excitement, especially for its time.
Brandon Fraser at his 'silly best' + two supporting actors who are not altogether unlikable.
The three come across as a believably compatible trio on a wholly unbelievable adventure.
To be sure, 2008's Journey to the Center of the Earth scores as a fun romp - and worth another viewing (did I actually say that?!?).
Next time, in 3-D. I already have four pair of 3-D glasses at the ready... anyone care to join me?
Waaaaay back in the 80's, friends from Japan presented me with large cloth squares in cotton, rayon, poly blends or silk. Each square was printed with traditional Japanese designs rendered in gorgeous colors.
I wondered why my new found Japanese friends were all into giving big square scarves as gifts. I received quite a few. Not a problem, for I, at the time, was The Scarf Woman. Not only did I accent my outfits with a scarf round the neck or shawl o'er my shoulders, but dressed my hair in scarves and wore them at the waist or fashioned into wrapped blouses as well. So I welcomed these presents of big square scarves in a multitude of colors and prints!
Indeed a furoshiki can be used as such, but the true purpose of these over sized square cloths is much more than that.
I watched in amazement as my Japanese friends demonstrated clever ways to use the square to wrap items into pretty cloth packages for gift giving or simply to tote round. It is astounding how many creative ways there are to wrap and tie a furoshiki around objects. Who knew a simple square of cloth could be so useful?!? Well, someone knew and I learned.
Recently, DollinkDaughterLLS presented me with a 'modern day' furoshiki.
The one LLS gave me is from Furochic.
It's a 27" cotton square in a vibrantly colored elephant and flower print. The fabric is tightly woven; strong yet flexible. The latter features are important when it comes to using furoshiki cloth for wrapping, twisting and tying.
Think: use and re-use. Think: sustainability.
The owner of Furochic is designer Jenn Playford. Her books and videos show examples of the tried-and-true approach to wrapping anything and everything in a simple square of fabric. Cultures all over the world wrap things in fabric squares, but there is definitely an art to the Japanese way.
Midnight rolls around and I get the hankerin' for a bit more food before beddy-bye. To ignore the notion of a snack would mean going to bed a tad hungry. It would mean visualizing food whilst lying in bed awake. Only to get hungrier.
I crave a small hot meal. A wee dish of something savory would be best.
I decide to head for the kitchen. Something warm and savory across the palate and into the tummy would be nice. However, due to the late hour, a cold offering from the larder would be quicker and easier. Cold cereal or a some fruit will have to suffice.
Great memory of late-night eating:
The family would eat an early dinner. After post meal dishes were taken care of - Mom, Dad and one or more of us kids would head out for a movie. We'd walk a few blocks down to Chinatown to one of the Cantonese movie theaters. Sometimes there was a recent film release that Mom or Dad had in mind to see. Other nights, we'd take in a double feature of whatever happened to be playing. It was after sitting through two movies that we'd reward ourselves with some Midnight Madness Eats.
The Chinese restaurants we frequented were all within walking distance - another block or two, maybe three if we wanted to go 'out of our way' for a particular dish. Upon arrival at the chosen eatery, we'd usually find the joint fairly jumpin' with other late night diners. A waiter would motion us to a table or booth, we'd peel off our coats and pass the menus around.
Typically, our late night food choices would be simple ones: a bowl of jook (congee), won ton (soup) or noodles (fried or in broth). The food - tasty. The company - convivial.
I always felt happy and secure taking these midnight sups with family.
For me, Midnight Madness Eats translates to yummy food, laughter and going to bed very much satisfied with life.
That was then and this is now.
These late nights I settle for a bowl of cold cereal with a splash of milk.
Perhaps a sliced banana over top for some real excitement.
Then I sit and eat alone.
Satisfaction of life rating: all things considered and sans jook = still A-OK.
)) sigh ((
** Photo of 'jook' aka 'congee' from this yummy website.**
Today I am (once again) obsessed with Eric Burdon!
Gonna haul out my Animals LPs and 45's circa 1960's!!!
Here is the 'See See' variation favoured by my Mom, who adored singing and dancing:
Dad could also carry a tune and loved to sing. My brothers and I do our best to carry on in the family tradition by following suit - singin' n' dancin' whenever the spirit moves us.
See 'Ruminations' sidebar for another early Burdon video.
On B's blog, I post with increased frequency bemoaning my accumulation of stuff.
The truth is that at times, my stuff fairly overwhelms. When one has spent a lifetime in the hunting/gathering of cute things, fun things, sentimental things, both necessary and extraneous non-essential but delightful things - it adds up. Big time.
When one is short of storage space, those items that once served to please, accessorize and embellish a humdrum existence quickly morph into excess baggage that can bog down one's lifestyle.
Too much stuff! is the bane of my existence. It is also my mantra. My rallying cry.
The urge to purge is constant, a chronic condition. Though fond memories can be readily recalled of how good it buoyed the senses to acquire this or that, it feels equally, if not better, to let go of what has amounted to a ridiculous number of belongings**.
Fact: the powers that be in the advertising world are largely to blame for convincing us to get more stuff. Advertising drives and defines our consumer existence. Every ad that convinces us to consume MORE MORE MORE is a well-thought out bit of propaganda. Each is a brilliant example of brainwashing: you want it. Need it. Gotta to have it. Show it off. Validation of self through the acquisition of stuff appeals to a basic human need: to feel significant. It isn't wrong - some of us just take it too darn far.
Therein lies the irony: To have, to hold, to feel good for a moment, to become overwhelmed with, to fret over, to get rid of. To replace. The cycle really is endless - that is, until the end of funds or life..
Day by day, as I am faced with caring for my stuff, I pause to take stock. I have every intention of cutting back and simplifying. But how? Perhaps it is more important to ponder the question of 'why'.
Understanding WHY I/we (note: this is where I involve you, dear reader) need more stuff is a big step towards achieving, if not the ideal of Simper Living, at least a reasonable goal of Less Stuff is More. Such a learning process, this.
Taking baby steps, we move slowly. Distractions, numerous falls and even going backwards is part and parcel of the process. Yet one step at a time, we edge towards our purpose.
WHY requires taking pause each time before considering something else to add to our stuff. It behooves us to ask ourselves whether this or that new thing fills some void, improves our lot in life or makes us more at one with the universe. Will our friends enjoy us even more because we've got more stuff? (Some will, but those are friends we might also consider purging.)
WHY is a valid question. We should ask it now and again.
I am proud to make the statement that I am not the shopper I once was.
Hallelujah for that.
Purchases and acquisitions of late tend to be only what is needed to extend and enrich my current hobbies/interests (I must confess to having far too many hobbies) or to replace something in the house that is oft-used and now worn out. Case in point: my vacuum cleaner. The one I have is a cheapo which now sports a duct-taped electrical cord. The vacuum spits out more dirt than it sucks in. Moreover and much more alarmingly, there is a distinct smell of burning rubber that emanates from the machine when it's been on for more than 5 minutes.
I asked WHY and the answer is 'The damn thing is broken. Get rid of it and buy a new one.' Not the most philosophical of WHY questions, but practical is applicable as well.
It's recently occurred to me that I possess an organizational skill that has proved somewhat counterproductive to effective purging. It is the ability to tidy, stash and stack to the point that a lot of stuff looks like not-as-much-as-all-that. This has to be kept in check in order to achieve the state of simplicity which still eludes me.
Accumulation of stuff: links like this and this are terrific reality-checks.
** Collections of pretty dishes, yarn stash, paper-crating supplies and a plethora of cooking utensils are not to be considered excessive. Ahem.
Things hoped for in viewing the film: a statement on the rapid industrialization of China, great visuals of the Yangtze River landscape and transformation of what once-was to what-will-now-be and insight into the lives of displaced locals.
Subject matter very solid and the film delivers visually.
Acting and direction, however, left me looking around my living room for something more interesting to do....like dust the furniture... or stare at a cobweb on the ceiling. (If one of the main characters ceremoniously filled her water bottle again after the first 4 times, I was gonna run screaming... then again, it could be that I totally missed the metaphor.)
