Interrupting this Hiatus . . .

    . . . to tell you that this hiatus was, in fact, unintentional. First our monitor broke. Strangely enough, there was absolutely nothing leading up to it - it was fine and then, a moment later, a nice white screen with some easter egg coloured lines running through it. Lovely.

    And then the vomiting began. Barf and blogging are not compatible since I have not had a free moment since the barfing commenced. Well, except for now while I'm allowing my children's productive and creative spirits to putrefy while they watch netflix. As usual, I have been protected from this gastrointestinal distress probably by the mercy of God (or the Universe. Or Twitter. I guess it depends on who you talk to!) because isn't it obvious that the one person in the house who can clean, cook, and wash barfy bedding and clothes without heaving should be the one who is spared? Anyway, I'm absolutely radiating happiness over my good fortune, but I have to pretend I'm at least a little glum because I don't want my family beating me over the head for being too cheerful in the face of their misery. Everyone hates that.

 

 

Some thoughts I've been having while playing washerwoman:

 

• Paring down to the point where I realize we need . . . more stuff? WTH!? Turns out when you only have one or two pieces of furniture in each room, it better damn well look good. We look like we're 6 months out from dorm living. Ahem. Also, minimalism has thrown my organizational skills out of whack and made things that previously didn't seem important really important.
  

 

• Unrelieved white. Sanatorium or calming? Methinks I'm wanting tiny bits of color about as long as I don't have to commit to anything but white.

 

Love the simplicity of this room. Found here.

 

• Valentine's Day. Meh. Good God (!) the amount of women who seem to feel like they have failed if they are single on Valentine's Day! What are we doing to our girls? As if female singleness is some kind of plague to be avoided at all costs. Must remember to stress to my children that their value isn't dependent on whether they ever find someone and have babies.

 

• My mom pointed out that it would be virtually impossible to be a practicing artist and an I-can-fit-everything-in-my-backpack minimalist unless you used your computer or your medium was very tiny. I think this is obvious, but it kind of sent me down another path of thinking. As in, minimalism is about keeping (mostly) only what you need, and some would argue you don't need art, and others would argue that you do. I'm not going to get into anything lengthy here. I think art is more important than minimalism. By far. I also think that minimalism has often, perhaps even most of the time, been introduced by some kind of art, whether it be writing or something else. Minimalism ceases to exist if no one has anything in the first place; see most of the world. So, in order for minimalism to even be important, there has to be stuff. I don't know why this is so interesting to me - but I think it's just changed my relationship with minimalism.
  

 

• Shocked by the Dervaes Institute (family) trademarking the phrase "urban homestead."  Like many other people, I'd understand if Monsanto was trying to use the term for their own purposes, or Hummer was branding one of their vehicles as perfect for the urban homestead, but the Dervaes are going after people who are ostensibly within their own community - people who practice urban gardening, run teaching courses on it, and blog about it to connect and help others. I guess it's too much to ask people of any common interest to stick together. Sad. Good luck Mr. Dervaes, on getting  your "urban homesteading" supporters to fund your dream of buying land for a remote homesteading community in South America when you're busy sending them what essentially amounts to cease and desist letters. Check these links out for more info:

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/stickaforkinit/2011/02/pasadena_family_trademarks_the.php#comment

 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Take-Back-Urban-Home-steadings/167527713295518

 

http://www.thecrunchychicken.com/2011/02/urban-homesteaders-cease-and-desist.html

 

http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2011/02/urban_homestead_drama.php

 

 

    So, I'll be back next week, just as soon as I can find where, despite me washing everything multiple times, that barf smell is still coming from. Oh, wait, I think it might be might be the sweatshirt I've had on all week while holding people's hair back while they hurl. I promise that the next time you hear from me I'll be clean!

 

 

Comments

[jaime]

So glad to see a new post from you. Computer problems + vomit = ick. Being the hardiest of the bunch in our home, I also find myself being the one cleaning up after the mess. It would seem that cleaming up all theat mess became a bit fo a meditation - you shared some really thoughtful points here.

"We look like we're 6 months out from dorm living." LOL I was just commenting to my husband that I am tired of looking at our love seat and chair. After 2.5 yeas of parenting, it looks a little like it did a tour of duty in frat house for 2 years. I totally appreciate the idea that minimizing makes you more conscious of what you do have. after we move (7 days!) we are going to spend the next 6-12 months trying to make the place look like grown-ups live the. We are professional 30 somethings after all. Now, if someone could magically deposit a couple of thousand extra dollars in our bank account, that would be great!

Valentine's Day - we don't really celebrate it over here. When Dan and I started dating we had a three year string of Valentine's mishaps that kinda soured us on it. I can't imagine having to navigate two little girls though the mess of images and expectations young women in our society face. It was one of the things I worried about when we thought we were having a girl - would I be string enough to help her become a strong woman. When they told us we wee actually having a boy (surprise!) I was relieved. I still worry about my son, but he has a great role model.

Finding a way to balance between minimalism and other important aspects life is an interesting question - be it art or some other endeavor. If all you are going to be is a minimalist, or your interest and passions require very little stuff, then nor problem. I guess the answer lies in identifying what your passions are and making room for them by minimizing in aeas that mean less. It is a big issue.

Trademarking "urban homesteading" is ridiculous.

I hope everyone is feeling better soon!

[TheSimplePoppy]

Ha! Yes, hunched over the washer in an effort to keep it balanced when it's washing barfy pillows will lend itself to reflection! Everyone seems better now - more blogging next week in store.

Happy moving! I think our goal is to also make our house a place where adults with jobs and some sense of taste live. Right now...it's best left unsaid.

Although it's probably obvious, I should have said that it's just my personal belief art is more important than minimalism. I guess it's important to me since I come from an artistic family, from welded sculpture to large silk paintings, and of course writing, and I can't imagine a minimalist lifestyle not including people who are creative like this. Of course, there is a lot of debate on what minimalism looks like - we both have been in discussions on that!

Yeah, it's funny because as I was reading about this family who thinks, somehow, that they (re)invented urban homesteading, I was thinking of the Minimalism Is Dead debacle. I guess some people are deluded beyond all reality.

Good luck moving, Jaime!

[Erin Kleider]

I am sorry to hear that you are all sick! Well, and glad that you are not. What a relief. Whenever people get sick in my house, I stop eating in the hope that I will have nothing to come back up. REally...it's worked so far.

I am interested in your thoughts on art and minimalism. I think this is my problem. I am too artsy to be minimalist. I keep things because I can see their artistic potential. And while I would like to cut down, I really would, there are some things, though cluttery and messy and THINGY, I will not get rid of because I DO use them. However, that having been said, there are other things I keep for their potential that I will probably never get around to using. How to know the difference. That's the trick.

Anyway it is interesting because you have just engaged in a Boethian argument...that you cannot have one without the other. I have to admit, Boethius is just one of many sources that have shaped my worldview.

[TheSimplePoppy]

You stop eating when people start barfing at your house?!?! GENIUS!

My mom is similar to you. She's really artistic in several different mediums, and although she's been clearing out her house, she derives enormous and life enhancing joy from her art. I think you're right - it's knowing the difference between what you need and will use and what you won't. I believe anyone can be some type of minimalist - but let's be real, most people need more than a backpack and many, many of us have professions based on tools. Believe me, The Simple Man has about 4 6ft. high tool chests FILLED sitting at his job. When those guys quit, they have to get a moving truck to take their tools away! The world, even in a less technological time, needs people who have stuff. End of story. It's over-consumption that is the problem. Minimalism is attractive because we have things and can choose to give things away. Pretty sure most of the world wouldn't feel that way!

And yes, I'm feeling hopelessly ignorant. I'm going to have to look this Boethius up now!