I don’t know much about Feng Shui (fuhng shwey). We’ve just rearranged my office, which is also a guest room, and since there’s a treadmill in it, I guess it’s my workout room. (Maybe that’s putting a lot of pressure to be truly functional on a 10 x 10 ft. space.) I was curious about things that could help me be more productive. I went to Wikipedia, and they had a rather exhaustive page about it, lots of it in Chinese characters, so I still don’t know much about Feng Shui. I do know that it’s a philosophy about arranging furniture in homes and using some appropriate colors to increase harmony and prosperity and stuff like that.
I did go to YouTube and watch a video about Feng Shui and closets. The narrator had some interesting tips about a Feng Shui’ed closet. One of the primary aspects that I observed (and, surprisingly, one that she didn’t actually mention) was that a well Feng Shui’ed closet should be the size of an apartment in New York City (not the television kind of apartments, but the real kind, the tiny ones where actual people live). Jeremy and Sarah’s first apartment in Brooklyn (and I think, for the rent they paid, it was probably larger than the usual apartment in Manhattan) had only one closet, which was about 1 by 2 feet (and I am not kidding about that). After watching the video, I’m thinking that they were mistaken in identifying their living quarters as an apartment. I think it was actually a closet, at least by Feng Shui standards.
There was also a video about appropriate Feng Shui colors. Let’s just say I’m woefully out of step. My Earth Colors and my Water Colors are in the wrong place. And I don’t have nearly enough metal stuff around.
Then I watched “Feng Shui Your Home in Eight Minutes.” The first thing they did was walk up the slope to the house, where there was a large evergreen tree in front of the door. So, they put some artificial red flowers around the bottom of the tree to invite the energy in. Really? They were in such a hurry they couldn’t be bothered to find some actual growing red plant they could use instead? That’s out of step with me. I want the kind of energy that is instilled by real things, not artificial things. But maybe I don’t understand … uh … the process? Anyway, I didn’t watch any more of that one.
My room is rearranged, and the duvet cover on the day bed is still blue (mostly, there’s some “earth” beige in it, so I might be all right). And the treadmill actually is metal.
We moved out lots of stuff, books from the barrister’s shelves and ALLLL the stuff from the desk, while moving the furniture (and the necessary vacuuming and dusting after long hidden surfaces are revealed), and I’m trying to be deliberate about moving back in only what I really want to keep and will use. I think the Feng Shui folks are on to something when they say clutter is the enemy of peace and harmony.
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- Bags full of books, sitting in the living room, waiting for me to decide who goes and who stays.
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- Bookshelf-dusted and ready for returning books
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- Thursday, mid-day. My goal is to be finished by Friday afternoon
I’m asking those questions that seem harder than they should be:
The Thesaurus I got for Senior English in High School.
What do I really need on the desk?
What books do I really need to keep?
Am I ever going to listen to that CD again? For sure? Really?
When was the last time I actually read, touched, or looked at, any of the cute/meaningful/inspiring things around the room? What had I actually used? (#1 item? the blue piece of paper with the written instructions for putting up a post, inserting a photograph, putting in a link on the website.)
Kevin re-attached all the cords and wires and plugged all the devices into the newly grounded outlet. Then he turned everything on to be sure they were all connected properly. When he got to the electric pencil sharpener, he said, “I need to check to see if this is plugged in right. Where’s a wooden pencil?” Good question. There wasn’t one. (The obvious next question? Then what’s an electric pencil sharpener doing on the desk?)
I have the dictionary I took off to college and the paperback Thesaurus from high school. I NEVER use them. Ever. Why would I?
When I’m in the middle of writing, and need to know how to spell something or find a synonym, dictionary.com and thesaurus.com are right there. Those books do not need to be on the desk! But, maybe I’ll put them up on the high shelf in the closet; I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to them.
Now, I have to get out the blue piece of paper that reminds me how to insert the link (below) to the Feng Shui closet video. I know you’ll enjoy it.
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Ecclesiastes 3:4-6 (NRSV)
I’ve already gathered stuff (and gathered and gathered). Now it’s time to throw away, give away, store away; to refrain from embracing stuff that’s unnecessary, non-productive, distracting.
Meanwhile, Peter is one year old! I knew you would want to know.
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- January 26, 2013 Brand new baby boy!
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- July 7, 2013 Peter wearing overalls that were new when Kevin wore them. Then Jeremy wore them and then JoAnne’s boys Collin and Patrick wore them. Pretty sturdy.
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- Peter with his first container of birthday milk (milk with January 26 printed on it).
“They” say we are owned by what we own. Why is it so hard to pare down so we don’t own so much stuff? Understand, sympathize, and admire your efforts knowing they will have good results. Delighted to see darling Peter again and to know he is 1 year old. He is looking like a little boy now and not so much like a baby anymore. Adorable and Precious. Hope you and yours are well. Have enjoyed all your posts…a virtual mini visit!
Love always, Suzy
It’s taking me *much* longer to get everything in order than I had planned
. Here it is Saturday afternoon and I’m still sitting at the desk, trying to make decisions. It’s much better, but not done yet.
Yes, Peter’s not a baby any more. He will speed across the floor on his hands and knees, stop at my feet and lift his hands to be picked up for a kiss and a hug, but then be stretching his arms back down to the floor to be off again. Not much sitting quietly and rocking any more!
I loved the “Feng Shui Your Closet” video. Especially the “if you have a window in your closet, you should put some fresh flowers in there” comment. I’ll put Jim right on cutting us a window in our shared old traditional 2 ft deep closet with sliding doors. I did already have the cool Central Park poster that you gave me on my wall end of the closet. I’ll add a photo if you have a blue piece of paper that would tell me how to do it.
Maybe you could put a window frame (or some attractive curtains) around the Central Park poster and *pretend* that it’s a window (and pretend that you’re in *New York!*).
If you download your photo and put it on your desktop, you might could drag it into an e-mail. Or, you can “attach” it to an e-mail.