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I recently described my dream studio
... but I'm always tweaking, always rehabbing. I realized, my dream studio would need this app:
I would like to be able to push a button and all of the things I'll never need again, will never use, will never think of, will just be GONE! No sorting, no wondering, no pulling out some ancient box of whatevers and thinking, "WILL I EVER NEED THESE WHATEVERS EVER AGAIN!?!?"
If I ask my mind that, my mind will suddenly go to the millions of ways I might need these things, all of the ways I could use them. Best to keep it JUST IN CASE!
However, I'm finding that I have shelves full of "Just in Case"... when I really need to use those shelves for "What I'm Doing Now!" I would allow myself a shelf for the near future and a shelf for just in case, but my shelf is turning into a closet of "Just in Case".
I want to not have to even look at things I'll never use again because if I look, I might wonder... And it would also have to be things the lamblets would never use, because they're creative sorts and love to have access to a random smattering of things. Even if I don't want something, I might keep it for them.
Of course, my dream studio would also have that, "Exactly What You Need Right Now" closet... which would hold what I needed, whether I knew it or not. It would hold whatever anyone needed. Whoever opened the door would see only what they needed.
I would also like my dream studio to have the "This is exactly what you need to eat right now" fridge... which when I opened it, would have the perfect meal, ready to go... full of whatever nutrients my bod was lacking at that time... and not full of things that would give me hives, go directly to my butt, phlegm-up my sinuses, etc, etc. (My stomach just typed this one. It's lunchtime, and I'm hungry).
I am once again trying to clear out my office/studio space so it's not full of ghosts of abandoned projects from the past or monsters from the imagined future. I need it to be a place of focus, of clarity, of ease. I think I'm going to invent a drawing table/easel/line of sketchbooks that have blinders on them so you can't see anything but what you're working on... No, even better, you can't think of anything, but what you're working on.
I have three areas I need to be able to devote my space and thoughts to (not necessarily in order of importance):
1) Class-planning
2) Finishing work I've promised
3) Getting 3 specific projects to their next level of development.
I need to get distractions out of my way. I need to make space for what's going on now. That eject button for things I never need to think about again would sure come in handy.
A certain prog-rock band has you covered.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 16, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Also sounds like you are in the well-documented 'program bloat' phase of architectural development. I would estimate your dream studio at a bit under 8,000 square feet at this point.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 16, 2012 at 11:42 AM
I would estimate your dream studio at a bit under 8,000 square feet at this point.
No, no, no, no!!! The beauty of this place is that even though there are connected "stores", they don't take up any real space. Geesh!
Posted by: Jennifer | January 16, 2012 at 12:10 PM
OK, sure. It's just that The per square foot cost goes from $75 to $200,000 with construction that utilizes a TARDIS.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 16, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Are you certified in TARDIS design/construction?
Posted by: Jennifer | January 16, 2012 at 12:22 PM
Well, since it is also a time-travel device, I can't imagine how it will pose a problem.
Also, it is marginally more reliable than the Riddled Time Machine, but certainly less cluttered with empty ale bottles.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 16, 2012 at 12:30 PM
And bimler!
Posted by: Jennifer | January 16, 2012 at 12:42 PM
Jennifer, I, too, suffer from Just-in-Case-itis. When we were cleaning out closets to move, I would just tell the Skimmer, "Don't even tell me what's in there, just chuck it! Unless, of course, it's *anything* that means *something!* And if it is *anything* that means *something* don't tell me about that either cuz then I'll just spend hours sifting through it and staring at it."
Your Exactly What You Need Right Now Closet sounds awesome. And so does your Exactly What You Need To Eat Right Now" Fridge.
Posted by: blue girl | January 16, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Jennifer, ZRM and I have been over at Brando's wondering where you were. I thought you might be in line for the rest room, but you've been in your Dream Studio!
Posted by: blue girl | January 16, 2012 at 12:56 PM
BG- I'm even worse with the girls' stuff... I keep thinking, what wonderful little thing of theirs, that meant the world to them, am I going to pitch!?! And they'll look back and will go, "If only Mom hadn't thrown out XYZ, I would be successful now!" :) I know though that they don't want their full past of stuff... Can you imagine? Having to traipse around like with ALL of your possessions? I have a sister-in-law whose mother did save EVERYTHING! I was amazed. Fortunately my sister-in-law has a HUGE basement.
If I ever figure out how to make the closet and the fridge, I'll let you know. :)
Posted by: Jennifer | January 16, 2012 at 12:59 PM
I'm lol'ing @ If only Mom hadn't thrown out XYZ, I would be successful now! but I DO understand the sentiment.
Get this. I was in a nice second hand furniture store over the weekend that's right up the road. They always have GREAT little finds and I was on a hunt for... something. More junk, I guess. Behind their counter they had these HUGE original painting. Maybe 4' x 6'. Four of them. Original oils of Spiderman comic book covers. A woman had commissioned them from an artists when her son's were young. They had always hung in their bedrooms. Now that her sons are grown -- SHE IS SELLING THEM.
I could not believe it. Those paintings were awesome. They should be handed down to her grandchildren!! Or her great grandchildren!!
I could not imagine chucking them.
Posted by: blue girl | January 16, 2012 at 01:16 PM
Hopefully she asked the grown kids if they were OK with that!
I can think of many things my mother tossed that I would love to still have! And then there are the things she didn't, where you look at it and go, "Why'd she keep this??"
I love second hand stores... I always know I'll find something interesting... whether I buy it or not. There are so many stories in there!
Posted by: Jennifer | January 16, 2012 at 01:22 PM
Young Zombie's at the age where he just wants to chuck everything from his childhood. Of course, we are keeping things....
The green hand image that shows up as my avatar in some places is from a hand cast I did at 5 years old, that my mother kept and turned up when we went through the things she kept.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 16, 2012 at 01:40 PM
Hold on to that stuff, ZRM! Over Christmas break, Blue Kid was looking at pics and other stuff from his childhood like they were the olden days. He even told my mom that The Skimmer and I were so stylish BACK THEN.
LOL
Posted by: blue girl | January 16, 2012 at 01:53 PM
Yeah, Jennifer, this store is a good one. We sold some of our furniture in there that wouldn't fit here. It's like a real furniture store, all merchandised and everything, yet most of it is "slightly" used. They have a desk in there right now I would kill for!
The only reason I hesitate to go in there is that the owner is a total snob.
Posted by: blue girl | January 16, 2012 at 01:56 PM
That's so awesome about your hand cast, ZRM!!
Posted by: blue girl | January 16, 2012 at 01:57 PM
Back then!!
EL was watching something the other night where the 40-50ish parents kissed and she said, "AH! Old people love!"
I wish my girls wanted to chuck more. There are things I know I will not chuck, even if they say so, but I also know, I can't keep everything, nor would they want that.
Posted by: Jennifer | January 16, 2012 at 01:58 PM
EL was watching something the other night where the 40-50ish parents kissed and she said, "AH! Old people love!"
LOL
It makes me happy they feel that way, though. I tend to think kids grow up so fast these days and miss so much of their innocent childhoods with 24/7 media, etc. that it's good to hear that they still think that stuff!
BK's friend was down here visiting a few weeks back and he and BK are totally into Seinfeld right now. But, he said that when it was first on and he'd be running around and would hear that "slapping bass" he'd be like, OLD PEOPLE SHOW'S ON! :)
Posted by: blue girl | January 16, 2012 at 02:40 PM
1) Class-planning
2) Finishing work I've promised
3) Getting 3 specific projects to their next level of development.
4) Jennifer Dearest will not tolerate speedra videos in her closets!!!
~
Posted by: ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© | January 16, 2012 at 02:43 PM
That's so awesome about your hand cast, ZRM!!
Pinko says I'm complex.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 16, 2012 at 02:45 PM
so it's not full of ... monsters from the imagined future.
Hey now.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 16, 2012 at 02:59 PM
Oh Jenniferrr! GE would like a talk with you about fridges
and a map of the fridge allows the owner to keep an inventory of what foods are in each section and how long they have been there. Now all you have to do is find $15,000.
Posted by: Another Kiwi | January 16, 2012 at 05:14 PM
oops, its LG. Whatza difference. Check out the popular article that means that you'll never have to drink warm beer again. Have to mind you, I hate that.
Posted by: Another Kiwi | January 16, 2012 at 05:16 PM
I would like to be able to push a button and all of the things I'll never need again, will never use, will never think of, will just be GONE!
This button needs some sort of sighting-and-launching device attached to it.
Posted by: Substance McGravitas | January 16, 2012 at 06:42 PM
AK- maybe I need a Star Trek Replicator... I'm sure that will be less! ;)
Substance- do you have a suggested range?
Posted by: Jennifer | January 16, 2012 at 06:57 PM
If he says "through the internozzles" I am in trouble.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 16, 2012 at 06:59 PM
Posted by: Substance McGravitas | January 16, 2012 at 08:08 PM
oh god my mother-in-law saved so much...I should just blog it. She whipped out these ridic ancient toys for B. Like this plastic cow on wheels with a pull-cord. I cannot even describe how NOT MEMORABLE this toy was. totally broken down. SHE SAVED THAT FOR 35 YEARS.
and yet that doesn't get her down at all. dragged out the old rusty radio flyer wagon and B LOVES IT. so it's all TOTALLY JUSTIFIED.
Posted by: Kathleen | January 17, 2012 at 01:18 AM
LOL @ She whipped out these ridic ancient toys for B. Like this plastic cow on wheels with a pull-cord. !! :)
I love that B loves her old rusty radio flyer wagon!
Posted by: blue girl | January 17, 2012 at 04:22 AM
Tetanus on wheels!!
Posted by: Jennifer | January 17, 2012 at 05:11 AM
it really is. you can't sit in it without a towel down.
Posted by: Kathleen | January 17, 2012 at 01:49 PM