and so...
New discovery #247 -the dark red matte paint I used in the kitchen not only makes the kitchen cozy feeling but also doubles as a chalk board! Once I began it was nearly impossible to stop, there are words and drawings everywhere. Where I sit down to have my morning tea it says, "You look really good today!" The tea cupboard it proclaims, "While there is still tea, there is hope." I like a room that speaks to me.
New Discovery #248 -the people who invented cell phones have made it possible to do everything one could every want with them, games, calculator, text messaging, email, web surfing. Now if only I could figure out how to retrieve my calls? Here's an idea, how about a phone whose sole purpose was to talk to friends and loved ones? One button for on/off. Also, could they make them a little bigger so that I don't feeling like I am talking to myself?
I nearly jumped off my seat today, having accidentally put the thing into vibrate mode. I thought I was being attacked by a large bug. Why are we drawn to things in our culture that seem to put us on edge? How about instead we create a variety of new technologies that are soothing? Maybe a phone that is soft, like a pillow, instead of ringing it would start floating out in front of you, you have to catch it, when you weren't using it you could take a little nap. Or maybe a phone that whispers in your ear really nice things when it rings, like an attentive lover. Or how about a phone that is also a travel mug so that when it rings you must sit and pour a cup of tea first? Ooooh, a phone that was made out of silly putty so you could have fun smooshing it while talking. I would go for that one in a minute. That brings me to...
Buried Memory #682 -I used to chew silly putty. (remember using it to pull off comic cells? Sadly this is no longer possible because of changes in the printing process.)
New Discovery #249 -You must seek to love with the same intensity as a man whose hair is on fire seeks a pond.
New Discovery #250 -the plural for fish in some cases is fishes.
New Discovery #251 -It IS possible to consume too many Haribo Rotella's.
New Discovery #252 -it is o.k. that mother's day makes me sad every year.
New Discovery #253 -heavy feels are just a part of the process.
reading Henry Miller and going to dance class usually helps.
New Discovery #254 -if I don't draw or write something every day I get very cranky. Or is that just pms?
Posted by kerismith at May 03, 2004 10:18 PM#247 Discovery/
My husband and I just bought an old house and we are doing most of the renovation work ourselves. You kitchen sounds so wonderful! My kitchen is a sort of meditational room for me. I drink my tea and think, plan out my day. When I cook dinner for my husband it's a closing to my day, I think about how my day went, and etc.
I love your idea of the red matte paint. Is it a chalk board paint? I would love to cover some of my cabinets, and my kitchen nook area.
Love to read all your thought, extremely inspiring!
How funny that you posted an "inspiring people trading card" right after my friends and I exchanged some! :) You were on some of them, too!
Posted by: Anna on May 6, 2004 09:39 PMWhere may I find this magic chauck board paint. I am redecorating my room and I was going to panel my room with "shower board" which works as dry erase board. BUT just puting some pain on the walls sound a hell of a lot cheeper and easer to do.
Get back to me on it you know the e-mail.
Joe.
Posted by: Joe on May 5, 2004 03:56 PMoooh no allison! i must disagree - playdoh was THE BEST! (hee hee)
Posted by: megan on May 5, 2004 03:23 PMI recently got a new phone, and the ring tone sounds like cicadas. Amazingly, this is the only ring tone ever that actually makes me fell *more* peaceful, not less, when it rings. And I get stressed form most ring tones, even the so-called old-fashioned ones (because of the sampling, you can never hear where the sound is coming from - confusing, really). But I'd love to have the pillow phone!
Posted by: anja on May 5, 2004 05:04 AMYour kitchen sounds so fun. That's a great idea.
Posted by: Jen on May 4, 2004 03:34 PMyes, please, more inspiring people trading cards. I would never trade mine. you inspire.
Posted by: kim on May 4, 2004 11:30 AMI love the scent of Play Doh, but nothing beats Silly Putty. I found some in a dollar store recently! Kneading it's great for stress.
Posted by: Joy on May 4, 2004 09:31 AMme too, i loved chewing on silly putty. my favourite was when i'd be molding it and squishing it between my hands and a pocket of air would get trapped inside causing a little *pop*
Posted by: amanda on May 4, 2004 09:02 AMKeri
these numbered and buried memories are amazing. I hope you don't mind me suggesting this as a new writing exercise for my writers group!
You ate silly putty hey, kaz ate tons of glue and i was constantly getting my tongue stuck to cold poles!
We are all superstars!
ohhh I love the idea of trading cards... actually my most recent ID magazine there was an artist featured that was creating famous artist and designer trading cards. Very neat idea :)
Posted by: lauren on May 4, 2004 08:51 AMI had to laugh at the vibrating cellphone. I wonder myself why we torture ourselves with vibrating things. I thought of a cockroach immediately!
Posted by: Lu on May 4, 2004 08:46 AMMy mother would't buy silly putty for me. I have never forgiven her. I found some normal putty at a building site in our street however (they don't use that anymore, do they?) it also worked for pulling of pictures.
Posted by: eliane on May 4, 2004 08:44 AMa few months ago I heard the most wonderful mobile phone ring tone on the bus... it was the sound of an old fashioned pre digital phone - a gentle lazy purr.. so much nicer than some bloody song.
Vibrate mode is generally helpful if you are on a film set - though I just think the bloody things should be turned off..
Posted by: m on May 4, 2004 08:40 AMAnother great essay Keri! Thank you for sharing your many gifts with all of us. And I'm so sorry about your mother.
Much love, Shelley
Speaking of plurals, a quote from Neil Gaiman (one of my fave authors)
"Crows. Family Corvidae. Collective noun," intoned Mr. Croup, relishing the sound of the word, "a Murder."
Awesome right? And definitely explains the new Incubus album "a crow left of the murder"
and the plural for "y'all" isn't "y'alls" but "all y'all."
I love words.
Posted by: Madders on May 4, 2004 12:54 AMi used to chew silly putty too... and I once ate a ton of salt playdoh in preschool and threw up everywhere.
Posted by: soren on May 3, 2004 11:35 PMYou are too wonderful for words.
This post has gently draped an electric blanket of magic over my otherwise un-inspired evening.
Wow...where to begin?
682-I also chewed silly putty and loved pulling up comics.
252-Mother's day makes me sad too...every year...sigh...
253-Heavy feels are so part of the process...sometimes feels like a ton of bricks.
254-Could be PMS, but I get cranky too if I don't output.
248- ON/OFF is a great idea...and who wants a phone that vibrates? Would we want vibrators to ring? No way, that wouldn't be much fun at all!
How about a phone that gives you a cuddle? Or a french kiss? Or emits the aroma of baked cookies when it rang? Or tickled you behind the knees?
Stay on fire dear girl.
I adore you.
And the inspiring people trading cards idea is BRILLIANT!!!!!!!
What a wonderful list of discoveries!
I chewed Silly Putty too, far superior to the taste of PlayDoh ;)
#253 Henry Miller. Ah. Yes.
Posted by: Clarity on May 3, 2004 09:32 PM