My music corner.
The computer area.
Kimberly's crafting hub.I wish we'd taken some before pictures, but rest assured it very much resembled a messy storage unit. Now you can walk in and access the books, the computer, the music and instruments, and the craft supplies. Our behavior has already been affected. Last night we sat on the floor in there playing Scrabble and eating popcorn with some music in the background. In fact, we spent time in there doing fun things (mostly crafts and music practice) each night of the long weekend.
Another big source of our (or at least my) contentment with the long weekend was a concept that has really hit home with me lately. In the process of re-reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, I picked up on a tidbit about how we (people in general) behave as if we have an absolute right to possess 24 hours a day as our own, as if we were the authors of our own time, which sounds rather absurd when stated clearly. What sense at all is there in saying that something is wasting MY time? I've been going through the mental exercise of freeing myself from the burden of owning time. The seemingly contradictory result is that I seem to have more of it, and the time I spend doing things I enjoy feels much more like a gift from God. It is a wonderful thing to come to the end of an evening, realize that other things prevented me from utilizing the time as I had planned, and being okay with it rather than frustrated.
Other than that, I beat (the final boss in) Super Mario Galaxy, which was my big Christmas present from Kimberly's parents. In the process of taking down our Christmas decorations, we remembered the pumpkin that had been secretly propping up Frankie on top of our bookshelf.
Kimberly suggested that I carve it rather than just throwing it out, and to her surprise, I agreed. I decided to carve two faces into it like the Roman god Janus, looking both forward and backward in time.
I wouldn't read too deeply into which face, the happy or angry one, is looking into which direction of time. You can either decide for yourself or leave it unclear. For me, it was all about getting variety into my carving -- both backward and forward are the happy face as far as I'm concerned.
Another big source of our (or at least my) contentment with the long weekend was a concept that has really hit home with me lately. In the process of re-reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, I picked up on a tidbit about how we (people in general) behave as if we have an absolute right to possess 24 hours a day as our own, as if we were the authors of our own time, which sounds rather absurd when stated clearly. What sense at all is there in saying that something is wasting MY time? I've been going through the mental exercise of freeing myself from the burden of owning time. The seemingly contradictory result is that I seem to have more of it, and the time I spend doing things I enjoy feels much more like a gift from God. It is a wonderful thing to come to the end of an evening, realize that other things prevented me from utilizing the time as I had planned, and being okay with it rather than frustrated.
Other than that, I beat (the final boss in) Super Mario Galaxy, which was my big Christmas present from Kimberly's parents. In the process of taking down our Christmas decorations, we remembered the pumpkin that had been secretly propping up Frankie on top of our bookshelf.
Frankie had a secret all fall long.
Kimberly suggested that I carve it rather than just throwing it out, and to her surprise, I agreed. I decided to carve two faces into it like the Roman god Janus, looking both forward and backward in time.
I wouldn't read too deeply into which face, the happy or angry one, is looking into which direction of time. You can either decide for yourself or leave it unclear. For me, it was all about getting variety into my carving -- both backward and forward are the happy face as far as I'm concerned.
3 comments:
I keep ranting about people who think they have time, so you know I was quite moved by that letter from Screwtape, too. I'm glad you feel the same way. ;-)
I have been liberated in two areas because of this: exercise and crafting. Because I have realized that I don't own any portion of time, I can "waste" time at the gym when I'd rather be "spending" time with my yarn. The truth is, an evening at home is what it is, and I'll get another one tomorrow. Two other truths: I need to be at the gym so I don't get fat, and even if I had two lifetimes, I'd never be able to complete all the knitting I want to accomplish.
So what if "my" time isn't used as planned?
Interesting observations about "time". I think that notion that we own each day and hour comes from all the cliches that are out there: "Seize the Day!", "Make each minute count", "Make each day your own"... that sort of thing. Doesn't make it right, but there's definitely a societal command that we hear all the time to own our time.
I love your thoughts on this.
And also... the 2nd room looks great! :)
I see you used that EQ box to good use :) I was using it for exactly the same thing (raise monitor and EQ computer speakers). Glad you can get some use out of it!
A quote from my quote page:
"Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering." -Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh > CS Lewis :)
And let's not forget Kermit:
"Time's fun when you're having flies." -Kermit the Frog
And my last quote is:
"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." -James 4:14b
Well that was fun. Not sure where I went with all those quotes, but they come to mind when I think about being "sedentary", which is a great pastime.
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