i saw you cage the lightning

my mother is the type of person who will receive an item of jewelry as a gift, not like it, but still wear it on the next occasion when she will see the gift giver- just to make them happy and let them see she is using the jewelry. my sister is the same way. when we went on our family cruise this summer, she used an uncomfortable beach bag as her carry on for the plane, just because one of my aunts gave it to her and she wanted my aunt to see her using it. i just can't get this type of thinking. why put on something that is uncomfortable or cumbersome, just to please somebody else? i doubt other people take you into consideration when they get dressed.

and it's the same thing with gift items for the home. most of the time these are safe to get rid of. my mother and some aunts have given me way more than i need for my apartment and decorative needs. i have used the stuff i liked and that was useful in my space. but i got rid of the stuff that felt cluttery and not at all with the aesthetic i was going for. and most of the time no one notices. my mother especially will forget what she has given me, whether it be clothes or jewelry or knick knacks and stuff, which is good because i'm safe to get rid of it or give it away without ever hurting her feelings.

my apartment is mine, and should only house those things that i love or find useful. there's no need for excess. actually, clutter and excess is really stifling. when it comes to my home, i definitely feel that less is more. less chaos means a quieter, more peaceful space. the world outside is chaotic enough without adding more noise to your own private sanctuary. i feel like mostly bare walls can make a room feel bigger. and lets your eyes rest. there shouldn't be an item of decoration in every single corner, otherwise there are too many things calling on your attention all the time. and that can get draining very fast. I like the idea in ‘the joy of less’ of committing to throwing away one thing every day for a year. If you are only deciding on one thing, it’s not overwhelming and feels more doable. And you can lighten your amount of things very effectively this way over time. So that’s what I’m trying to do. I know I don’t need half the things I own. But just keep them for whatever reason. Time to reclaim my space!

on  a random note, i'm pretty sure this guy on the train was sketching me on my way home from work today. he was maybe a teenager, with big curly hair. he had a big sketchbook open on his lap and he kept glancing up in my direction, and then back down again. this happened over and over. it was a nice feeling though of being special, instead of just another face in the crowd. i glanced at his sketchbook as i got up to get off the train and saw a profile that looked like mine, wearing a hat like i was wearing today, so it must've been me he was drawing. how nice :)

my song of the day, written by debbie harry for joey ramone: