quote:

Originally posted by Amanda:
Thank you for introducing me to Quentin Crisp, Bernard. He's himself, all right - as he and others have remarked, the only thing all of us can do better than anybody else (but I can't think of anyone who's done it better than anyone else).

Original to the nth degree, and brave beyond imagining.

I used to see Quentin on the sidewalks of the East Village occasionally, as his arrival there coincided with my years there as well. A very interesting person.

A rebuttal to Kondo's ideas on books...

https://www.treehugger.com/cle...your-books-away.html

quote:

Originally posted by Doug:
I try to be open minded to everybody’s views here, and in general. I don’t think everyone who voted for Trump is necessarily a racist etc.

But, I have my limits. On what planet is your toaster not a source of joy? It takes bread, which is already cooked, AND COOKS IT AGAIN, MAKING IT WARM AND TOASTY AND ALLOWING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF BUTTER TO MELT ON IT!

Your toaster not a source of joy? Now we’re talking fake news…

I mean, it's not like I was talking about my mixer and bread machine....

quote:

Originally posted by Bernard:

quote:

Originally posted by Nina:
The comment I saw was, "I looked around for things that didn't spark joy. So I threw out my husband."

I am no fan of clutter but this seems a bit nuts. First, I really react negatively to all this blather about "does it spark joy?" Seriously, that seems like a significantly high bar to get over. Does my toaster spark joy? Nope, but I'm keeping it, regardless. It's along the same lines as people who go on and on about "finding their bliss." It just irks me, big time.

The world does not owe you a lifetime of 24/7 joy-filled bliss. I mean, sometimes you have to pay bills and take out the garbage.

And get off my lawn.

I think this is a misunderstanding of the phrase "find your bliss". It does not mean 24/7 ecstacy, in fact it can entail much pain and sadness. "Finding your bliss" simply means knowing you are on the right path for you, and there is bliss in that, no matter how hard or difficult it may be.

I think your interpretation is reasonable. But I can't tell you how many times I've talked to students who are unable to find a job because the job doesn't match their bliss requirement. That's unreasonable, imo, and I suspect you would agree.

quote:

Originally posted by Bernard:
A rebuttal to Kondo's ideas on books...

https://www.treehugger.com/cle...your-books-away.html

John Waters said, "if you go home with someone and they don't have books, don't f*** them."

That's all I need to live by.

Guess Lenny's wife-to-be was an unusually literate strip-artist.

Seen on Twitter:

quote:

If you’re upset that @MarieKondo recommends getting rid of books, have you considered signaling how well read you are with writing and conversation rather than with full shelves?

Hey, I’m just as guilty of book hoarding as the rest of you, but still thought this was funny.

If you like your books, Kondo would be the first person to tell you to keep them.

Just don’t call her and complain that your possessions are taking over your life.

quote:

Originally posted by Bernard:
Tidying up? Heh. I saw a quote recently about how creative people don't have messes lying about, they are piles of ideas. Paraphrased.

I was watching these fabulous interviews last night of Quentin Crisp by David Letterman, and he had something to say about cleaning. The bit starts at 2:04 (I think I've set it properly). Wise words!!

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SaXPFuIXpk4?start=124" width="560">[/FLASH_VIDEO]

OMG! I happened to find and watch this interview yesterday.

Wise words, indeed.

quote:

Originally posted by jon-nyc:
Seen on Twitter:

quote:

If you’re upset that @MarieKondo recommends getting rid of books, have you considered signaling how well read you are with writing and conversation rather than with full shelves?

Hey, I’m just as guilty of book hoarding as the rest of you, but still thought this was funny.

quote:

Originally posted by Bernard:
Tidying up? Heh. I saw a quote recently about how creative people don't have messes lying about, they are piles of ideas. Paraphrased.

I was watching these fabulous interviews last night of Quentin Crisp by David Letterman, and he had something to say about cleaning. The bit starts at 2:04 (I think I've set it properly). Wise words!!

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SaXPFuIXpk4?start=124" width="560">[/FLASH_VIDEO]

"piles of ideas" lol I like that.

I watched the first shoe (couple with toddlers) and the show about the empty nesters.

I had sympathy for the couple with the young kids. Dad works all day; mom struggles with kids all day. Dad wants to come home to a clean house; house looks like a bomb blew up every day. I get it; I've been there.

The empty nesters? Ugh. Geez o flip, if you are going to keep mounds of Christmas decorations all over your house all year, you are going to have a disaster of a home. How is there an excuse for that -- you have no kids to take care of or anything, yet you still can't get it together?

I just will never understand how people get so attached to junk. It's just such a privileged way to be in the world. There are folks with real problems all around you, and all you can think about is how to store every Christmas decoration you ever laid eyes on?

Marie Kondo seems nice. I guess that's something. But I won't get much joy out of watching people on the show whom I would very much like to smack across the face.

I look at a lot of the carp that's being sold and think of the resources used to make it, to package it, to ship it, etc. Then when you see some people's houses with said stuff, that in many cases has never been removed from its original packaging, stuffed into closets or shelves, I think we've all gone insane.

Edit: I guess my take on Kondo's message, if it didn't spark joy in the first place, why the heck are you buying it? Pro tip: the act of buying something, in and of itself, doesn't count as something that "sparks joy."

OMG now I'm in love with Quentin Crisp! I not only totally agree with him about tidying up being a waste of time, I think he must be the latest incarnation of Oscar Wilde.

And my wife. And my cats.