And I don't mean your stomach. I mean your closet . . . your basement . . . under your bed . . . every dusty, forgotten corner of your life that needs to be swept clean. That's what we're doing this week. All week. Rob and I. We're in our underground hellhole, sifting through the rubble of life, making space, thinking yard sale thoughts, reclaiming what is rightfully ours—peace. It's an intimidating task, this basement blitz, but it's got to be done. We need to finish our house. We need to find room for life and expansion. All week we'll be down here. Hopefully the basement monsters won't win the war and take us prisoner.
Here's a secret that you probably know already: Awful tasks need a motivating soundtrack. How lucky am I that this month David Byrne's got a great playlist on tap? You really ought to check it out, directly through iTunes (look under "Radio" and then "Eclectic") or online here. This'll keep me going for . . . days, I hope. A spoonful of sugar and all that.
Hey! Good news! I set up two friends just over a year ago, and last night they called me on their way home from a trip to Canyonlands to tell me they got engaged beneath Delicate Arch! I'm so excited! And also now I am completely convinced of my supernatural matchmaking abilities. Yes, folks, I'm hanging out my shingle. Step right up. Grand opening specials!
29 comments:
Aaaaannnnnndddd... you can recommend a great photographer to the newly engaged couple!
smooches
Music has amazing super powers to help in times of no fun jobs. Good luck with the purge! And well done on the matchmaking! I've always wanted to say that someone I set up got married. But pretty much I don't set people up, so there goes that dream.
i just tuned into your david byrnes radio station in time to hear "the argentines claim defeat". what a truly bizarre song that reminds me the only two countries stamped in my current passport are Argentina and Great Britain and makes me say "Las islas malvinas sono de argentina." are you listening to it streaming?
xo!
Good luck with your basement purge!
Also, dearest geo, I have to say, you leave the most beautiful sincere comments. Thanks for being so wonderful to me and everyone else (and I still haven't sent you a picture for your birthday like I said I would, and yet you don't shun me!)
And if you ever need to set some fantastic guy up with an artsy fartsy music lover, think of me.
xoxo
I love to clean house while listening to the sound track from Chicago. Congrats with the match making, my hubby and I were set up on a blind date, and 14 years later we are still happily married.
I LOVE decluttering--how very fun!
If you don't want to garage sale stuff, you can also try freecycle.org.
Good luck! That is so exciting!
That last paragraph cracked me up. Congratulations to the couple! Saw you yesterday morning at about 7:00 a.m. turning onto 8th north, but I don't think you saw me. It was a wee bit early. :)
well, congrats to your new friends and to the new career path! now get back to that cleaning! I swear I don't clean a stitch all summer, and then come fall, we have to move back inside, and clean... ugh!
Amen to the cleaning out. My good friend Lisa Clark (aka Oh Judy) always says that clutter takes up space in our minds as well as our homes and it has to EARN it's place there. This summer was a HUGE purge time for me and really my mind DOES feel lighter. Good luck with the purge...
As for the music. I love listening to show tunes when I clean. It is a sickness.....
Way to go matchmaker! And have a great time purging! Thanks for the rec--that's just what I need!
Matchmaker.
Find one for my little bird...the one with small feathers under her wings. There seems to be a derth off guys with heads out in the open air just now in Provo.
Purging feels good. It's been that sort of week for me too.
I love that Bran Van 3000 cover of Quiet Riot. I used to have that CD back in the ravy days (what, 10 years ago?). Fun...
This sounds like my kind of fun, it took Ethan and me 12 hours to face, sort and empty the basement before finishing it. but it cleanses your soul and soon even your thoughts are orderly and collected. I'm working on the content of my kitchen cabinets and NPR is my faithful companion.
Decluttering is such an awesome feeling. I get into modes where I want to get rid of EVERYTHING--which I don't, so I guess it doesn't last long enough. Hooray for making space and making plans.
Congratulations on your matchmaking prowess; who's the lucky couple?
i LOVE purging possessions. It makes me feel lighter. Physically and Spatially.
LUCKY. That is an excellent idea. Sadly for them, however, I think they are on the budget plan. I'll mention it to them just in case. xo
KATRINA. I haven't done any real matchmaking for years, not since setting up one of our best friends with several different women and watching them all get their hearts broken. I swore it off for a time, but apparently I have a calling in life, so I must be true to it!
GRITTY. Oh, to have a passport, and one with stamps! David Byrne and I meet through iTunes—I think it's the same as streaming.
I I E EE. Shun you? I'm not as dumb as I look. I know great people when I comes across 'em.
Why don't you define "fantastic" a little further and I'll keep my eyes open. xxxxxooooo
MONICA B. Now that it's Day Two of the basement blitz, I think I'm ready for a new soundtrack. Chicago, hm? I wonder if they have that at the library . . . .
And a testimonial about blind dates! Great! I never had a good one myself, but then I wasn't in the hands of a capable matchmaker.
WENDY. In the past, I have been a huge Freecycler. I unsubbed from the list when I ran out of stuff to share (or so I thought). I'll probably hook back up with them again one day, because I heart passing along freebies, but this purge is screaming for a yard sale, if only to help fund our hoped-for home repairs.
ELIZABETH. Sorry I didn't see you! I was probably still in my morning coma, on my way to the track to walk/jog with a pal.
STACIE. Hey! It's nice to hear from you again! Yeah, I'm a much better matchmaker than I am an organizer, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
BEK. Lisa is so, so right. I am really looking to some added mental clarity and emotional breathing space. I'm a believer!
C-DUB. Thanks for the rah-rah!
JOE. I'm on it. Any specific traits you're hoping for in a son-in-law?
RYNELL. There's something in the air, huh?
JAMIE. That one made me laugh out loud. What a surprise. I was having so much fun with it I forgot to feel old when I realized it was a remake.
MIRJAM. Oh, I wish this was only a 12-hour job! But, as you say, it cleanses the soul, and maybe we just need more soul-scrubbing than the Vincents! (Actually, I'm sure of it.)
BECCA. I was thinking of you yesterday, and how brave you were to help me with another bad basement once upon a time, before we moved to this house.
The day I got the bad news about my last pregnancy, I wanted nothing more than to sweep our entire house clean and ENTIRELY empty. If I'd had the strength and a backhoe, I'd have done it without so much as a flinch. But, I'm mostly over that impulse. I mean, I will keep a few things. But this is going to be the healthiest purge of my life.
Who's the lucky couple? Have you heard me talk about my friend Scott, my old chum from North Carolina, high school, etc.? I have a funny picture of us at his senior prom after my first year of college. If I can find it I'll post it here. He is going to marry my good friend Merilee. I don't think you know her, but you'd like her. She's da bomb.
KALLI. I agree with you. It's actually addictive. And as an addictive personality type, I love that!
I love a good soundtrack, speaking of which. Send me your address adn I'll send you a copy of Phoebeulous:)
phoebelizabeth(at)yahoo(dot)com
PHOEBE. Yeeeaaaaaahhooooo!!!!!
Go Geo go! I wish I could tell you how much it means to me to read your posts.
And I always knew you had magical powers - I'll just add matchmaking to the list.
I love a good purge, but alas, I'm surrounded by packrats. Whenever I try to purge, I have to have them sort through my "throw away" bag and everything gets pulled out and put back in. I've now given up.
Oh, my poor garage. I think our garage would qualify for one of those reality make-overs. I have told sweet my Marco that if he moves on to the other side before me, I plan to take the entire contents of my garage, cremate everything and scatter the ashes ceremoniously in my dearly departed husband's coffin. That way he really can take all his stuff with him. He has taken my threat as a reason to live long, long life.
BILLY. You know what? I love you gooder'n salt.
LOIS. In the past, I've sabotaged myself in exactly that same way—no "helpers" needed! But I've been getting better at releasing stuff, and this time I'm going for the record.
ANDI. What a way to wake up on resurrection morning. You'd want to die all over again.
I feel the pain of being surrounded by packrats.
What's a girl to do?
C-DUB. Pray to Flylady?
I have some CDs I've been meaning to burn for you guys:
--a pile of Neil Young bootlegs
--scratchy 1920's gospel by Arizona Dranes
--a Be Good Tonyas mix
Is it weird that I my first concert was David Byrne? Maybe it's weirder that I was 12 and went with my brother and sister.
NIGEL. Oo! Oo! Bring 'em on!
PHOEBE. Is that weird or is that lucky? What sort of effect did it have on your developing brain?
Seeing the Talking Heads live was once one of my dreams.
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