THE EMERGENCE OF THE ‘RECOMENTALIST’

I remember reading about certain Japanese craftsmen (mainly those working in pottery) who would purposefully crack their finished work.  They would then highlight the crack in gold paint. These ‘damaged’ items were regarded as beautiful. 

This is the concept of wabi sabi; what is old and used and shows history and wear has gained the beauty of life.  The value of nurturing what is authentic. 

To quote Sarah Wilson ‘(wabi sabi) ... acknowledges 3 realities:

1.     Nothing lasts

2.    Nothing is finished

3.    Nothing is perfect’

It encourages natural simplicity. 

You can link this to the Sanskrit word ‘sukshma’ (with great apologies to anyone who knows Sanskrit and my knows my interpretation is wrong) ... touching life innocently and faintly.  The extent that you leave your mark on the world.

Ok, ok; why am I writing about this? 

I have invented a term, you heard it here first!

RECOMENTALIST

It means that you are able to afford to buy new things but choose, for any reason, to use something recycled or preloved. 

Yup, recomentalists are all out there.  The second hand shop devotees, ebay-ers, those keeping childhood toys and books to share with the next generation, grandparent’s furniture in your house, re-wearing the clothes you wore in the 80’s (pretending they still fit!????).

So ... wabi sabi? and sukshma? and recomentalist?

My seachange is 90% filled with wabi sabi stuff; preloved (except pillows ... they had to be new!)

Most of the BIG things in the seachange were found on the side of the road; the chairs/couches/tables.  Other things were either given to me or are second hand shop/ebay finds.

Besides surrounding myself in beautiful things, I feel I am leaving less of a physical mark on the earth. 

And that is why I choose to be a recomentalist.

Sanja

WOMEN TAKING CARE OF WOMEN

Yesterday I was really, really heartened to read that the lead singer of Garbage, Shirley Manson, was mid song during a live gig and stopped to abuse a guy who was hitting a woman in the audience. Shirley told the guy, over the microphone
 'Dude never hit a f..... woman, what the f... is wrong with you man'.  

He replied that 'she started it'! The man was ejected from the venue.  Awesome, awesome, awesome.  

It puts me in mind of a quote from Madeleine Albright  (that imposing looking US politician): 'There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women'.  

Shirley; heaven will receive you with open arms my love.

Day one of the rest of my life - self affirmation and life planning

Day one of my blog.  (Have I really started a blog?!!!)   Why did I start this blog?     I suppose I could say I woke up one morning and felt  a restless need to 'do something'; I started thinking  'where to from here?' 

However, this wasn't an overnight thing, it has been creeping up on me for a few years now.

Being the self-control freak I am, today I started making a list of questions. 

Step 1. What do I love to do? 
Step 2. Where do I like to be?
Step3. Who do I want to be/what do I want to be doing  in 5 years time/10 years time.
Step 4. How do I  keep true to myself, and in turn, my family and friends.

Step 1 is easy, but there is a catch, how do I make what I love to do bring in enough money to live on? 

I love to make old things beautiful again. I love to paint and make things, write, photograph, potter around,  run and exercise,  look at the ocean and get dirty, sweaty and tired, travel.   I love being really busy in a creative way. I love gardening and baking, eating, drinking wine and cosmopolitans.

I love music and dancing (by myself or with friends, drunk or sober - no preference).

I love my family and friends passionately and loyaly. Nothing is too hard to do for them, I just wish they would sometimes ask for more.

I love reading several blogs that have inspired me and, many times, helped me get over 'yuk' days.
Garance Dore
Gala Darling
Sarah Wilson         many many thanks to you lovely, radiant ladies.

If you haven't experienced these blogs Google them NOW!!!

I love the way many of the people in my immediate world are becoming more aware of a simpler way to live, and being conscious of the impact humans have.

I love fashion; dressing up, dressing down, browsing through clothes, looking at what other people are wearing.

I love researching and exploring the existential, spiritual and ethereal parts of my life and being.

I love ebay and second hand shops (no brainer on that one!)

Step 2.  I did this without even considering Step 1.  Now with a double mortgage/single income (and associated stress) I have initiated a part-time seachange.  I bought a house near a surf beach (real, honest to goodness seachange) that I am 'doing up! 

Step 3.  This keeps changing. However, that is a good thing.   I am so influenced by what is happening in my life now that I don't see the future clearly yet.  However,  I am experimenting with what I want to be doing later.  This step is a work in progress.  It would be awful to get this wrong; find in 10 years time that  I woke up  one morning (again) and felt  a restless need to 'do something' (again).

Step 4.  This is perhaps the easiest and the hardest to do.  I think that if I stay true to all the things in Step 1, I will stay me.

So, what will this blog have in it.

Firstly, I will be selling stuff on it, my beautiful renovations, amazing finds, things I have made. 

I want to share things I find beautiful with you.   Photos, music, art etc.

I want to tell you of the amazing books I have read.

I want to share my experiences of some amazing women I have read about or know personally ... (show me any woman, and I will show you an amazing woman). 

I want to show you my beach house as a work in progress.  Not a 'reno' site but a progression of my taste ... with out limitations (except perhaps for money).

Other websites which are awesome/inspirational/important

Other stuff as I think about it (ha ... recipes to make you happy etc).

See ya soon.

Sanja