Musings by the Hairslave

This post is written in large part for my son William. Hi William! I don’t even know for sure that he reads my blog. Hubby Pete doesn’t. Very often. But I’m hoping if I mention his name William will read (I like to think I’m a good father, guilt is good).

While working on a new design concept for my website (getting rid of the info for the Studio, very sad), I realized that between web designing, painting, hair…uh oh, my brain is swelling, ouch. Oh sorry, I don’t mean to brag, I’m just trying to make a point. I believe you can do what ever you want to do.

It’s a cliche, I know, but when I talk to clients about my artwork, they often say the same thing to me. Oh, I wish I could (fill in the blank). To which I always reply, “you can”. It’s absolutely true. We expect every person in this country (and generally the world) to be able to write, add, subtract, read, know basic science (at least since the last political cycle It sounds like we do), but we don’t expect them to know art or music. Duh, I know to a certain extent we all know this, but the crux of the issue is, we don’t learn it at all unless we are interested. Honestly, how many of you were interested in writing. But you can write an email, can’t you? Can you write a book, maybe. Are you as good as Steven King, maybe not. Do you sit and read the classics? Cook? Can you learn to be a great musician, maybe not, but you might learn to play an instrument well enough to enjoy yourself.

And that’s where the light bulb usually comes on. Can you draw? If someone teaches you how, yes! Will you be any good? Do you want to be?

See how it works? Humans are amazing creatures. We have the capacity for so much. But we also limit ourselves tragically. When I was thirteen I went to live with my Grandmother. She was a painter. Was she any good? Probably not if you didn’t love her, but the work I’ve seen isn’t bad. I would be proud to own them. They have a voice. However, she inadvertently cut my art career short by giving me some painting supplies, and no education. Boy did I suck, and give up for a long time. It wasn’t until I was studying landscape design that I tried again. I figured I should be able to make basic sketches for clients, so I took basic drawing. It turns out I liked it better than design. I immediately switched to fine art. Painting is my thing, probably to prove I don’t suck.

Hopefully by this point you can tell that I truly mean it when I say you really can do anything you want to do. I always dreamed of being an artist, or musician, or writer, or dancer. I can dance. Would I be any good? Maybe. Would I want to be?

My son William and his girlfriend Jennette came over the other day to help clean the attic, they lasted a total of 3 hours. In their defense, it had to be 200º up there. Since we’re getting ready to put the house on the market, it’s time to clear out 16 years worth of junk! We decided to hire our house cleaner (who is going to be doing a lot of work for us over the next couple of weeks, poor thing). She says we don’t have nearly as much junk as most of her clients who have been in their homes for as long as we have. But I’m not sure she’s really noticed it lately. We have two storage closets, an attic, and a laundry room. There’s a lot of crap in there.

We used to have a garage, but after a few months, and the realization that it was filled with absolutely nothing we needed, we decided to get rid of it. It was two truckloads to the dump, and three to goodwill. Now it’s a wonderful master bedroom suite.

It’s amazing what we accumulate in our lives. The attic is filled with the usual, christmas decorations, an artificial tree, William’s old books and toys, boxes and boxes and boxes of comics. Stuff you accumulate in a slice of your lifetime.

The closets are pretty standard, old tax receipts, photographs (remember when we actually had them in print form!?), old records, tapes, and old art projects fill filing cabinets and shelves.

The amazing thing really, is we don’t need most of it. Don’t misunderstand me, we will be keeping the important things. Williams old teddy Sleepy Bear will go with us. As will the photographs (with the addition of 10 unprocessed rolls worth that we found), and some of the important records and receipts. But I really doubt we’ll need the cabinet full of chemicals or the paint from the last few paint jobs (don’t worry, it will all be disposed of properly). The comics will have to go, and so will the cabinets and a bunch of miscellaneous furniture.

It’s kind of shocking to see how much junk we think we need to hold on to, and I’m by no means a hoarder. I’m sure Theresa’s right, we probably don’t have half the “stuff” most people do, but we still have too much, and some of it has been in those closets for 16 years.

In the new digs we will have one storage closet, and the bedroom closets, and I refuse to waste money on a storage unit. The junk has to go, and hopefully we won’t have space to store more. Only liquor for Christmas please.

In the end it feels really good to get rid of the junk in the trunk.

Many people have asked me recently why Pete and I would be willing to give up our dream house, to move into a high rise condo in downtown Sacramento (am I the only one who hears the theme to the Jeffersons here)? So here is the official “story”, and keep in mind I grew up in the late 70’s and 80’s.

I fell in love with the house we’re in now instantly. Honestly, quite a bit faster than I fell for Pete! But it was just so damn charming. It was the perfect place to raise William, and as soon as the price dropped Pete fell in love as well. It really did turn out to be a dream house. We built a fort for William in the back, put in the “secret garden” of my dreams. Expanded, remodeled, grew, and loved. For two years my ex-wife Laurie lived there with us. Honestly, though at times we wanted to kill each other, those are the best memories of my life. Christmases will always be remembered for the living room tree and fires on winters evenings. And even though we almost never cook at home, I’ll long for the chefs dream of a kitchen at times I’m sure.

To tell the truth, the main reason I give to people for downsizing to the condo is Eva Gabor. I thought she was INSANE to leave that Manhattan penthouse apartment for Hooterville (really?…Hooterville?…really?). Was she totally insane. A penthouse view, Time Square, and the stores!!?? No way in hell. How much must she have loved that guy, right?

The other reason is the Jeffersons (honestly, I wouldn’t make this up). I loved the themes song Movin’ On Up. My mother and I were extremely poor at times, and I thought “you knew you had arrived when you got the high rise condo”. That was it for me. Even now, every time we pull up to look at the condo again I hear the song.

But the real, honest reason. When I first met Pete, I mean the very first memory I have of our meeting, is a flash of an image of Pete practicing horn overlooking a penthouse view of a beautiful city, and me watching the view in front of him. It was my first ever realization that Pete and I should be together. And though I hate to tempt fate, I think together forever.

I think I may have found that place. And yes, I do love Sacramento that much. It has it’s charms, and we want to be closer to them. We want to be in the heart of downtown. Walking distance to restaurants and bars. The downtown plaza a few blocks away. And the view is quite good.

Though I’m sure Pete would deny it, he’s downsizing because he likes to make me happy.

Some part of me believes that this is a sort of lucky fate. Another part of me believes we make our own dreams come true. And still another part of me believes in pure chance. But all of them know, it’s because of love that we’re downsizing.