Last night Ben sat me down and said something to the effect of, Honey — I think you have a problem. Except that’s not exactly what he said, because husbands who call their wives Honey are kinda icky. Anyway, how dare he criticize my obsessive need to endlessly repaint swatches on the wall, my 800 trips to return failed curtains, my seeming inability to make a single decision on my own?
How dare he care about my happiness?
I must admit to getting a little caught up in timetables, in the hormonal rush of nesting on the clock. And like some commenters noted yesterday, rushing has definitely brought on mistakes — nothing catastrophic or terribly expensive yet, but mistakes nonetheless.
I also admit to enjoying decorating as a spectator sport. I LOVE showing you guys what I’m working on, but it’s pretty grueling to turn something out once a week. Or even once a month.
Add to this the fact that even the pros disagree on decorating “rules” (have you seen House Beautiful’s 101 Decorator Secrets? SO MANY of them directly contradict each other. Awesome!), and I find myself rudderless, aswim at sea. Too few parameters and too many variables.
I like order, dammit. Tidiness. Mathematical certainty, objective truth. That may seem a little weird for someone schooled in the arts, but I will remind you that photography is filled with mathematical formulae and sciencey stuff. I love the unbroken line of cause and effect. I struggle against the nihilism of anything goes.
Order. Symmetry. Complementary. Happy.
So I will busy myself with finding a way to work, because I do enjoy solving problems (and trust me — my patchwork paint swatched bedroom of horror IS a problem), but forgive me if my updates come a little fewer and further between.
Things will get done, but perhaps progress will happen on a more geologic scale.
Also I am tired and huge and the baby is punching my cervix 24/7.
That’ll slow a girl down, too.
No related posts.
I’m ALL for the slowdown. Don’t feel like you have to tap dance just to entertain me.
I say take a break until the little babe is born, you need to take some time for yourself RIGHT NOW because we all know that there will be none of that once the little one arrives! If you happen to complete something, fill us in! Although we love reading your blog, we all understand.
I have wasted so much money rushing into projects. The first one that comes to mind is this huge reptile pattern rug from Horchow. I fucking hate that thing now. Come to think of it, I was 8 months pregnant at the time that I bought it…
slow yer roll immediately.
those cervix punches are the worst.
Thank goodness Ben stepped up. I’ve been wanting to say that for months. Now, I can.
Slow your roll, girlfriend.
It’s true. Too much painting and repainting. Step away from the computer, put your feet up and page through a (non-shelter) magazine…or something!
Yes, just relax. I am laughing about the HB 101 design rulez b.s. It is total b.s. and so fun to read. Their color features are ridiculous a lot of the time too.
Isn’t is funny how blogging makes it feel like you must churn out the decisions quickly, regularly,(and with panache) but at the same time makes you feel like you are moving much, much slower than you are? sometimes blogging my own home makes me feel like an idiot.
So. You are not alone.
We stop by for pretty pictures and witty captions, as well as the joy of back seat driving someone else’s decorating decisions. If blogging is slowing you down, by all means change priorities. But don’t feel like you have to give us a daily update on your house just to blog. If you want to chat about stroller selection or a recent epiphany on matching socks I’m sure we’d all hang on your every word.
Ditto the inspiration cleanse–good to just sit back and take your space in and leave the glossy pics behind. But so hard to do…….
We’ll still be here! Take care of yourself and that cervix puncher!
You used the word nihilism in a post about design.
I fucking love it!
you are my kinda girl – and that sounds like a talk at my house on the regular. ‘hey babe – why do we have to switch the living room paint color every other month??” LOL, god bless them.
its HARD. you like order, i like TO order. therein lies my many exhausting returns, but via snailmail. the items constantly dissapoint when I order online and dont get to touch in person.
good luck to you. rules are meant to be broken so just do what you want
Take your sweet time. Chill. Incubate. We heart you.
All of the years I spent in therapy……the best thing I learned was ” decide not to decide”. Deep huh? Well as simple as it sounds…..it kinda works. Every time I “pressure rush” to finish a project it looks slightly chaotic and I end up wanting torch it. Not in a burn your whole house down kind of way but a small manageable one room way. Put your feet up and chill girl.
Yeah, man. Chillax. You don’t need to entertain us. And you don’t have to finish everything in your house in a week.
i am super impatient when it comes to home projects and it is totally self-imposed pressure. i sure have made some mistakes that way! take a break if you feel like it clever lady. hope i run into you getting paint soon!
Don’t they say “don’t cut your hair when you’re pregnant.” I think the same goes for all aesthetically big decisions. May you and your cervix relax!
I know exactly how you feel, im not due till the first week of August, but im pretty sure my husband has pretty much given up all hope of our house coming together before then (i am however quietly confident) it’s just that i cant make up my mind, the last three weeks, i have been obsessing over chairs for the lounge, seriously, sterilizer, breast pump, yeah, I’ll get around to it, put i could and have spent hours aching over fabric choices! (yep… I’ve lost my mind!)
I am glad to see you are taking my oh so wise advice! We would rather have YOU when we can, rather than not at all lady! So chill the fuck out!
Sometimes you just get obsessed, but if you force yourself to step away you discover in no time that you can let it go – and something else is going to put itself in your path soon! Plus you can get used to anything if you just leave it for a while.
I love decorating, but pound for pound, babies are way more fun!