judeam's Profile

In reply to PGF's comment: the 1950s proved unprecedented for expanding upon comfort, even among the working classes, and obesity was not a problem. Consumerism as the new decadence? Although it's a problem, there's nothing new about it. Consumerism has been around since the rise of the middle class mentioned in the article. It was only war years that squelched it for a time; it always popped its ugly little head back up again. Now TV comas -- that's relatively new and arose with the advent of cable and hundreds of choices.

I have rented since my divorce in 1994. Every apartment has been my HOME, whether I own it or not. A beautiful and organized space keeps the mind beautiful and organized as well.

Back in the early 90s when I managed a rock band, the recording studio we used was decorated in shades of charcoal with white trim. It was one of the most Zen spaces I have ever encountered. Although being in the studio can be nerve wracking, that space seemed to give us all room to breathe and to get the creative juices flowing.

For the posters who seem to think this overindulgence is an American phenom -- have you never been to Europe? Extreme wealth presents its own level of "white trash" tackiness.

I'd love to know what sort of apartment they think you can get for that price in San Francisco. I live on the Peninsula south of the city and pay $3,000 a month for a two bedroom, two bath in a large apartment complex. Yes, I have granite, a soaker tub, and a gas fireplace, but when I lived across the country in Charleston, SC, I paid 1/3 of that rate for the basically the same apartment while making 1/3 less salary. It's very hard to live decently in the Bay Area and pay less than 50% of your take home in rent.

I think having a place for the guest's suitcase or things makes a huge difference. I clear out a shelf in my linen closet for my guest's foldables and make a space for their hanging things. I also provide some shelf space in the bath. That way we aren't falling all over each other's junk. I live in 534 sq ft, and you have to go through the master to reach the bathroom. Making out a sleep/bath schedule is crucial as is providing a small nightlight in both hall and bath so a middle of the night bathroom trip by guests doesn't intrude on my sleep. I found a loveseat sofa bed that opens as a double. It's been a lifesaver. I also put aside a book I've been dying to read so if I find I have to retire early for an earlybird elderly parent to get to sleep, I am not tossing and turning and fuming in my own bed. It also helps to do dishes immediatelyafter eatng and spend a few minutes tidying up daily, or the mess can overwhelm.

Having lived through Hurricane Hugo in 1989, I learned my lesson on having a stock of food on hand. My parents and grandparents survived the Great Depression with carefully stocked pantries. After the hurricane there was no clean water or electricity for ten days. Those with gas grills ate everything out of their freezers in the first couple of days. There was no milk, no bread, nothing fresh. Grocery store shelves were empty. It took several weeks AFTER power was restored to get back to normal. Now I keep enough canned goods and water to last me through a month just in case. That includes powdered milk as well.

The reason for the ice in the garbage disposal is to help keep the blades sharp.

I am a tidy freak according to my friends and family, but I tidy in little spurts. My evening tidying takes 15 minutes max. And when I clean, I do it for 20 minutes max daily (I set a timer). I stop when the 20 minutes are up. It's amazing how much you can accomplish in that time, and if you do it every day, you don't NEED to spend extra time cleaning on weekends or before company comes over. Your place is always looking good. I LOOK like a tidy freak, but I never put anymore than a total of 30-35 minutes a day into keeping my place spotless.

Open space and lots of light make ALL the difference.