My sister came by today and used her superpowers to pull out the last of the earthquake-proof closet.

( Deconstruction Accomplished )

Since creating my not-really-black Rothko Walls in the living room a couple of years ago, I've been wanting to do a not-really-white version in the bedroom. Today I bought some paint and started experimenting.

( Experimental results )

Today I nudged my bedroom project past the point of no return: I completely emptied what's left of the closet. There is no rail, there are no shelves. No hooks, no drawers, no bedside tables, no reading lamps, and no horizontal surfaces left in the room except the bed itself.

( I have no clear idea of where I'm going to sleep when that goes. )

I've been so immersed in my bedroom remodeling project for the last couple of weeks that I'm dreaming about it. I can--for the moment--recite IKEA cabinetry dimensions and all the Swedish product names, as well as every measurement of my room.

( Don't worry. I won't. )

I'm taking this bedroom re-do so slowly, it's like watching hair grow. I do a tiny bit every day, some physical and visible, and some preparatory, like shopping online for better deals. None of it has unduly hurt my hands or wasted resources in hasty mistakes. So far I haven't even really spent any money (though that's coming ( Read more... )

Demolition is weirdly liberating. In one instant of decision, things I built, installed, painted, cleaned and cared for over the years have become the object of my base destructiveness.

Inserting the thin edge of a pry-bar and yanking two things apart, making nails scream as they come out--it's fun! It's like...anti-caring.

( Pull it down )

Here's how it went:

• Ohh! pretty curtain fabric! *buys*
• Man, that window trim needs painting now
• If I paint the trim, I really need to paint the walls, which means protecting the carpet
• Wow, this carpet is disgusting! Hahahah! Utility knife! Slash! Rip! Goodbye old carpet!
• This floor! What a sad mess!...*shops for new flooring*

I woke up this morning realizing that I haven't decluttered an area for a couple of weeks. All of my rooms are clear, and almost all the remaining clutter is behind cupboard doors. Project Empty is getting down to the real fossil record of my life now.

( Pressed flowers. )

A second pass through the ol' wardrobe has resulted in two more bags of clothing donations and a lot more empty space.

( My itty-bitty closet is suddenly big enough again. )

The world gets startlingly small when the whole of it is suddenly no longer available right behind this screen.

avventura1234 and barefoot_gen and I were sitting around talking and drinking tea last night, and at no fewer than six points in the conversation we wanted to look something up on the internet and couldn't. It felt very restraining ( Read more... )