More mattress print goodness from the Hospice Op-Shop:
My friend Melissa took some photographs of mattress textiles, too, hers in Wellington – see her post HERE.
(I think taking photographs in op shops is beginning to help me NOT buy so much, I can keep the interesting item in my life via a photograph.)
What is it with mattresses? I guess they are more likely than clothing or curtains to have survived the rigours of the last four to five decades – in use in bedrooms, kept unfaded under blankets until they wind up in op-shops…
I’ve started a set of mattress photos on my flickr HERE.
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Yesterday I quit some online stuff – I quit twitter, goodreads and pinterest. Twitter because it always left me feeling hollow inside and less connected with people I love, not more. Goodreads because I realised I was feeling like updating it was a chore and wasn’t feeling inspired by it. Pinterest because after extensive reading of critical and analytical articles about it – I decided that its business model is not headed anywhere good and that it is basically a parasite interface, stealing the work of artists, crafters and creatives for profit, none of which trickles down to the original sources of the images.
(Also, I am working on two book projects and need fewer distractions!)
I’m still on Facebook (which I feel hugely conflicted about…but will stay on for now), flickr (have always loved it, still love it) and here.
The thing with ‘social’ media is that so often it is the opposite – it’s solo media – hours which could be spent face to face or on the phone or writing letters to friends are spend mutely staring into a screen, clicking ‘like’ or ‘repin’ or ‘retweet’ instead of hugging, making, talking and genuinely connecting…
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Today marks the final day of my two weeks holiday. On the first day I wrote a frightening to-do list which went down two columns on a piece of line-refill – there are about 100 things on that list.
I think I did about four of them and they were boring things like, doctor, dentist, go to post-office…I did have a nice bush walk, a seaside walk and did some great visiting, though – none of which was on my ‘very important’ list.
I think I needed a big old rest. I don’t find it easy to rest – there is always so much I want to do! So much to cook, plant, make, write, experience…with this one ‘wild and precious life’ to quote Mary Oliver. My friend Emma is great at resting – she is my resting mentor, lol. See a recent ‘blob’-post where she talks about resting HERE. Every time I see a photograph of myself lately, I look so tired! I’d like that to change…
…and resting IS doing something….right?
I’m a human-merely-being doing resting.
Helen Lehndorf 
Wow, you quit twitter? I am very impressed. And I also am trying to be brave enough to check out and try and do nothing for a bit – it’s hard when you’re used to working your butt off. Good luck, and report back from the resting front.
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I agree about the emptiness of Twitter (and social media) but I am addicted maybe?? Good on you. It’s a very complex issue for me personally. I admire your resolve and resting….yes….that
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Resting is always more a theory than a reality for mothers, right? I think domestic life never lets up and what goes is always a woman’s creativity….somehow laundry is still being done, meals are being cooked, but in my resting…less writing is getting done. Sigh!
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Yeah, twitter was making me feel lonely, which seems to be the total opposite of what it is supposed to do, right? Drew quit too, a while back. I’d like to quit facebook again but my writer page is holding me there, for now… x H
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I love your mattresses. Just the thought of that colourful life concealed beneath plain sheets makes me smile. You’ve inspired me to photograph those things that catch my eye, rather than to buy (why didn’t I think of that?)
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Yes! Whipping out my camera in op shops has saved me quite a few purchases lately – especially because often things are ‘novel’ or ‘quirky’ so you want to share them with your friends, but don’t necessarily want to live with that item!
At the request of my friend Emma, I’ve started a group on flickr about mattresses in op-shops – here:
And I just found this great project by artist lisa dahl here:
http://www.lisadahlstudio.com/discardeddreams/index.html
Thanks for stopping by, Kate! x
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I’ve mostly been off Twitter for a few months (though with occasional visits), because it messes with my concentration. But conversely I found it did result in some genuine connections (like Pauline for example!), and I feel a bit out of touch with some people because of not being there. But yeah, you have to make choices that are good for you.
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I’m going to attempt to use time I once spent trawling social media platforms writing postcards and letters….that’s the theory, anyway!
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The day I became a twitter quitter I never looked back – shame I don’t apply similar resolve to other objectives on my annoying ‘Not To Do’ list!
And facebook drives me crazy: I really need to stop boring myself and other people with “look at me, life in Dunedin can be interesting even though it’s at the bottom of the world” posts, but facebook has replaced email and I so loved to get a good email. And the boyf told me that quitting facebook is regarded as the adult’s version of leaving home just so you can get your parents’ attention. I give up!
I’ve always like a good blog like yours and Sarah’s, so I am thinking this just might do the trick to satisfy my ramblings. What’s a good platform? What’s this? Are there rules for other people not typing long comments like this due to insomnia?
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WordPress is awesome – I recommend it! I would love to read your ‘life in Dunedin is great’ blog and have always believed you are a terrific writer!
Not missing twitter AT ALL. Not that I was an addict or anything, so being off is not too dissimilar to being on.
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This fellow http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/30/2988798/paul-miller-year-without-internet is going to try a year without (directly) using the Internet. He’s a New Media pundit, so, yah..
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Woo!
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