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anal retentive
June 2009 
Remodeling Closets - the inside where we hide
Posted on Aug 6th, 2006
by 
HeyOK
HeyOK
I've been in the closet literally for the past week painting and fixing and this and that. My friend laughs at me cause I get a little anal retentive about everything matching and being "right".
He called to relay a place he had just seen where the homeowners actually wallpapered in the closet, the shelves in the closet, AND the clothes hanging rod as well. He said he thought it was going too far but he figured I would have done it. I said "No I wouldn't; it's just not functional to put wallpaper on a clothes-hanging rod - it'll rip off when you try to use it." We laughed - he at me and me at myself - all good. He who laughs lasts!
Later as I was painting trim inside the closet thinking once the shelves are in no one will ever see it from this angle again - why am I doing this? This is the place to store clutter and close the door on it. This is the place to hide what others don't need to see. Don't I have other things to do --- like catch up with my reading on zaadz for instance? Does what's going in this closet need matching walls????
Yet it occurs to me as within so without applies to us, our world, the cosmos, and our homes. We all have flaws and glitches we expect and accept yet trying to get it right is where it's at. So there will be no jarring color changes from 80 years past when you visit my house and need something from the closet. I like it that way.
That's how I'm trying to create the rest of my life and world as well.
He called to relay a place he had just seen where the homeowners actually wallpapered in the closet, the shelves in the closet, AND the clothes hanging rod as well. He said he thought it was going too far but he figured I would have done it. I said "No I wouldn't; it's just not functional to put wallpaper on a clothes-hanging rod - it'll rip off when you try to use it." We laughed - he at me and me at myself - all good. He who laughs lasts!
Later as I was painting trim inside the closet thinking once the shelves are in no one will ever see it from this angle again - why am I doing this? This is the place to store clutter and close the door on it. This is the place to hide what others don't need to see. Don't I have other things to do --- like catch up with my reading on zaadz for instance? Does what's going in this closet need matching walls????
Yet it occurs to me as within so without applies to us, our world, the cosmos, and our homes. We all have flaws and glitches we expect and accept yet trying to get it right is where it's at. So there will be no jarring color changes from 80 years past when you visit my house and need something from the closet. I like it that way.
That's how I'm trying to create the rest of my life and world as well.
Access: Public
What a great metaphor…remodeling a closet to remodeling a life. I remember an author (maybe Iyanla Vanzant?) using a house as a metaphor for life and she referred to cleaning it….. but this takes it one step further….to me, a more important step because you are not just sweeping up and polishing a few “dusty” spots….. you are actually going to the source and remodeling them all together. I think there is great book potential here David….. just in case you ever thought of writing professionally. :-)
Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed this and it certainly “hit home” for me. Pun intended.
Your pun is punny! I love word play. Wishing I had more time to skate around zaadz and see all there is to see AND repond to comments more quickly. It is what it is. The bathrooms done and now I'm putting up a rock wall in the living/dining space - gonna be beautiful!