I'm gonna buy you a really big hammer

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May 4, 2007

I'm gonna buy you a really big hammer

I learned some things about myself during the move, which I thought I'd share:

1. As I waited in TruValue Hardware for my quart of flat finish "Pioneer" paint to mix, I realized that I really enjoy hardware stores. The smell of wood and paint, the piles of glittering nails and screws and bolts, the baffling variety of light switches, the sand paper, swatches all combine to give me this intense desire to build something. A treehouse, cabinets, whatever, it doesn't really matter. So when I had to go back a third time to TruValue in a vain attempt to find a matching paint to touch up the walls we were leaving, I really quite enjoyed it aside from the waste of money - and I decided that I desperately needed some needle-nose pliers.

2. I love a good exploration. This isn't really something totally new, but rather relearned. Yesterday as I grew weary of the rearranging and unpacking process, I went outside and wandered for hours in my new neighborhood and even stopped to get a cupcake from the highly lauded South End Buttery. It was glorious. Our new area is an actual neighborhood with schools and parks with playgrounds. People say hello to you on the sidewalk (bizarre!), and there are kids. Everywhere. Which brings me to...

3. I miss having kids around. I don't want my own just yet, but it's really delightful to walk about and see kids pedaling around on their bikes, shooting hoops and fighting over fouls, or simply chattering away on stoops. It makes life slow down and feel less urgent.

4. Music motivates me. If I don't have something playing, I will get easily distracted by the computer or the sunshine, or whatever might be laying around or sparkling. It doesn't take much. But if I can get lost in music and sing along and bebop my way through my chores, I can be productive for hours. Best packing and unpacking music? Mix cd's. I ordinarily don't care much for them because when I want to listen to music I'm in the mood for a specific artist. But I popped in the Sexy Results Vol's 3 and 4 compiled by our very own Christopher Carl, and they were perfect. Upbeat music is generally best when cleaning or organizing - which these feature heavily - and something about the variety of artists worked even better. When those ran out, I put in The Refreshments because sometimes sunny day driving music and cleaning music coincide, and I had a handy list right here to fall back on. Thanks Carl!

| By heidi | 1:04 PM

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Comments

i'm glad my my musical compilations have gotten you to start thinking about having children. i do what i can.

Posted by: young_christopher at May 5, 2007 9:19 AM

Not reproductive, Chris. See point 3, second sentence.

Posted by: heidi at May 7, 2007 9:05 AM

By the way, I love the title reference to our favorite folk medley from choir. Was that the pastel gingham dress year or the 'waitress at El Guadalajara' year?

Posted by: Janna at May 19, 2007 6:22 PM

Oops, I think that's "if I WAS a hammer..."

Posted by: Janna at May 19, 2007 6:25 PM

Ha ha! I think it's actually "If I HAD a hammer"! And now I'm wishing that I had used that song for the title. I believe that was faux-hippie crinkle dress year.

Posted by: heidi at May 21, 2007 8:21 AM

how much did you enjoy typing "swatches"?

Posted by: Tim at May 25, 2007 12:13 AM

Atlas Hugged

May 4, 2007