Airstream ringtone anyone?

My thanks go out this morning to John B. over at Blog Meridian (it's always an interesting visit there - and yes, he's already finished Deathly Hallows!) - he commented on my Ry Cooder post sometime during the night, letting me know about the Pat Metheney album, American Garage (1979).  Not only does it have Airstreams on the cover, but there is a song 'Airstream' among it's soundtracks.

If I was even remotely savvy with typepad, I'd link directly to an MP3 here.  But I'm not.  So go here and take a listen.

And no - I haven't actually moved into the Airstream yet.  There are a few things left to do...like complete the design of my new home (there's a meeting scheduled for Friday with my architherapist, and hopefully this will get us close), find a builder (I have been talking seriously to one person already), demolish my current abode (my friend has recommended a guy who sounds perfect for this, since we're trying to recycle/reuse as much of the current structure as possible) - you know, all of that stuff.   I'm currently focused on forward progress - as long as things keep getting accomplished, I think we're on track.  I'm sure that you'll know when the big moment arrives, and I move back to living on the ground.  In an aluminum box.

(There will probably be this large sigh and a quietly spoken 'what the hell have I done?' coming from this tiny part of the lowcountry).

I was speaking with someone recently about this whole Airstream adventure, and about how so much comfort and security we get from our possessions.  Our possessions insulate us from the world.  But he used a word that I had not yet used, about how so much of our identity is wrapped up in what we surround ourselves with.  I'm having the most difficulty parting (temporarily) with my paintings and books.  Most of my paintings have been taken up to my parents home in Virginia, for safe keeping - I could have scattered them throughout friends homes here, but it just seemed easier to store them in a safe place somewhere in my parent's home in Virginia (so no lingering hurricane season worries). 

But I have yet to pack a single book.

In that recent conversation, I was asked something like 'what books will I choose to take with me, and which ones will I pack up?' . I simply don't know.  I thought about it last night - and I took my flashflight and went out to the Airstream, looking around - and there are a few ledges (window ledges more or less) where I could stack some books I think.  But not many - 10 or 20 is being optimistic.

A few poetry books I think.  Neruda's 'The Art of Birds'.  Mary Oliver, Louise Gluck.  A few gardening books - my one on salvias (a current obsession), my antique rose book. 

Deciding on which books won't be easy.  So I repeat to myself:  This is temporary, it is okay.

I'm shedding, slowly.

But last night, as I was speaking with my Mother on the phone, I think it really struck her for the first time that her daughter was moving into an Airstream.  She said something really interesting, something positive.  She said that you will probably find that you have more time, less responsibility, since you will have a less complicated home.  She is right, I do realize that - and in fact, that is what I am hoping for.  But it made me feel good that she came up with that on her own.

~~~~~~~~~   

Oh, and of course, if I continue along this path, I have no doubt that I will download this 'Airstream' ringtone for my cell phone.  And please, if I do this, will someone see that I get help?

(But it does sound better than the one that I have never changed on my phone since purchase - perhaps it is not such a bad idea?  Yes, it is indeed a slippery-slope, isn't it?).

~~~~~~~~~

Back to writing.

Comments

[The County Clerk]

Some things are binary.

The way I see it is that one can't be sort of over the edge. I say jump! Get the ring-tone and then let it be known to your architherapist. That way, you HAVE the tone AND you've sought help. It's the best of both.

As for the books... yeah... that's a difficult challenge. Maybe a good compromise is to very clearly label your boxes of books (listing titles/authors/something). That way, whether you actually retrieve a volume from a box or not, you've sort of told yourself how easy it would be. The books won't be impossibly "out of reach." But that's just a mental thing. You won't go sorting through... unless you HAVE TO.

[John B.]

Pam,
Re the soundtrack for your Airstream lifestyle: I'm glad to be of help. Or am I just enabling some long, slow descent into trailerparkness?

Re choosing what to take and what not: One of my grad school profs told some of us who were talking about how much books weigh that for one move, he and his wife's possessions were so overweight that the movers told them that they would have to literally get rid of half their library (of several thousand books). That's a dilemma I hope never to have to face.

[Annie in Austin]

You know, Pam...reading your blog right now has such a voyeuristic quality as you decide what to keep at hand and what to store. Philo and I have downsized twice, but it's a lot different when three people and all their stuff are changing residence. Your questions are making me consider what objects belong in my absolute necessity pile.

Hank has a good idea about the book boxes, and if you have time [or can coerce someone else into helping you] putting at least the title and author of each stored book into a spreadsheet may be useful in time.

Did your mom & dad take you on vacations to sparely furnished cabins? When we'd take our kids to stay at a cabin at a lake for a week, with so much less to take care of, it sometimes felt like playing house.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

[layanee]

Pam: You are so right about possessions and 'identity'. It is always interesting to visit someone's home for the first time. It gives you great insight into their outlook on life. The books would be tough but I find that other than my gardening book collection which is quite extensive and which I use all of the time for reference, there are few books I return to after they have been read. I love 'architherapist'. Wish I had one!

[Pam]

CC: I'm jumping, I'm jumping...I really am.

And yes, putting the books in a location in the storage area where I can access them would be a good idea.

John B.: You are definitely an enabler.

Annie: What I've realized over the past several days is that I probably truly don't need much - it's just the process of translating that into be okay that is taking some time! My family used to go to the beach for two weeks each summer, on the Atlantic coast, and we stayed in a cottage - it was simply, but warm and wooden with a large screened in porch (and a full sized bathtub). I just don't think right now that I have anything to compare it to.

Layanee: EVERYONE needs an architherapist. As the County Clerk said, now I can be totally crazy but it's okay because I'm seeking help...how perfect is that?