Sunday, August 13, 2006

Remembering Dissonance

I was at a funeral today - and talking with people got me thinking about what people remember. The stories of family and friends. Like the canoe that tipped over because we leaned away from the spider's web. The hammer that fell out of the tree-house onto the brother's head. The reasons that people went separate ways - like away from the Amway salesman who held a grudge.

If nothing ever goes wrong - there's not much to talk about. The practical joke stories are fun to remember and/or hear about. Like the mannequin on top of the station wagon that the driver didn't know was there.

It's nice to know people a long time and share memories. Sometimes it can seem that what holds people together is not just everything going well all the time. It's what you do when it doesn't. And being there to remember it later.

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Part 2:

Earlier in the day - I wandered into an antique store full of stuff from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Lots of strange memories there as well. The garish patterns. Colors like chartreuse, Vermilion, and deep purple. Sequins and shiny things. Plastics and fake leopard skins.

There was a "Suzy Homemaker" brand toy stove. I've heard about "Suzy Homemaker" - I don't recall the brand. I had an "Easy Bake Oven" myself.




Mixed up with the "modern" sleek look were lots of remnants of Colonial Revival as well as the "cowboy" look. And a few velvet headboards.

Some of the "modern" look seemed to be inspired by simplicity and basic organic shapes - "boomerangs" - for instance. But when you get all of that stuff together - there is a lot of dissonance.

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