Leslie had an entry on her blog back in August called Bring back the Salon and I’ve thought about it nearly every day since. With a certain wistfulness, Leslie mentions how wonderful it would be to just lounge around—I believe she uses the word languish—just talking, reading and socializing regularly with like-minded people.In a way, that’s what happens online. When you go to other people’s blogs you get to catch up with their news, and you’re usually stimulated, refreshed, entertained and inspired. But there’s nothing like this actually happening person-to-person. If you’ve ever watched the TV show Lie to Me, you can see how important visual and verbal queues are to communication, and how much they add to it.
Of course not all groups provide the right atmosphere. My parents belong to a book club they really enjoy, but I know other people who say all the members in their group do is to argue about the choice of books and/or what is in them—which kind of defeats the purpose of having a club, doesn’t it?
I’ve never belonged to this kind of group myself mainly because I don’t want to have to read certain books. Then again, if I got to choose all of them that might work! One month it could be science fiction, next month Wayne Dyer and the month after that, a romance—and what about the Photoshop WoW book just to drive everyone completely crazy? The problem with having a jackrabbit mind like mine is that you’re always on your own trajectory, which doesn’t necessarily intersect with anyone else’s.
I do have a fantasy of winning the lottery and buying an island in Muskoka or Georgian Bay with sunset views, fireplaces and a beautifully appointed guesthouse. I’d invite all my friends like Leslie up for weeklong salon/spa experiences and fly in interesting people to entertain them. I imagine Nick Bantock himself might even be tempted to come to if the price was right.
7 comments:
As luck would have it, these salon chairs actually came up in our upholstery class. You take a normal chair and add that "languishing" bit on the front. If, however, the class continues at the current pace, we will be well into the next century before the chairs materialize. The minute you get your lottery winnings, I'm there. Chair or no chair...NICK BANTOCK !!! PERFECT. LOL
Oh my gosh, in the world of people I actually talk to, nobody knows who Nick Bantock is... or why I adore him :) And I know what you mean with a Jack Rabbit mind! On Saturday night I was watching a special about the Seattle World's Fair on PBS, photoshopping, reading a book about Japanese immigrants to Oregon, texting my mom, reading Writer's Market, and writing cover letters for my novel... my husband kept saying, "what are you doing NOW?"
I am now officially looking forward to your lottery win!
:-)
==lennie==
Hey Susan,
Just catching up on some blogs tonight. How is the showing? I belong to a bookclub that reads everything from self-help to science to fiction. Right now we are reading "Wayfinders" written by Wade Davis. So many cultures and languages are disappearing from the face of the earth and we don't even know the wisdom that disappears with this extinction. We even read a children's book once. It's fun and you make of it what you want. I love it.
Take care. I would love to see one of these lounges and of course to see you win the lotto. :)
O.K. now that Leslie and I are getting a further grip on designing "lounge chaises" (not sure if that's really a word). We'll bring our own up to the island. Of course I go with Leslie.
Languish. That's such a wonderful word and we just don't use it enough. I have a group of about a dozen like-minded women and we get together once a month for dinner to discuss the art world with each other. Occasionally we even exhibit together. We just can't agree upon a name for ourselves!
Would I be able to come up to your million dollar mansion up north too!?!? You're right about catching up with people and being inspired by their blogs! I briefly joined a book club but left for the same reason that I don't like the books they chose. Have a great Halloween!
Sandy xox
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