To counteract a bit of a slump, I've found some good medicine in the middle of the night: watching Fixer Upper episodes on Netflix. Kate advised watching Lewis Black, a comedian that had her laughing all day on Saturday--so that's next on my list.
Houses, according to Jungian analysts, can represent the psyche. When we dream of houses, it may say something about the state of the soul. Maybe watching houses being transformed suggests a need for some renewal of the psyche? Maybe the soul wants some walls taken down, or installed? More light from certain corners?
"Let's just cut out that wall and open up the space," Jojo, the designer, says to her lovable husband Chip, the contractor. It's amazing to watch the transformations on dingy little houses after the two of them work their magic. In 27 minutes of air time, 30 days of work time, the results are phenomenal.
They usually start with houses most of us would reject from the get-go, houses long neglected and cramped and sometimes quite ugly. But in the end, they are staged (as they say in the business) with beautiful furniture and lighting; walls removed; new countertops installed, and voila! Happily Ever Afterwards.
House builders, remodelers and decorators have a vocabulary that strikes me as odd. "Master Bedroom" (often abbreviated as "The Master") sounds like a relic of plantation days, and I wouldn't want to name a room after a master. Why not just "Mama and Daddy's bedroom" or "the largest bedroom in the house"?
"Powder Room" is a silly euphemism. Who powders noses in other people's bathrooms? But maybe they do--as these house buyers often talk about "entertaining" in the house. I'd prefer hospitality to entertainment in anybody's house.
In spite of these odd words, I enjoy watching Jojo and Chip shopping for and re-using old materials to make new tables and mantels and doors. It's fascinating to see an old throwaway transformed into a jewel.
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