I'm sitting here happily eating radishes and salt (yes, it's the salt that appeals, I admit it) and listening to the Coffehouse internet radio station. I've gotten a lot of work done already this morning, so time for a brief Blogger break.
Continuing in the self-analysis vein, here's another quirk that I wonder about. I assume it's not uncommon, but who knows? You tell me.
I am greatly affected by color.
Not actual clothes so much as other environmental influences, things I stare at or work with all the time. My desktop, my browser. My planner. Post-it notes. My pen. If these things are bright, appealing colors, it cheers me, even when I'm depressed. Even better is when I can change these colors on a regular basis. I update the Yahoo color template often, and download funky Firefox themes. I love pictures too--webshots is my friend for photogenic desktop shots of castles, beaches, mountains...beauty. Bringing beauty to the everyday workspace.
(This is why I love our Mac. Apple understands this urge in me, and caters to it. {s})
I also have my wall at work plastered with drawings and paintings my daughter has done--they explode with multi-layered color, and they always make me smile.
When I was little I was quite happy to sit for hours with the 72-color box of Crayola crayons, organizing them. It was clear to me that this color needed to be next to that one, to create a spectrum that was pleasing to the eye...
So what is this? Color freakiness? Color sensitivity? Anybody else strongly affected by color, or is it something else, like music, that changes your mood?
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Okay, how charmed am I by the picture of you organizing your crayons by color?! Too cute.
ReplyDeleteI am very influenced by color, but oddly I don't like it around me because it's hugely distracting. Odd. Same with music. I love it, but it's not something I can have running in the background because it pulls too much of my attention. Hm. ADD, much? {g}
Hi Suze!
ReplyDeleteI was on the point of saying no, color doesn't have as big an influence on my mood as some other things. But then I walked out into my living room and discovered that that isn't true at all.
I chose a shade of warm buttery yellow our living room/dining room/kitchen. I love it there now, where before it was what I call Contractor Beige - the space just didn't feel the same to me. Now it's a haven.
Conversely, there's Little Boy's room. Before he was born, I picked out baby blue paint and white furniture. It was cool and airy, but I found when he came that I couldn't put him in there to sleep. It's on the windy side of the house, and it's above the garage, so it tends to be cool in there anyway. With the cool paint color, it didn't feel like a good place for a baby - in fact, I was downright uneasy about it. So I kept him in our bed for a year. (blushing) But it just didn't feel good in there.
I like music, and I often have some going, but I have a deep need for silence, too. (DH is the opposite - leaves the tv on all the time.) My family has learned that when I need quiet it's a good idea to let me have some. (g) Quiet feels like space to me, mental space, room to breathe. Noise feels crowded.
The other thing is a hot cup of tea or coffee. Years ago I used to smoke, and I've kept the accompanying coffee/tea as a signal that it's either down-time, or time to get down to work.
Well, *someone's* chatty today... (g)
Lorraine:
ReplyDeleteInteresting. That's how I am about music--sometimes I choose to put it on, but more often than not it just starts to annoy me. I prefer quiet, particularly to write.
And I still would organize the crayons if I could...but it wouldn't be so cute now, eh?
Cindy:
ReplyDeleteI really should get off my duff and paint the house walls, like we've talked about (many times). I already know what I'd like, a deep brick red and a warm spicy orange color. But our walls are still the same colors (mostly beige) they were when we bought the house...
My parents did help us put up a colorful flower border in Child's room, which we all like. Very interesting how you didn't like the blue.
(oh, and about sleeping in your bed? Pshaw. Ours did until 1.5. :) )
When I was little I was quite happy to sit for hours with the 72-color box of Crayola crayons, organizing them. It was clear to me that this color needed to be next to that one, to create a spectrum that was pleasing to the eye...
ReplyDeleteOoooh, me, too. In fact, everything you talked about in your post could be describing me. Color is extremely important to me. My husband doesn't understand it at all.
Suze!!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs and kisses from Brantford Bookcamp. I *miss* you and all the gals.
So, the crayon organizing I thought was sad at first, but I thought about it and I admit I used to do it too. And they had to be sharp as well.
I constantly change my desktop to reflect my mood. Right now I've just changed the desktop/wallpaper from Allison on the beach to Ashley and Allison. Can you tell I miss my peeps? But, yes, I love color too, but I can't pick a paint color to save my life, so fortunately Jim can. And I hope he's finished painting the interior of the house by the time I return. I can't bitch too much if he hasn't because he fixed the mile long crack in my windshield. Kreek saw it and can attest to it's length.
So, right now I am sitting here and Jule and Martha Martin (Very cool gal from kidcrit. Very cool. Did I mention I think she's very cool?) have gone back to their room and I am here finishing my wine (can you tell I've had a few glasses) and I am *still* on Pacific time... It's about 2 am here.
Anyhoo. Yay color and I miss you!!!!
Lurve,
Rose
ROSE!
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear from you. Miss you too, babe! Sounds like you're having a blast, yay!
Like I said in a comment, I apparently _don't_ pick paint colors, so I'm there with you. But I see nothing sad about organizing crayons. {g} Heck, I colored with 'em too....
Have a glass of wine for me, k! And a toast to all of us.
Suze,
ReplyDeleteWine? We all had wine just for you. [s]
And our Julie is DA BEST! Lurve Julie. And Julie will have something great to tell us... But I have to let her do it.
--Rose, giddy
Rose!
ReplyDeleteHello, haven't seen you in ages... Too funny about the wine, I thought you were a bit more chatty than usual. (g) (Big sigh) I miss wine. I really do.
Rose:
ReplyDeleteOh, I wanna hear Julie's news...