Hopefully, you're all finding fabulous things to do while in quarantine to keep your minds positive in the mids of this all. For the most part, I have been sitting on the same spot in my old, blue room studing and creating outfits for you on my laptop. But, because it is never too nice to just sit day after day on your computer, I have occupied my mind with other things as well. This is essential for creativity which my studies and, especially, this blog are based on. Therefore, I started reading a new book and diving into my huge, white closet to uncover treasures from my past life.
From these actions I discovered two things: I have always had a completely wrong approach to personal diaries and I have always been a collector of utterly useless items.
Quarantine In Style: Outfit 2 – Personal Diary
So, why I have never been a succesful diary writer and misunderstood misserably the whole meaning of diary is, because every time I wrote a diary I tried to follow some sort of pattern that you see in movies. You know the scenes where after a long day a woman sits in her bed pouring her heart onto the empty pages of a diary, filling it with emotion, speculation about conversations had between people and the latest gossip of course. But I was never capable of writing these long emotional essays because, in all honesty, my life is not that interesting and I would get bored after the first sentence. As a result, I thought diaries are one of those things that sound better in movies than in real life, and that's why I never manage to write it longer than two days.
But oh my, was I wrong about diaries! After reading this book called "All the things that makes the heart beat faster" where a finnish woman Mia goes to Kyoto to discover more about her rolemodel, court lady Sei Shōnagon who lived in Heian court 3000 years ago, my views to diaries changed forever. Namenly, Sei is one of Japan's most important authors and her only and most famous creation is her diary "The pillow book of Sei Shonagon".
It's needles to say, that after reading extracts from Sei's diary I was finally enlightened that a diary doesn't have to be an emotional teenage drama but it can also be a beautiful, brilliant observation of life through lists and poems. Knowing this, I now can write in peace wihtout thinking that it has to sound like a voice over from an american high school movie! (Not that my diary is a secret masterpiece either, unlike Sei's, but more like a poorly writen mess with a mountain of errors in grammar.) Anyway, it's weird how sometimes you just don't realize the obvious things. Also, maybe I should read the original Pillow book.
The second discovery that I made from the deep dive I did to my wardrobe was my proneness to collect things, stuff, unpractical items that I cleary thought (and unfortunately still think) were irreplaceable treasures.
10.4.2020 at 3 pm
Dear diary...
These are the things that I collect or have collected through the years:
Empty "luxury" paper bags.
Those shopping bags you get from stores with the brand name on them that make you feel "rich" and "fabulous". I have these paper bags at least fourthy. I never use them again. They're unneccesary, but I have a weakness.
Old cards.
I think this is actually quite common, therefore, I am no different. I just feel bad throwing away, for example, a birthday card that someone has chosen for me and writen for me. It feels like a betrayal to put it to the bin!
Velvet or canvas jewelry pouches.
I don't know about you, but for some reason I have multiple little pouches that used to be for jewelry. However, I can never find the pouch's original jewelry in them just some other things I have been collectiong. These pouches are also too pretty, soft and precious to throw away.
Empty parfume bottles.
Whenever you use up a fragrance, the bottle remains. The beautiful, scented masterpiece of a bottle remains and I just can't bare the idea of getting rid of such a fabulously designed item, especially, if it was the favorite parfume.
All kinds of shiny and glitterly things.
When I was little I always picked up things from the ground but not so many rocks like other kids but things that were unique, well, unique to a six-year-old. I would also safe weird but charming little items found in our house that nobody wanted anymore and put all of these little treasure in those velvet pouches that I had even as a child. My collection of unwanted things waried from little glass figures to beads and, of course, the occassional rock.
So there you have it. Things that keep my mind occupied when I am not studing or blogging here. Also, I am not sure if this was boring to read but I still hope you enjoyed at least some of it.
Do you have similar feelings about writing a diary? Do you write a diary? What unpractical things do you collect? Do you collect the same things as I do? Do you collect anything at all?
Thank you so much for reading!
Siiri
Link to Mia's book about Sei Shōnagon: https://www.adlibris.com/fi/kirja/asioita-jotka-saavat-sydamen-lyomaan-nopeammin-9789511360209?campaignId=2c19553d-a85b-4424-82f8-9931778bbc7b
(I was only able to find it in finnish)