Sunday, March 15, 2009

What Can’t You Give Up During a Recession?

My short list:

1.  Healthy food.

2.  Enough free time to spend with friends and family.

4.  Parmiggiano Reggiano.

5.  My office…  

2009-03-05 # 042                      

…downtown in a converted historic hotel, built before Montana was a state.  This is the view looking toward the south window.  The patchwork kimono in the window is a handmade, vintage silk piece I acquired for $18.  Yes, I know.  It should not be hanging in the sun.   

This is where I do my work-work.  I do my blogging at home.  The owner of this building and my friend, the encaustic artist Leslie Van Stavern Millar, makes these small rooms available at cost to local artists and writers.  Since my husband works at home, everybody wins if Mom works downtown.  Does that make sense??  

Here’s a view looking down the hall to the other studios.  

2009-03-05 # 045

And here’s my desk, my computer, and my loud pink water cup.   

2009-03-05 # 044

What can’t you live without?

22 comments:

Clare said...

How funny, I just posted about lists. I love lists.

My short list

1. Good cosmetics. I can't cheap out on my skin.
2. I have cut down but I do love my 3 magazine subsciptions
3. Fresh flowers. I go to the farmers market.
4. My laptop - mama needs to blog!
5. My family. Should have been #1. Im too tired to erase.

Maria Killam said...

I cannot live without tulips, lipstick, organic produce and the personal trainer I share with a friend on Friday's (it keeps me going the rest of the week so I have some structure).
Loved your list. And your new gorgeous photo at the top of your blog. I love your blog actually, it's time to add it to my list of favourites!

Linda Lu said...

1. Hangout time/Laughs with friends.
2. My desire to shop discounts.
3. Internet (It's an absolute necesity for me to read about STUFF.)

Linda Lu said...

BTW, love your blog.

Zuzana said...

What a beautiful workplace; how lucky are you?;))
I can not live without love and good health.;)
Those I would not give up EVER.
A for other, less abstract things, then I guess it would be my house. I love my house and being at home makes me happy.
I hope your weekend was good.;))

Imogen Lamport, AICI CIP said...

Can't live without internet connection.

Can't live without the occasional shopping trip.

Can't live without the heater when it's cold.

The Clever Pup said...

Hi Sallymandy. thanks for letting us see your office. What is it that you do there?

Hmm. Things that I can't give up...

Expensive shampoo from the health food store.
Good bath soap
Bakery bread and good cheese on the weekends
High speed internet.

We had a day long black out in January, so electricity is very important to me too. WINK.

Lucy said...

Hi!

Love the pictures and the loud pink cup!!

Things I can't live without:

1)Cup of tea with milk AND sugar first thing in the morning
2)my laptop (I'm addicted)
3)talking to my mom at least once a day
4)Reading (anything that has to do with history, I just gobble it all up- it's my dessert)
5)Hugging my kids!

Duchesse said...

Good haircuts; artisanal bread, yoga classes.

Ingrid Mida said...

I cannot live without:
1. a double latte
2. chocolate
3. art
4. my laptop
5. a good book

Love this list. Really made me think.

Seeker said...

What a nice and cozy workplace, my dear :)

This is sooooooo interesting, Sallymandy, food for thought, let's see:

Things I can't live without.... hmmmm....

- food (vegetarian)
- my husband
- hugs & kisses
- laugh
- internet
- ....... (I know there are more things, priceless....)

Thank you so much my dear for your nice and kind comment, you warmed my heart.

Oh, I'm so sorry that you think that belts don't work on you over a cardi, are you looking well at the mirror???? :D

Luv

xoxo

Gal Friday said...

Aside for when I stupidly give up shopping for Lent(arrgghh.it's SO hard! I even had to put The New York Times back yesterday)), things that I absolutely have to have are(and this is going to sound smilar to your list):
*Healthy food(including always REAL maple syrup--none of that corn syrup Mrs. Butterbutt stuff, and like you-- real Parmesan Reggiano.I can't stand even the smell of that stinky parmesan in the green can)
*Flowers for the house in the cold months when I can't cut them from the garden
*Wine(doesn't have to be expensive--have had 7.00 Dollar Chilean wines that are just fine)
*The Internet!!
*and also, taking a cue from your list--spare time enough to spend with one's family/friends and also alone. Life isn't worth living if you can't do that.

Love your work space and would love to see Leslie Van Stavern Millar's art(looked for a link on your blog)

Gal Friday said...

This is OT, but...since you are the ONLY person I know who lives in Montana, I thought of you when I read this in our Sunday paper:

According to the book
Party Across America! 101 of the Greatest Festivals, Sporting Events, and Celebrations in the U.S. ($12.95; Adams Media).
•The party you don’t want your kids attending

“St. Patrick’s Day in Butte, Mont., is quite possibly the wildest St. Paddy’s event in the United States, more so than New York or Savannah, Ga. It’s an entire week of people out on the street just being really rowdy — which they’re good at in Butte.”

Have you been? Is it really that wild?

drollgirl said...

chocolate, kitties, good lovin' and trash tv.

sallymandy said...

Gal Friday: re: St. Pat's day in Butte: it's really that wild. Butte's about 2 hours away from where I live. People I know from there have been talking about St. Pat's Day for a week--including a former Congressman who was at a meeting I was at last week. Maybe I'll post about that for tomorrow; there is nothing like Butte anywhere, IMO!

sallymandy said...

Gal: Also, I'm going to do a post on Leslie's work sometime in the future. I also looked for a good link to include in today's post, but couldn't find one I really liked.

Relyn Lawson said...

1. books - thank God for libraries
2. Netflix
3. great makeup
4. time with my family

Eleonora Baldwin said...

I agree about Parmigiano Reggiano, it IS one of life's essentials. Chapstick, flowers, chocolate and sunshine are pretty much up there too.
Lovely blog, mind if I come back to visit? Ciao

Sarah Von Bargen said...

1. snuggles
2. the internetz
3. I heartily second you on the cheese!

sallymandy said...

Thanks for adding your lists, everybody. I find this very interesting.

Sallymandy

Anonymous said...

I can't live without beauty and it's everywhere. You just have to open your eyes to see it.

Jake Hammell said...

1) Beer

That's about it.