Al Capp, Shmoos, and Abundance

I recently came across a copy of The Life and Times of the Shmoo, by Al Capp. I had forgotten about these adorable little critters that lived to give. Well, actually died to give, since “When yo’ looks at a shmoo as though yo’d like t’ eat him he dies of sheer happiness.”  The book was published in 1948 and the shmoo became an overnight phenomenon. Here’s a description from PJ-Comix:

It was a lovable bowling pin-shaped whiskered creature. The Shmoo yielded milk, eggs, cheesecake, and just about anything else you might desire. Shmoo meat when roasted was pork, when broiled it was steak, and when fried it was chicken. The eyes of a Shmoo made good suspender buttons and its whiskers made fine toothpicks. The skin when cut thin served as high quality cloth, cut thick it was leather, and cut in strips it became boards for housing.

Well, they became too much of a good thing for society and too much for Al Capp too, so they were killed off by early 1949. Shmoos were brilliant satire, and even Al Capp didn’t have a good resolution to the creation of a society where no one needed anything any more, but revisiting them got me thinking about abundance. And giving. And purpose.

How do I create abundance in ways that benefit others as well? Is that possible? Where does personal responsibility fit into this? Does everyone need to create for themselves? I think maybe the answer is to live from a stance of abundance and appreciation. To offer that as an example and be available to teach those who want to learn.

A colleague points out that none of us should be making choices – read value judgements – for or about anyone else. I agree, although find it hard to do. Still, perhaps it’s possible to live well (no, that doesn’t mean racking up toys), share often, learn and teach, and in that, create wider abundance.

There’s an old joke about a pig, a hen and breakfast – the hen is involved, but the pig is committed. I guess that applies to Shmoos too. And any of us who might think about being Shmoo-like. Give all the milk and eggs you’d like – in this case, I guess that means share what you can, whether financial assistance, service or information. Make your gifts available to those who want them – this means stepping out of the shadows and becoming visible – and leave the rest to the Universe.

Just a little New Year’s Eve ramble.

Stashing Stuff, Getting Things Done and Planning Parties

Well, the painters are gone, the new floors are down and the furniture is assembled. Whew! It looks like I got my beautiful barrister bookcases just in time – Sauder has discontinued this model. It’s all over but the cleanup.

How did I come to still own so many things? After all that throwing out, purging, painful parting, shouldn’t I have space for everything and space to spare? Apparently not. Nine – count them – nine new bookcases and still piles of books on the floor. Kitchen equipment with nowhere to go. Stray chairs.

This weekend will be a mix of organization, baking, Christmas parties and present wrapping. And the tree is finally going up. Having lost the storage space that was part of my old stove, I’ve gained actual counter space – a real blessing in a New York City apartment. Since that space came in the form of a rolling cart, I have storage too! Next decision – what bowls, pots, baking implements do I need to keep but don’t need to access on a regular basis? These will get stashed in the cart. The cart will roll back into it’s space between the stove and the sink (it just exactly fits) until I need something store there or need to get at something in the depths of that undersink space.

Under the sink? Cleaning products, paper goods. Why is this somehow a scary space? It always feels like something is lurking there.

The kitchen is an easy fix. And for the first time in decades the silverware is in an actual silverware drawer. And the knives are in a knife drawer. Don’tcha love organization?

DVD storage units double as shelves for paperbacks. And they fit beautifully in narrow spaces – like the back hall. I see two more in my future. The CDs are all snuggled in wooden units that look like old card catalogue drawers. The linens all fit perfectly in the beautiful 1946 Lane blanket chest. If you’re anywhere near my age, you may remember these as hope chests and may have ogled them endlessly in Brides magazine. Apparently, by the way, Lane was the victim of a hostile takeover in 1987.

How will I get everything stashed? I’ve decided to throw a party! Nothing like a deadline to get you moving! Like so many other things, that last bit of straightening and stashing can get lost in the shuffle of everyday life.

What’s next? A big calendar of all the stashed projects that didn’t get done in 2008. With parties attached to each. And e-vites. My 2009 accountability plan.

The Aftermath of Change

As it turns out, the aftermath of change is messy … very messy. I knew that this was true in a Bridges sort of way, but looking at it in my living room is a decidedly different from teaching change as a concept. 

I suppose that this isn’t really the aftermath but is still the middle – that state of confusion between the old and the new. As I sort out my possessions, I find that I am also sorting out parts of my life. What do I want to keep? What do I want to discard? Perhaps more important, what am I hanging on to that I should NOT be keeping.

Four of my new bookcases are in place and are beautiful. It is my intention to keep no more books than will fit. I’d like to do the same thing with the clutter in my head. Can I bundle up the ideas and fears that no longer serve them and put them out with the recycle?

Do I need a flour sifter? Does sentiment win over good repair? Does the cracked but beautiful bowl stay or go? How many glasses are enough? Where will all the paintings go? Should I give some away? 

Where is the pain point that pushes us past procrastination into action? There’s a clear path in my bedroom (finally) and the whole room will get finished this week because the clutter is addling my brain. What about the internal clutter? Is there a pain point for that too? Something to meditate on …