Wednesday, July 20, 2005

what's next to your bed?

Nightstand, bedside table, desk - we all have that special spot next to our bed.

In college, I always had a design professor who would play these mental games....draw a picture of you favorite place growing up as a kid....what is your favorite sound on campus....what is your favorite room in a house....where is your special space? The idea is to get to the human element of why we like things and how we can incorporate that into architecture or design in general.

I just came to the realization that my table next to my bed is one of my favorite spaces in my house. This one little space is all about me. It is my personal space, which is hard to say about the rest of the house now that we have a full blown family. I share a bedroom with my wife - the normal thing to do. Both boys have their own little room. The family room has a little bit of everybody-books, movies, TV, games, toys, wooden train table, etc. The kitchen is functional for preparing and serving food. The Dining and Living rooms are more formal for entertaining guest, but will have the occasional toy lying on the floor.

The table next to my bed has a lamp, an alarm clock, a stack of books that acts as a reading queue, my 500+ cd collection in my closet all shrunk down into my handy little ipod, headphones (I listen to music as I drift asleep,) and nifty little drawer filled with all sorts of knick-knacks.

I am curious to know if everyone has a stack of books next to their bed. I looked over at Vernal's bedside table and she has a stack too. My two and half year old has a big pile of books next to his bed.

I am always curious to look at someone's music collection and book collection. I haven't always been a great reader like my friend Darwin, but now I am at a time in my life when I have more time to read.

My stack has books read, reading, and yet to read:

White - Ted Dekker
Searching for God Knows What - Donald Miller
The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide - Doglas Adams
Bono in Conversation with Michka Assayas
The Wide Window - Lemony Snickets
Perspectives (a lifeguide for 20somethings) - Colin Creel
Simplicity - Mark Solomon
Bible

11 comments:

Dash said...

My bedside table just has an alarm clock. Although I love to read, I can't stand reading in bed. it just doesn't feel right - sort of like I'm cheating the book out of my attention.

f o r r e s t said...

I don't always read in bed, but that is the place where I return my books.

Guessing from the "lovesongs in the tent" night I bet you fall asleep pretty quickly -"once your head hits the pillow."

I have to go thru a process to fall asleep.

shakedust said...

I don't have books anywhere near the bed because by the time I am headed that way I am trying to be quiet and keep things dark so Golden won't wake up.

I am currently working my way through the book dot.bomb and have been doing some crosswords lately as well.

f o r r e s t said...

So where is "your" space, your favorite?
And no potty humor Golden...

shakedust said...

Mine is the recliner. I keep books near there when I can.

Anonymous said...

Since Golden isn't allowed to have potty humor.

My favorite spot is the toilet. There is nothing like a peaceful sit alone where you can take care of your business. And read the newspaper.

GoldenSunrise said...

My favorite spot is the computer chair now since the recent surge in the online journal.

You don't want to know what I keep beside my bed in my drawer.

f o r r e s t said...

Ahhhhhhh!!!
You just didn't!
Yes you did!
Stop that both of you!

(singing voice to golden)I could only imagine...

windarkwingod said...

Harrumph!.... (well now) My fairly tame bedside table is ot mine, but on it is an alarm clock, my portable shortwave radio with earbuds so I can listen to freaky Morrocan pop music, and a lamp that does not work because it is the wrong voltage. My favorite place is somewhere I've never been.

f o r r e s t said...

Windar,
I bet one of your old favorite places was your green house patio on a recliner chair in the sun with a book in your hand and a cold drink beside. I have caught you in that state several times.

roamingwriter said...

My bedside table is incomplete without a few books. I can't have just one. There's usually the fiction book I'm currently reading, often a spiritual non-fiction book, a Bible or devotional, and a journal. Sometimes also a book that I read that just stayed there. Also chapstick and hand lotion...you don't want to have to get out of bed again.