yes, hopefully I would only have less than a year before graduating... but this idea didn't stop me from SPRUCING up the apartment I live in...
during my first year here at Logan, Utah... I was too busy learning my way around (learning the bus system/schedule, exploring different stuff/stores/institutions etc. downtown)-- my apartment was a place where I slept (and occassionally a place to socialize when dining/chatting with flatmates)... I did everything outside my apartment (the winter season was an exception)... I did most of my homework in the library or in a cafe downtown, I did teaching stuff in my office in Ray B West Building, I watched tv in my friend's house, I ate in the cafeteria or downtown...etc.
the summer season is helping to bring a change to this routine... sometimes I just don't want to go out because I want to sleep in (or it's too hot)... I'm eating more inside the apartment instead of relying on the cafeteria for food (Cooking plays a role)...also trying to save money...
most of the non-perishable stuff I bought to beautify the apartment came to a total cost of only $60... and most of them are second-hand from thrift stores (D.I and Somebody's Attic), you'll be amazed at the treasures you'll find in these places...
tv- I found a 20" tv in "Somebody's Attic" for only $15 (You have five days to test out the tv, if it doesn't work you have to return it within the designated five days-- luckily the tv works so I don't have to return it)... the only drawback to this tv is the broken VCR attached to it...even though there's no tape inside, it keeps rewinding itself... it's annoying at first sounding like a broken metronome, but eventually you get used to it...the remote is not consistent but still works occassionally(wait 5 minutes before pressing the buttons again)...in addition, I bought a cable antenna ($7) so I can watch local news, tv shows, and get access to some cable channels (like USA, MTV etc.)...
SEGA- Forget Playstation 3 or Nintendo's Wii... I went old-school and both a Sega Genesis game consul ($20)... I missed the FLAT 2-D images and simple linear plots of its games (it's another form of entertainment- a nice break from reading 20-30 pages scholarly journals, jargon-filled textbooks, grading, teaching, etc.-- to unclutter the brain)....
the apartment has off-white cinderblock walls, mauve/fading purplish/reddish carpet worn and blackened in some parts through wear and effects of time, gray couch and arm chair with scratched dark wooden base... I didn't go too far with buying couch covers with matching carpet at the center of the living room instead I spent $10 on a large abstract painting and two couch pillows:
art- the colors of the abstract painting caught my attention when I first saw this in "Somebody's Attic"... at first I didn't really care if it was a good abstract painting... the colors were enough to brighten up the living room and put color in a drabby room... it contained both primary and secondary colors (mostly red)... it's 3X4, the more I look at it, the more intriguing the shapes become... sometimes the shapes are blocky, sometimes it's like a lava lamp with organic/flowing shapes... the negative area sometimes pops out sometimes it sinks... something about it reminds me of Miro or a color-field painter's work... it's less than 5 pounds and I used one of those "super sticky" things to hang it... I hang it 2 days ago, and it's still hanging (I hope the "sticky thing" holds it- I fear the day it would fall on somebody's head while he/she is lounging on the couch)...
I was going to buy a rug for $15 but decided not to (it cost too much plus it didn't match)...Instead I bought two couch pillows from "D.I."... One is striped (subdued tomatoe red and yellowish/olive green) another is a solid olive green with a satin finish...instead of having a christmas feeling to it, it has more of a 60s vibe to it...nonetheless they serve their function well- they put color on a drabby gray couch
Other accents around the living room area and kitchen are plants and various birdhouses. I actually got the plants last summer, and they've grown...I just moved them in the living room because my room is crowded plus, they get better sunlight there... the only logic I used in choosing the birdhouses deals with number... while I was at "D.I."... I was looking for knick-knacks to fill the corners and other empty spaces... I decided to have a unifying theme to hold all of them together...I found lots of interesting looking bird houses on the shelf (ranging from $0.75 to $2.00)...
lastly, a natural accesory to have in the kitchen is food- the table is decorated by banana/orange/onion... cereal/instant oatmeal boxes, bread, honey, etc... I also inherited red fabric placematas from my old flatmate...
the entertainment, decorations, and food actually make the place livable, like somebody actually lives there: ME!
Posted by Michael Diezmos at June 29, 2008 6:02 PM