This week I was reminded of an old dream of mine, one that’s seemed dead lately; not something impossible, but I’ve questioned it, its purpose. I want an RV.
In the RV, I’d drive across the country, visiting our national parks, keeping a journal, blogging. When I was seventeen, I brought home a book about the history of space travel from NASA. I brought home books on underground cities, radium girls, weather patterns… And I dreamt of going out to find things out…I’m not even sure what.
The “not being sure of what” is what bothers me, but those adventures aren’t the only reason I wanted the RV. In fact, the RV isn’t the dream (at least not a small one).
The Small Dream is the cupboards inside the RV.
I want to have a cabinet filled with every instant drink I can think of; coffee, cocoa, apple cider, teas, and syrups. I want another cabinet filled with instant bread mixes, ones that will keep for a while. Some pasta, some jarred sauce, some soup bases, some rice. Options. I want a collection of bowls, plates, and mugs. If I have guests, that’s where they’ll stay. If my friends come over and everything is wrong, I’ll have a hot drink and biscuits waiting for them. If I’m not there and there’s no fresh veggies, milk, and eggs in the fridge, people will still be able to eat. I’d have a cabinet filled with blankets and sweaters. There would be a shelf with a few books, a couple of notepads, some board games, some pens.
Then when I continue to examine it, I find that the cupboards aren’t the real dream either. The real dream is my insatiable desire to meet beautiful, bizarre,flawed, exhausted strangers, and have something to offer them. Why else would someone’s RV dream include buying land, and parking it? Mine does, and it almost always has. A garden, a path, a fence, and full cupboards.
This is why dreaming is important. Inspect your dreams, and you’ll find what it is you really, really want. If I can manage to dream again—because things have seemed really bleak lately—life will get exciting again.
Dark Academia, Light Academia, Cottagecore, Goblincore, Fairycore, Grandmacore. If I haven’t already mentioned it on this blog, I often daydream about being an old woman. I dream with all the naivety of a person who doesn’t struggle against chronic back pain of a day when I stand stirring a pot of soup and ignoring the whistle of a kettle of tea. The lights in my windows always lit, the door always open to strangers, the protection of God keeping me safe against all reasonable odds until death…
But Grandmacore is about sweaters. It’s about old-timey goods, wool, and brightly colored yarn, knitting, crocheting, baking, and nosiness (I assume). Now it’s true that you can search most of those things online and either buy them or teach yourself what you need to know within a few days. But we’re missing out on one of the greatest resources of our lifetime; the elderly. Think about it! No one else has our elderly.
In America and across Europe, programs are springing up within colleges and communities which seek to connect the young people of society with the old. Community service requirements during high school are often fulfilled through work with senior’s centers. There are numerous studies which suggest that relationships between generations have mutual benefits. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to connect with new people, especially those who seem to have nothing in common with us.
But behind our newfangled obsession with aesthetics lies the secret to success. Think about it. Who knows more about black tea and finding quality tweeds than the elderly gentleman reading in the library corner? Do you like yarn crafts but don’t know where to start? Find a yarn shop in your area, and they’re sure to have a knitting group filled with women 60+. Do you have an interest in strange rocks, plants, and foraging? Cheryl’s granddaughter still has her collection, you can drop by. Conversations and projects abound. As mentioned, senior homes, hospitals, social groups aimed at (but not exclusive to) older people, church groups, and more, offer wonderful opportunities to ask questions that very soon, we may just have to learn for ourselves.
No one should be alone. In the coming years, I hope the next generations can create meaningful, interesting, wacky relationships with those who came before us, based on everything from faith and farming to treasure hunting and secret code. And sweaters. I’m coming for you, Grandmacore.
Tell me in the comments what kind of aesthetic you like, and the hobbies you’re interested in.
My best friend’s brother dreams in black and white. When she first told me that, I thought she was lying. She’s in nursing school right now and studied it, and informed me that not only are there people who dream in monochrome, but also those who dream only in sound, and those who dream only in written word. Apparently, some people dream so infrequently, or their dreams get so lost in their subconscious, that they say it’s like they don’t dream at all.
What I’m going to talk about is a different kind of dream; a waking dream. Our goals, hopes, and aspirations. I have friends who are afraid to have those kinds of dreams. I think it’s because some people are more realistic than I am, and they know how difficult dreams actually are to achieve. I think they figure that there isn’t any reason to hurt yourself more when you find out your wings don’t work. It’s safer not to try. It’s easier not to dream.
Well they’ve completely missed the point.
Have you ever woken up from a dream and it was either so hilarious, so scary, or so bizarre that you went to work and told everyone about it? Maybe your mom, best friend, maybe your therapist.The rest of the day was colored by this dream, your coworkers were either exacerbated or thrilled, and for that one moment, your whole life seems just a little bit brighter. It happens more. It’s almost not noticeable at first, but now periodically, those coworkers will walk up to you and tell you about their weird dream. What do you think it means? Have you had any more dreams lately? You have a reputation as the slightly odd person who tells everyone what they woke up thinking about. And they can deny it, but it makes you all better people.
That’s why we dream.
Some dreams come true, and some of them don’t. That’s life. But we don’t dream to make dreams come true. We dream because they color our world. This is going to be a recurring idea the ‘Small Dream Saturday’ posts, and so here’s my first one:
When I get older, I’d like to build a treehouse. I’ve always wanted one. It will be roomy and easy to climb into. I’ll have a collapsible roof, and handmade faux stained-glass windows. Something I love about my life is that I’m alright to pour glue and food coloring on a plastic picture frame and call it stained glass. When the sun shines through it, its colors will still glow. If I can’t have the treehouse, God willing, I’ll get to paint the glass. (I’ve been looking at prices for old screen doors on secondhand sites, I’m so excited.)
When I was a little girl, my mother bought most of our clothes at the thrift shop. She had a gift for finding pants that would fit us exactly, and to this day she claims it was a gift to her from God. We wore striped corduroy, purple patterned jeans with patches, I had this one Scottish looking pair of trousers in red and green plaid. Not only that, but we would get up early on summer mornings and go out to look at our neighborhood’s garage sales. Military bases (at least in my mind) are kind of famous for them. We’d get up, nose about the neighbor’s things, buy something small, and maybe buy a lemonade. My parents and all of my sisters did this, as frequently as we got the opportunity.
Frankly? I loved it.
Now that I’m grown and into Cottagecore, one of the things that I think appeals to people in the movement is the return to simplicity, and creation by one’s own hands. Hobbies include drying your own tea leaves, starting window box herb gardens, and patching sweaters and socks. But another aspect that is inherent to the Cottagecore movement is scrappiness. You make your own breads and flatbreads, saving money at the supermarket. You learn how to make veggie stews, sauces, and curries to save on meat. You patch those old clothes, partially for your own enjoyment, but also because as always, there might not be money in the budget for new ones. Sometimes though, it’s unavoidable; You have to shop. This post details ways to find bargains in person, rather than online. (I might do a separate post on that later.)
As a side note, Cottagecore is in no way the only aesthetic movement with these values, nor the only one to benefit from sales like these. Punk, for example, has an emphasis on sustainable industry and diy, and many art movements can benefit from the oddities found at these kinds of events. There are hundreds of others. Don’t be put off by my use of one movement, I promise you these kinds of sales are versatile and can help anyone.
At the time I’m writing this, it is winter in the United States. Not many people have these kinds of sales during this time of year, however! This is the perfect time to start researching events in your area because as soon as springtime begins, so do the yearly sales.
Everyone knows that garage sales have deals on everything from chainsaws to poodle skirts, but did you know that many areas have designated days when entire towns set up garage and yard sales? Look up Facebook pages, city engagement pages, or ask your local librarians or city hall clerks about upcoming event days. Not only this, but look in the towns surrounding you, and you might find some really interesting things. It’s entirely possible to find good quality shirts, jackets, pants, and boots for under five dollars. It’s also possible to find leather goods, old photos, patches, high quality books, film rolls, and other things that no one ever thinks to look for. Treasures abound when we open our eyes.
Estate Sales
Estate sales generally take place after a death has occurred and a collection of items needs to be removed from a home. These should be treated with respect and the acknowledgment that someone has died, but they are also a wonderful opportunity to honor the legacy of their owner. You can find anything from dinner sets to artworks, books to linens. Clothing, bedding, and furniture at a reasonable price. Research estate sales near you.
Rummage Sales
Rummage sales are unique (they’re not uncommon, just unique). Often churches will hold these kinds of sales, as will thrift shops trying to purge their inventory for the next year or season. Whereas it’s not uncommon to find quality items for a few dollars at garage sales, rummage sales often have a huge amount of inventory with pieces for as little as a quarter. It is possible to buy an entirely new wardrobe of decent quality items for under ten dollars. As mentioned, churches often have sales like these, as do thrift stores. Call around and monitor community and business social media pages to find sales near you.
Flea Markets and Farmers Markets
Flea markets and farmers markets are not even remotely the same thing, but the reason I’ve listed them together is because they both offer access to a range of more specific items, with more variation in price. Flea markets are often a good place to find interesting items, such as lamps, maps, paintings, globes, Persian rugs, antique chess sets, film rolls, silverware, and things far more strange than that.
Farmers Markets often have baked goods, canned goods, fresh produce, honeys, syrups, teas, and sometimes cheese and other dairy products. Some may sell crafts, such as jewelry and small artworks, as well as certain clothing items and leather pieces. Because of the quality of the items, the prices on these will vary. Some will be at bargain prices while others might be fairly expensive. Still, it’s a lovely way to spend a weekend morning before breakfast. (And you’ll have to, like many of these sales, they often begin as early as 6 AM.)
Conclusion
These kinds of sales are a way to curate your life, whatever you want it to look like. They give you new knowledge about quality and style. They provide the opportunity to learn the art of bargaining; when to go all in, and when to gracefully accept a price or walk away. And just like those thrift store visits with my mother, or the family weekends spent together at garage sales, they’re an opportunity to connect with your loved ones—albeit in an odd way—as well. Happy thrifting!
To All My Strangers 