Let me explain: I live in a box. Not a cardboard box where I feed on roasted pigeon and beg for change, but in an apartment where I share space with three other people. Two of the rooms face the front of the home onto the street; the other two are windowless. Guess where I live(d)?
I will finally have a window in the place, including a balcony, curtains and natural light when possible. This is what I have longed for over the last five years living in this place. But I have to admit that I will miss the box. When you sleep in complete darkness, it is a total and complete experience of nothingness (ignoring the clock, cellphone and blinking light on my laptop). It may even be good for me to have no other distractions. I notice that I am writing much faster now, and have less distractions in the form of the old pleasures (see previous last few entries). There is a restaurant where patrons actually eat in the dark for the sensation of only having their concentrated experience focused on food. This I now understand. There are certain things that you often have to leave behind to enjoy what is around you.
There is another advantage: It gave me something that I could get away from and contemplate avoiding for a few hours in a cafe with pen and paper. I know that my family was not too happy about me moving into the box, but I assured them that I would not be spending too much time in this room to do my work. A half-truth, since I consider my guitar to be a private indulgence that I need to practice here alone. The reading, writing, music-listening, relaxing and the like could all be done out of the box. Sleep and a sense of containment (rather pleasant in itself) could be done in the box.
Not sure I will like having a real room with a window and real, everyday life in front of me. Will keep posting to see how things change.
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