I recently had to move my little library into a different room, and while some may ooh and ahh about the amount of books I have, I make sure my shelves are covered not only by the memories I’ve read but the memories I’ve lived.
So, I thought I’d go through some random memories I have on my shelves with my books.
First, I have a drumstick. A single drumstick. It looks rough like it’s been hella used (it has). If you’ve been to concerts for bands, you’ll know at the end of the concert the band members will toss out various items including guitar picks and drumsticks. Now, let me tell you about Travis Barker, drummer for Blink-182. I’ve always resonated with the drums, and Travis is my favorite drummer. I love his work and his talent. I went to a Blink-182 concert, was right in front of the stage, and at the end of the concert when Travis tossed his drumsticks, I caught one! It was a great concert, made even better by having the best kind of merch. So I keep it on my shelf, a place I see often.
Second, yes, that’s a skull. I love skulls, I have a ton as decoration, but this is the one that means the most to me. Why? Because I made it. Sort of. It used to be a regular, white, basic skull until I took props class and we all had to recreate our skulls. I’m proud of my work in props, I enjoy prop work greatly, and my love of skulls has only strengthened. So, Friend here (yes, that’s his name) has been a good companion. Even brought him to Glasgow when I lived out there.
Third, a zombie barbie doll. She was originally nailed to a wood plank but the wood broke. Kept the doll, though. When I was in my undergrad, my props prof created something called the Zombie Walk, in which we terrorize Main Street dressed as zombies. Ends with a block party. There were awards for best walk, best thriller dance, best makeup, etc. that my prof made…out of barbie dolls. So, my little barbie zombie was an award for best zombie makeup, and it’s been an inspiration since.
Lastly, my little Ghibli shelf. Beyond the books, I have a little Heen, a little Teto, and a tiny painting of Totoro. Obviously, I love Ghibli, so it has it’s own section. Heen is from a store in Glasgow called Tokyo Toys, Teto is from a stuffed animal maker in Japan, and the painting is by a friend named Charles, who gave it to Mom before he moved to Texas (which I promptly stole). Ghibli has been special to me since I first started watching the movies, and little items like these just make me happier.
If you have random items that remind you of moments or feelings, they are worth keeping around. Seeing these memories remind me of where I’ve been and what I’ve experienced. Keep the happy memories around you, in whatever way you want. For me, it’s decor and items I received scattered about my shelves in my library. It’s always a joy to see them.
Hugs
Alexandra
Alexandra TG 