My aura is fabulous, thanks.

The word-a-day people gave me a gift this morning ....

omphaloskepsis (om-fuh-lo-SKEP-sis) noun

   Contemplation of one's navel.

[From Greek omphalos (navel) + skepsis (act of looking, examination).
Ultimately from the Indo-European root spek- (to observe) which is
also the ancestor of suspect, spectrum, bishop (literally, overseer),
despise, espionage, telescope, spectator, and spectacles.]

The moment I discovered the word defenestrate was one of the happiest I remember.  And no, I am not joking and yes, I am that big a nerd.  But really, what a wonderful language we have, that has words for such marvelously specific things...begged, borrowed, stolen and integrated into one large, nonsensical, complex and lovely tongue. 
Today's word makes me just as happy.

And now I am blogging about a word for naval gazing, which is charmingly self-referential, don't you think? 

Thanks to the same folks I have discovered the Visual Thesaurus, to which I will probably now subscribe because, come on, how cool is this?

I suffered a Disappointment on Tuesday and I took yesterday off...to pout, really.   I had Plans which went Unconsummated...canceled in fact.  I was cross, grouchy and generally lacking in perspective.  I stayed home. 

It was an unexpectedly fabulous day.  I slept in, waking at 8 am only to remember I was not late for work, and dozed off again with the cat upside down beside me purring.  I cooked eggs in bacon fat for lunch, which I never eat, because...do I really have to explain why I eat this only once a year?  And does anyone else have a can of bacon fat in the freezer because that's what you do with bacon fat?

I wrote an email to someone I think I might just adore and read an email from another person I adore and recently reconnected with.  I pinned out a swatch for Jackie (no pictures because I can't find my camera cord).  I admired the lettuce plants.

I - and this may not sound like fun, but it was - cleaned the bathroom, going though the cabinets and getting rid of out-of-date, toxic and otherwise undesirable things.  I used to have a makeup habit like I have a yarn habit now, and discovered when I cleaned out that cabinet that, while I need a new mascara, everything else I have now I actually do use on those occasions that call for paint, it all flatters me and I like it all without needed to buy more.  It was such a change from the conspicuous over-consumption of the past that it gave me a pleasantly warm feeling of balance.  I maintained this feeling by carefully not looking at the yarn-, shoe- or purse- collections.

The last time I cleaned the drain I used something that I could probably dissolve an intruder with.  I felt so guilty while I poured that it inspired me to make some changes; I've been switching the house over to non-toxic cleansers and I remembered the other night to replenish the washing soda supply and to pick up some borax.   I cleaned the tub with borax and hot water - I didn't feel sick, my hands didn't burn after and the shine on the tub is the righteous polish of clean, not the sleazy gleam of chemical film.   It was enormously satisfying to walk in to the bath this morning - tidiness, now with extra virtue! 

In my house these days I use rags - some microfiber ones for the mirrors and windows, but mostly old cut up towels and t-shirts, borax, baking soda, washing soda, Dr. Bronners soap, hot water and..because the smell of vinegar makes me nauseated...Trader Joe's Next To Godliness Cedarwood and Clary Sage all purpose spray rather than vinegar for glass, counters and surfaces.

I still need rubber gloves - washing soda and baking soda have caustic elements - but it is weirdly, deeply satisfying to see and smell actual clean, rather than the Pine Scented (tm), eye-watering illusion of clean.  Because I tell you - the Trader Joe's spray does a better job on kitchen surfaces than anything else I've ever used and the same goes for the rest of the stuff.  It takes a hair more work, but not a notable amount, and it works great.  Better than great.  I used to think that Formica had that weird surface smudginess because it was the nature of Formica to smudge.  Turns out that is the residue from Our Love Affair With Chemicals.

I'm also a Borax believer.  I once dropped a bottle of nail polish in my mother's tile guest room floor.  It bounced, shattered and sprayed its full fluid ounce all over the hem of the (new, of course) bedspread.  3 drops on the easily wiped floor, the rest on the bed.  I thought she would kill me.  I used acetone to get the plastic nail polish agents out, but Borax took care of all but the faintest tinge of coral stain remaining.

(Never mind the environmental impact of both the acetone AND the nail polish.  Baby steps.)

Then I went to get my brows and lashes dyed.

Yes, I am cognizant of the disconnect here (I said baby steps). 

But I look fucking fabulous.   Even, according to the wonderful woman who does the dying (I think I go at least 50% to spent 15 minutes with her.  She's just one of those people you feel better for spending time with) down to my aura. 

I thought about it and I realized she's right.  I do feel great.  Last year was a difficult one for many reason - not a bad one, but a difficult one.  There will be setbacks, there always are, but my disappointment was just that - a disappointment.  Not a blow.   And I'm may be starting to feel that my path is becoming clear.  I wouldn't go so far as to say I have a plan - I'm not really a plan kind of woman - but I might have a rudder.  I feel good.

My brows are waxed, my bathroom clean, I have a sense of optimism and I bought some very hot yarn on my way to have a great dinner with a good friend.   My laundry is all put away, I am rich in friends and I slept well.

I forgot to buy cat litter.   

I can live with that.

(I am also interested in any thoughts on what to do with the box of lysol, windex, etc, etc, etc. I have been accumulating.  I don't want them in the house, but dumping them out and recycling the bottles seems counterproductive.)

 

 

 

Comments

[Karin]

Just wanted you to know -- I read your blog often. Found you through the Harlot after your visit with her. I want to thank you for your post on natural cleaning materials. It motivated me to finally make that push. My daughters have both grown and moved and I have been making some changes in my life. My youngest DD was the recipient of my cleaning materials. I did some online research and at the library. This weekend I cleaned out all the toxic stuff from my cabinets. My kitchen sparkles after a thorough cleaning with warm water and Borax. My under the kitchen sink space now has more room due to the fact that it only contains two boxes of borax, a box of baking soda, and a gallon of vinegar. Thanks!

[Kristen (c/o MamaCate's house)]

re: Tuesday - I am so sorry. So, so, so sorry.

re: Borax: grew up with it and loooove the stuff. I liked the name so much that I named one of my fish after it (and will consider the name for cats in my future - it's a strong name with a slight bit nerdiness built in.)

re: cleaning supplies in good shape just not your style: I gave several half filled bottles to a shelter before I started this student housing stint. It was "disposal" as much as it was one way to for me to donate things I wasn't going to use again. (and they wanted/needed the things that killed as many germs as possible with bleach, etc.) Another shelter in the area would keep new/slightly used bottles to give to people starting out in their own homes - there might be a program that could use the things?

re: overall aura'cleansing'ness...I hope that this is what this next week will be for me. I'm hanging out in western MA and love being able to load the dishwasher and clean the counters at night - I can't wait until I have a place of my own to organize and such. I've also managed to get two appointments (one for omt and one for accupuncture) on the two days before my "mentoring" weekend. Looking forward to that combined with using cate's lendrum wheel and spending time with the kids has me in a very differnt state of mind. (it hasn't helped my full'o'breakouts face or eyebrows, but I can actively avoid a mirror like it's no one's business.)

re: the word du jour...medical terminology has taken over my brain, but this is one word that I can get behind - and one that I will try and find a way to work into conversation.

re: hot yarn? do tell, please.

re: baby girl cat - I do hope she is feeling better and back to her spunky, not-limping self soon. I'm sending good thoughts...

[carrie]

Wow, it sounds like a great day. I love that you like new words, and that you're environmentally motivated. Hope your dinner went well, too. What hot yarn? Get out the camera and have a show and tell, eh? Oh, and perhaps you could donate the cleaning agents to a church? Along with a slip that tells environmentally conscious alternatives. Have another nice day!

[AlisonH]

We have a lemon tree in the backyard, and I sometimes use those lemons for scrubbing the kitchen counters.

[Julie]

Yay! Another convert to the world of easy cleaning without using scary harsh chemicals! My personal favourite is how you can clean a mirror/window with just a sprinkle of water and a good microfibre cloth. I second your feeling of pleasure when cleaning things the simple way. And in the end, it somehow feels so much more clean than if you chemicalize the crap out of it.

[anne]

My former dance company had a piece entitled "omphaloskepsis" because we were all so enamored with the word, and, well, with our own navels.

Lately my favorite word-a-day comes from a friend's site, which I would like to suggest:
http://webstersdaily.blogspot.com/index.html

[Gina]

Like so many before me, I want to leave work early, buy some Borax and push up my sleeves at home. I am inspired! Is there someone in your neighborhood who would take the stuff? If not, toss it. You would be releasing it into the environment if you continued to use it or if you gave to someone to use. Maybe just cut to the chase?

[Em]

Glad you had a great day to yourself. It's nice to know I'm not the only etemology-obsessed knitter with waxed eyebrows and a chemical-free home!

[Kim]

Isn't is funny how a clean bathroom and cleaning out cabinets can make you feel so good. I've been making the switch to less caustic more environmentally friendly cleaning products. I will pick up that clary sage all purpose stuff next time I'm at Trader Joes. I love that place.

[teffie-phd]

Now I have an urge to run home and clean. Really, I would rather be at home and that feeling of satisfaction after arranging one's domicile is really nice.

I think I'll leave work early.

[Martha]

All meat fat goes in the freezer in my house. And I love your eyelash dyeing idea--must make an appt!

[bibliotecaria]

http://www.betterbasics.com/
Lots and lots of ideas for non-toxic cleaning, because the author suffers from the chemical allergies problem.

[That Laurie]

I LOVE your new word, and the visual thesaurus is the latest thing in cool. Your day sounds like just what I need about now!

[jessie]

"Defenestrate" was my mother's favorite word and she always tried slipping into Mad Libs for the verb slot. I've known this word since I could talk but have yet to use it in meaningful conversation. But then our house is only two stories high and I'm not a violent person.

[Alison]

Omphaloskepsis is a new word to me, but most of the others mentioned in the comments are mostly pre-existing favourites, and 'oubliette' always reminds me of the film Labyrinth (I had a massive crush on David Bowie in that film). I can't remember if I've ever commented on your blog before, but I always enjoy reading it; I really enjoy the way you communicate thoughts and feelings, and you almost always strike a chord with me somewhere.
Also, is it too weird that my first thought as you explained 'spek-' was "Aha!! Speculum!"
I'm sure a local shelter (humans or animals) or otherwise charitable organisation would make happy use of your deprecated chemicals, too, by the way.

[dharma]

Once again you have hooked me into something. This time it's the visual thesaurus.

[Helen]

I second the Freecycle suggestion.
I'm wondering if I'll ever find Washing soda again....

[claudia]

It was obviously fabulous eyebrow day. Got mine threaded by a nice Indian lady.

[Diane]

Borax, eh? I'll have to give that a try as I really haven't liked the results from other cleansers. For the house windows, I often use 1 tbsp. dishwashing detergent (the stuff for dishwashers, not handwashing) in a gallon of hot water and a squeegee. Works like a charm!

I've been throwing out old stuff, too. Very liberating and besides, if I haven't used in this long, I'm probably not going to use it.

[lisa]

Omphaloskepsis has been one of my favorite words for about 25 years! Another fave is "Maenad", I think it'd be a great name for a softball team (though I don't play). I'll have to look for the trader joe's stuff...I use a lot of vinegar and murphy's around here. I have never had my brows, or any other part, waxed!

[Sue]

Don't have bacon fat, but I do have a container of chicken fat, saved from roasted chickens! Mmm, tasty for frying potatoes, doesn't take much.

I would also recommend donating unwanted cleaning products, possibly to a school or shelter.

[Amanda]

Ah, you sound like me when I found the word "oubliette" from the French "to forget" and realized that an oubliette is literally a hole you put someone in to forget about them. I love oubliette - and I think I'm going to love the Visual Thesaurus - thanks for sharing!

I LOVE the Trader Joe's Cedarwood and Clary Sage spray! I have a terrible time with cleaning sprays because of my allergies, and that's the only spray I can feel comfortable spraying everything with (I usually use the bleach wipes because of the spray thing, but agian, more icky chemicals). I feel safe(r) spraying it around my daughter when I need to, and using it on her art table (the only thing I've found that removes dried up Play-doh, crayon, and dried up watercolor paint!)

[Laurie]

I like the charity donation. Or give it to the toxic waste collection this year.

Yes, that is what I do with bacon fat. A guilty pleasure indeed, it makes everything taste GREAT. *sigh*

[Danielle]

Wordsmith has been awesome this week. I needed a word for snow that disappears before it hits the ground.

[JoVE]

I think you missed speculum off that list at the top :-)

Glad you are feeling great. I've recently found some cleaning cloths that get the tub clean without ANY cleaner. Also possible to wash windows and mirrors with water. Fucking amazing, I tell you. Not sure if they are available stateside, though.