Alan Fox

A few days ago, I took this photo of towels stacked on a chair in my family room.

My father would say that a stack of towels does not belong in a family room, and they should be returned to the laundry closet immediately.  Unlike me, my dad was a fanatic about keeping everything neat at all times.  That is not to say he was wrong – just that he and I were different, especially on that point.

So, while that might be my father’s reaction, our children and grandchildren might look at the same photo and think, “Oboy!  Swimming today!”  They would look forward to lots of noise and fun, and not care one bit about keeping everything neat.

But I was thinking that the towels also were a tableau in memory of happy times from the past, a reminder of when the children were young, and the pool was often used.

It’s not just beauty that resides in the eye of the beholder, but also the story.  Our perspective shapes our reaction to everything we see, and that reveals more about us than it does about whatever we are reacting to.

There are movies and television shows that Daveen loved watching that put me to sleep.  And vice versa.  Once I walked out of a play, telling Daveen and my parents that they were welcome to enjoy it but that I would wait in the lobby.  Fifteen minutes later they joined me.  But we don’t always share the same opinions and taste.

Different points of view are what creates interest in the stock market, or in a horse race.

Let’s welcome our differences, and always remember that one person’s excitement may be another person’s boredom.  And vice versa.

Alan

Like many people, I do not like to move.  It’s such a hassle.

In fact, during more than fifty years, I’ve moved offices and homes only three times, all within the Sherman Oaks/Studio City area of Los Angeles.  So, while I like to think that I’m more adaptable than most, in terms of moving, I also have less experience.

We moved into our present home just a few weeks ago.  As you might imagine, we are still living mostly out of boxes.  Fortunately, we do not plan to list our old house for sale until January, so Daveen and I are able to pace ourselves with unpacking.

And yet, as with any new home, there are things I’m trying to get used to.  Some aspects of living here are entirely different than before.  I grew up in a hillside house and have almost always lived in a home with a view.  The street we now live on is flat, so on my daily walk this afternoon there was no up- or down-hill and the only view I have is of my own backyard.

But did I mention that we now have eight orange trees in the backyard?  And a great swimming pool.

As for my new drive to work, I can look at it in two ways.  While it’s a little less than15 minutes, it’s about twice as long as my previous commute.  Sympathy, anyone?

Alas, I’ll keep this blog shorter than usual because I have a date tonight with ten or twelve boxes that I must unpack.

And then, I’m sure I’ll discover many more things I love about my new home, one unpacked box at a time.

Alan