That's the apartment office and community center straight ahead. And the landscaping here isn't anything elaborate, but the fertile ground of the bluegrass region really makes it pop, which is why I randomly snapped this photo.
Reflecting over this past week, we are getting pretty settled in our new home. While living in South Korea, there was always an uncertain feeling since we did not know how long we would end up staying - a few months, a few years? Because of this mindset, I resisted buying many household items which make day to day life more comfortable. Things like forks and knives, drawers for clothing and the kind of decor stuff that seems to especially make wives happy - kitchen accessories, wall art, bed linens, lamps, rugs etc.
I don't mean to make it sound like we did without, for as my previous blogs show, that definitely was not the case. We just chose not to invest much into our home, and rather to enjoy the city around us more while we had the chance. But it did teach me a little about what is really a necessity and what are just comforts. No one actually needs a toaster.
Now that we have moved though, I realize the value of such little things even more. I already feel more comfortable in our apartment here than I ever did in Suwon. Part of it is the experience of moving in with Isaac and picking out things myself. Moving after our wedding was simple for me, Isaac had already lived there and bought the necessities. Coming to Louisville was my first true experience of having a fresh start - not living in my parent's house, or a dorm room, or Isaac's apartment where furniture and basics are already there waiting for me.
It's these kinds of small touches that make our apartment feel like home. The clock from Mimi and Uncle Mark's house, a painting from my Great Aunt Mary, doily from Mrs. Jones, duck set from my brother both on table from my sister, plate set from Isaac's Aunt and Uncle, displaying some of my old cameras and our books.
The birds still serenade us every day - raucous crows begging for bread, chirpy cardinals, a pair of mourning doves, cowbirds, bullying blue jays and some others whose names I don't know. And our west facing balcony is just right for a mini garden.
Our apartment is still not complete, which is why I'm sharing snippets but not full rooms. This time it is not because of any temporary feeling.
Last summer while tending to my potted wedding plants, I listened to an audiobook, the "Steve Jobs" biography by Walter Isaacson. One story about him that stuck out to me regarded buying furniture for his house. Jobs was kind of well known for his preference of living with just the bare essentials. There's even a famous picture of him that was in a 1982 Time magazine illustrating this. He didn't have much, but those things he did have were carefully chosen - I see an awesome lamp and a killer early '80s sound system.
After getting married and moving into a house with his wife, Jobs was faced with the daunting task of having to buy furniture. It was hard not because of money, but because of the weight he placed on picking the most perfectly designed specimens. His wife, Laurene Powell, was quoted speaking about their experience together. "We spoke about furniture in theory for eight years. We spent a lot of time asking ourselves, 'What is the purpose of a sofa?'"
I've always been indecisive, and lean on the side of saving rather than splurging. So when I first heard this story, I saw myself reflected in it a great deal. When I told Isaac about it, his response was concern, and then hope that I would not be as atypical as Steve Jobs. Yet I've done this on a small scale before, agonizing about a purchase for a long time before actually (or never) making it. Sometimes I compensate for my indecisiveness and perfectionism by seeking out items well in advance of when they are needed. During the years we dated, I slowly accrued things for our place - like a queen sized sheet set, two pillows, two rocking chairs and two matching mugs. For me, it's about finding a product with the perfect trinity of traits: high quality, low price and great design. If something has all three of these, I'll bite. Sometimes I fall for something if it's just really cute and/or has a face, but I'm working on that.
All of that about Jobs and being indecisive is just me trying to invoke sympathy for Isaac. Just joking. But since moving to Louisville, I am reminded of how well we balance each other out. In this respect, his practical nature ("Let's buy what we need to settle down comfortably") and my flighty nature ("But I think it's too expensive/cold feeling/ugly/wobbly/small) work well together. We bought a mattress two days after moving here, but will not buy a bed frame and other bedroom furniture until I find the perfect pieces. Between the two of us, we have a pretty practical and cozy nest here. There is still a good bit to be done before we are truly settled in, but for now, we sleep comfortably upon our nice mattress that lies on the floor.
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