'MO - September 2008 - (Page 8)

community Click here to comment on these stories. VOICES A Home of One’s Own By Jack Hilovsky Most of my twenties I spent sharing apartments with roommates, or living in group houses. Other than a futon frame and mattress, plus a Panasonic television set, all my furniture came from generous handme-downs. Then, when I turned 33 I began inheriting some family heirlooms, which I incorporated into my mélange of collectibles. I started with my grandmother’s maple wood bed along with her chest of drawers and nightstand. Then came a cherry wood desk painted blue during my adolescence. When I bought my condo 10 years ago, a display cabinet and glass coffee table, in addition to a gold chair, all made the trip from my parent’s home east to Seattle. Over the last year I’ve begun clearing out the old to get ready for the new. I’ve learned how easy it is to accumulate someone else’s things even though the items may not reﬂect your taste. So after an unsuccessful stint trying to sell the art deco display cabinet I donated the item to a worthy non-profit. A friend took the desk to use as a vanity. I can imagine in another year I’ll replace my grandmother’s bed with a more contemporary model. I welcome having the freedom to decorate in my own style, even if the expense may dictate one piece at a time. While I value antiques I appreciate contemporary design. Maybe my taste in furniture resembles my taste in clothes, or even men. I see worth in classic styles with clean and simple lines. But I also appreciate the twist, the surprise. How to find a way to bridge both worlds and embrace the romantic past with an adventurous future? That is where the present sits. I’ve decided to renovate my bathroom this fall and began shopping with a friend for wall and ﬂoor coverings. I envision replacing the stale pink and blue bathroom I inherited when I first moved into my place with a fresh white and black décor. We visited the Bedrock recycled tile store and sifted through pails of glass tile, aquamarine like coastal waters I’ve visited in Ireland, Hawaii, and Australia. We perused demo shower units at Seattle Tile Co. and paged through decorating magazines for handsome cabinets and pedestal sinks. Redecorating, while ripe with possibilities for creativity, can also leave you overwhelmed by all the choices. I am learning there is no right answer, but like art, it helps to know what you like. Then you can zero in on the materials to create your original masterpiece. Completed in 1929, my building offers me a chance to re-connect with that era in color, tiling and ﬂoor, but also experiment with heating coils, tile design and room layout. Since the bathroom is interior with no window, my biggest priority is generating light and brightness. No opulence, but a place to begin a fresh new day with a morning shower, or lament the end of a not-so-good one with bubbling bath and aromatic candle. I guess whether granny style, granite and glass, or somewhere in between, our residence reﬂects us, our state of mind, how we view the world, and our place in it. Ever since I moved in, my place felt like a sanctuary I wanted to preserve, a tree house looking out into a leafy courtyard and fountain. Pure and simple, a place all my own. Jack is a freelance writer and longtime Seattle resident who makes his home on Capitol Hill. INSTANT ACTIVIST Repeal the Ban By Steve Truman This last July the Report of the General/ Flag Officers’ Study Group determined that repealing the ban on gays, lesbians and bisexuals serving openly in the military would be “unlikely to pose any significant risk to morale, good order, discipline, or cohesion.” A measure called The Military Readiness Enhancement Act has been re-introduced in the US House of Representatives to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” but the measure needs your support. Petition your representatives and demand all Americans be able to serve their country with honor and dignity by visiting: www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/ dadt08_housecosp 8 celebrating seattle’s gay community http://www.bowman4law.com http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/dadt08_housecosp

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 'MO - September 2008

'MO - September 2008 Contents Letter From The Editor Voices Instant Activist Pet Project Legally Speaking: Starting Your Own Business EarthTalkTM: Soak Up the Sun ’mo-BIZ: Sternola-Brown Interiors HRC President Hails Biden as V.P. Pick Governor to Attend Annual GSBA Candidate Forum Form & Function: Cable Exercises Build Definition Gay City Health Project Makes a SHIFT Throw a Lifejacket Around Your Home’s Value Feature Film Review: A Jihad for Love Feature Film Review: Ghost Town, starring Ricky Gervais The Return of The Puyallup Fair Book Review: Life with My Sister Madonna by Christopher Ciccone Live Event Preview: Shrek The Musical at The 5th Avenue Feature Film Preview: Trumbo Now on DVD: Itty Bitty Titty Committee SceneOut: People@Places Capitol Hill Guide

'MO - September 2008

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