tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post266901445036235102..comments2023-10-21T11:44:45.588+01:00Comments on ResidentAlien: Bad Taste, Good FeelingMary Witzlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-62879827884069508032008-12-20T21:16:00.000+00:002008-12-20T21:16:00.000+00:00GBML -- Thank you! I've just gone back and put in...GBML -- Thank you! I've just gone back and put in the right accents; my French is rusty, to say the least.<BR/><BR/>My daughters begged us to go back to the China Emporium today, but we were too busy Christmas shopping at other places. Part of me is glad we didn't; part of me almost wishes we'd gone!Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-40995193815935013162008-12-20T02:40:00.000+00:002008-12-20T02:40:00.000+00:00I enjoyed your label for this post, particularly.....I enjoyed your label for this post, particularly...Wrapped up in Lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18210700542140339831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-61197434531381761342008-12-19T20:56:00.000+00:002008-12-19T20:56:00.000+00:00Barbara -- Did you put up a fuss? I would have. I ...Barbara -- Did you put up a fuss? I would have. I used to have a whole drawer full of useless things that I could not bear to throw away. A gold and bronze parade horse with faulty lighting would have fit right in.<BR/><BR/>Ello -- Just wait until you are older! I still remember some of the things my mother admired with a mixture of amusement and horror, but as I age, the more like her I become. Can't see myself with a light-up Siamese ornament, but I'll never say never. <BR/><BR/>Kara -- Let me tell you, it was a veritable Aladdin's cave of kitsch treasure. While we were there, we kept trying to describe the items we were looking at, we were so amazed by them. They defied description. We purchased modestly, but I suspect you'd have gone wild!<BR/><BR/>Leanne -- Thank you for that kind compliment. I haven't seen 'Outsourced,' but now I want to. We have a hard time finding some movies here, but I'll look out for it. <BR/><BR/>Kanani -- An orange and pink shag carpet? I KNOW I've seen one of these at some relative's house! My mother has been gone for many years, but the Siamese Cats are now proudly displayed at my sister's home in Arcadia. She has inherited my mother's naive appreciation of kitsch. And she and your mother would absolutely see eye to eye on home decoration color schemes.<BR/><BR/>Angelique -- Your Christmas tree sounds great. We had whole boxes of tacky decorations as well (fifties, mainly, as I recall) and I really regret that we could not bring them with us. That is one of the things about our lifestyle that is rather sad -- almost all our possessions had to stay behind.<BR/><BR/>Marcia -- Did your mother collect blue chip stamps as well? We had both, but I think green stamps were her favorite -- she liked their catalog better, I believe. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who remembers trading stamps, though!Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-20684255797996284132008-12-19T17:03:00.000+00:002008-12-19T17:03:00.000+00:00How I remember my mom licking the stamps by the sh...How I remember my mom licking the stamps by the sheet and putting them in the little booklet. Our house was a mixture of cheap knick-knacks and Grandma's antiques. I never cared for my mother's taste, finding it too cutesy and kitschy. What floors me is that now that she's in an apartment and select pieces are arranged in a smaller space where you can focus on them -- I really like her furniture!Marciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-59128227766207795342008-12-19T15:28:00.000+00:002008-12-19T15:28:00.000+00:00This is a beautiful story, Mary.You know, as my so...This is a beautiful story, Mary.<BR/><BR/>You know, as my son, husband and I were decorating the Christmas tree this year, we uncovered a host of hideous bulbs from my childhood. Very '70s (and some from the '60s that were just handed down). <BR/><BR/>Guess which ones my son wanted to hang up? :)<BR/><BR/>Our tree is more gorgeous, fun and classy because of those god-awful trinkets.<BR/><BR/>Much love to you and your family,<BR/><BR/>AngeliqueThe Quoiblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13632853309100258560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-57412768229152814002008-12-19T06:23:00.000+00:002008-12-19T06:23:00.000+00:00The tastes between family members differs greatly....The tastes between family members differs greatly. My own mother had an appalling inability to handle color. Imagine the horror of my father coming home to a bedroom with orange and pink shag carpet! This of course, went with the dark "mediterranean" colored (brown) furnishings. <BR/><BR/>But of course, her aesthetic was a reflection of some emotional response. Your mother's love of those cats --she was probably fascinated by them, got a kick out of seeing those eyes light up. I only HOPE she still has them. God Mary, you should insist on having the willed to you. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, one person's kitsch is another person's feel good touchstone. You never know...Kananihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08317494343177263398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-31752383564252551872008-12-19T01:03:00.000+00:002008-12-19T01:03:00.000+00:00Superb writing, as usual. I love the way you broug...Superb writing, as usual. I love the way you brought it back to the store at the end. I felt like I was in the aisles, too.<BR/>Have you seen that movie called <I>"Outsourced?"</I> Takes place mostly in India. You would really like it!<BR/>Love, LeanneLeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04852672273265930038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-3557822548774738492008-12-18T21:56:00.000+00:002008-12-18T21:56:00.000+00:00ohmigod...i would've bought everything in there. v...ohmigod...i would've bought everything in there. velvet paintings? did they really have velvet paintings? and you bought nothing? come ON.karahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690274092026593186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-13563997805194829012008-12-18T21:26:00.000+00:002008-12-18T21:26:00.000+00:00That was such a poignant story you had me tearing ...That was such a poignant story you had me tearing up. I make fun of my Mom's taste all the time. I should stop. Although hers is less cheap and more ornate and gaudy. shudder.<BR/><BR/>Still, I loved this story.Ello - Ellen Ohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18311917335471167591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-31819437450214914862008-12-18T01:44:00.000+00:002008-12-18T01:44:00.000+00:00The only tacky thing I can recall from childhood i...The only tacky thing I can recall from childhood is having a gold and bronze coloured parade horse clock that I loved dearly. Finally, the wiring gave up the ghost and out it went.Barbara Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00610140328527165017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-1650069143966551322008-12-17T18:14:00.000+00:002008-12-17T18:14:00.000+00:00Meg -- I like the sound of those candlesticks, but...Meg -- I like the sound of those candlesticks, but they sound like they'd be tough to make. And painted with psychedelic 70s colors? Wow! I recycled all my baby food jars as spice containers, but your mother's candlesticks are far more creative. <BR/><BR/>AnneB -- Sigh...I've got to get more techno-savvy. I do have a camera on my cell phone, but the blue-tooth it has is somehow not compatible with blogger (I learned this when I took the photo of the Bayram cake). And you've got to be impressed that I actually know what blue-tooth is! <BR/><BR/>If we get the mosque clock radio, I will try to get my daughter to take a picture and I'll try and post it. If I hadn't actually seen this with my own eyes, I'm not sure I'd believe it myself.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10041339749785242409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-43606432653693300052008-12-17T05:08:00.000+00:002008-12-17T05:08:00.000+00:00Photos, Mary...where are the photos?!!!Photos, Mary...where are the photos?!!!AnneBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14353297751372957745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-4357212060290348072008-12-16T20:07:00.000+00:002008-12-16T20:07:00.000+00:00The baby food jars were inverted and stacked one a...The baby food jars were inverted and stacked one atop the other. There must have been some other kind of jars involved - probably Miracle Whip! The candle was on the top, though I can't remember how it stayed there.Meg Wiviotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16178051434999444739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-44910985203134836722008-12-16T20:00:00.000+00:002008-12-16T20:00:00.000+00:00Meg -- Those candlesticks sound great, but I can&#...Meg -- Those candlesticks sound great, but I can't see how they would work. Were the bottoms of the babyfood jars concave? And I love the fact that your grown-up children regretted the loss of that electric fireplace (though I'm sure I'd have thrown it out too, for what it's worth).<BR/><BR/>Although I remember my mother's tacky stuff with great fondness, when I was a teenager, I snubbed it terribly. Funnily enough, the things of hers I remember loving were the handmade quilts she and her mother made. She could not see the attraction, of course: they were old rustic things, made by hand...<BR/><BR/>Anne -- Thank you. Sometimes I wish that the three generations had just had a chance to meet. I'm sure good lessons could have been passed on.<BR/><BR/>Carole -- I wish you'd share your Christmas tat stories with me! And I wish I could get on your blog, too. How are you, and how is your writing? <BR/><BR/>Charlie -- What a great thing it would be, selling clock radio ashtrays in Phoenix! I'm hoping my brothers-in-law will be as pleased with their gifts; the postage is going to be pretty steep.<BR/><BR/>And I'm so glad that others have these memories too. I worried that I was the only one who had fond memories of tacky Christmas junk and S & H greenstamp goods.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10041339749785242409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-61608579485143916632008-12-16T19:35:00.000+00:002008-12-16T19:35:00.000+00:00The junk you mentioned in the China Emporium would...The junk you mentioned in the China Emporium would sell like hotcakes in Phoenix, the garage sale capital of the world. Please send me a gross of those gross clock radios as soon as you can.<BR/><BR/>And you made me tear up too because we all had our tacky treasures, crappy stuff that was priceless, had a special meaning known only to us, and most of all, made us happy.Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722567671925063706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-46152230905481801482008-12-16T19:16:00.000+00:002008-12-16T19:16:00.000+00:00This was a wonderful Christmas gift. Thank you. ...This was a wonderful Christmas gift. Thank you. So filled with memories.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03828426520214270655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-87371030110691654902008-12-16T17:47:00.000+00:002008-12-16T17:47:00.000+00:00What a nice story -- your mom sounds like a sweeth...What a nice story -- your mom sounds like a sweetheart, and this anecdote connects three generations. Very touching.Anne Spollenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12915171740680350711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-88821004603708289682008-12-16T13:19:00.000+00:002008-12-16T13:19:00.000+00:00My mother sounds a lot like your mother. She grew...My mother sounds a lot like your mother. She grew up in East Texas during the depression. She outgrew her love for all things tacky, so when I was a kid we only had her best loved items in the house - a set of three candlesticks made from overturned babyfood jars, spray painted avocado green, harvest gold, and rancid red - you know, '70's colors. <BR/><BR/>Sadly, she developed Alzheimer's in her 60's and her love of tacky things returned. She had a electric fireplace that all four of her grandchildren loved. When my sister and I cleaned out her house we threw the electric fireplace away telling our children that it was broken. (Needless to say, neither one of us wanted it in our houses!) They were all sad. Years later the truth came out, that we had thrown it away. Our grown children were furious with us. It was their clearest memories of their grandmother. <BR/><BR/>I'm not sure what the lesson is in that - but I'm still glad I don't have it in my house!Meg Wiviotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16178051434999444739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-1356768416520302702008-12-16T09:26:00.000+00:002008-12-16T09:26:00.000+00:00Carolie -- Somehow our posts crossed!I can just pi...Carolie -- Somehow our posts crossed!<BR/><BR/>I can just picture that fake bird on its glorious branch, and I should have known you would understand! Anything that was involved in our childhood games becomes magic, no matter its value or lack of such. <BR/><BR/>In fact, our set of plug-in Siamese cats got broken when we were teenagers and my mother was genuinely upset over this. She saved carefully for another set just like it and was thrilled to find that it was still available. My sister inherited this set and to this day it sits on top of her television. The last time we visited her, she asked me if I minded that she'd gotten the cats instead of me. I told her it was all hers, but I gave the cats a pat on the head before I left. And I love it that my sister feels guilty for having acquired this treasure.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-83507587280309228952008-12-16T09:16:00.000+00:002008-12-16T09:16:00.000+00:00p.s. -- Your story made me think of a tacky piece ...p.s. -- Your story made me think of a tacky piece from my past. My grandmother had an odd set of two pieces. The first piece is a heavy, base-metal "hollow branch" into which one can stick false flowers, with a small, fat bird (a sparrow?) perched on the side. The second part of the set is simply a second fat bird. It's heavy, and was gilded at some point in its tacky life...if it sounds as if it might possibly be attractive, I haven't managed to describe its ridiculous, sappy, faux-Victorian-ness well enough.<BR/><BR/>As an adult, I find it incredibly tacky, but as a child, my cousin and I would play with the branchless golden bird in endless scenes of our favorite pretend game, "The Adventures of Rose-Red, Snow-White and the Golden Chickie."<BR/><BR/>When my grandmother died, twenty years ago, the set disappeared. In 2005, I got married. There was one oddly heavy box from my cousin -- inside I found the Golden Chickie set. I wept and laughed, as my husband tried to figure out why in the hell ANYONE would give us such an odd, tacky gift.<BR/><BR/>The Golden Chickie and his mate on her branch now reside in my living room, proudly displayed with other treasured mementos, and I don't care what anyone thinks!Caroliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11637418089860927715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-46280831235430420862008-12-16T09:12:00.000+00:002008-12-16T09:12:00.000+00:00Kim -- Aw - I can picture it! I love snow globes.....Kim -- Aw - I can picture it! I love snow globes... We got a huge plaster picture frame from one of our neighbors in Japan. It was covered with big plastic green and yellow daisies. I treasure it.<BR/><BR/>Charles -- I'm always saying that to my kids too. They take for granted things I'd have given my eyeteeth for. I find myself wondering what things their kids will have that they don't now, but my mind boggles; we seem to have reached saturation point.<BR/><BR/>Travis -- I'm trying to picture that and for some reason I can't. But you have to wonder, who designs these things? Do they lie in bed wondering how to fashion a superdome into a decanter just like we lie in bed and try to work out plots? <BR/><BR/>Phil -- That is so true. When I think about some of the Christmas ornaments we had, all I can remember is how beautiful they were. I KNOW they were tacky now -- I've learned that much -- but when I was a child, they had incredible magic. It makes me feel so wistful, remembering. It's not the things itself, it's the memories they're instilled with.<BR/><BR/>Robin -- I got all teary-eyed writing this myself, so I'm glad I wasn't the only one! I'm also thrilled that there are other collectors of ticky-tack out there. My husband is strongly considering going back for the mosque/clock radio combination.<BR/><BR/>Merry -- (Sniff -- thank you. My mother would have hugged you back!) We got some Wrigley's chewing gum hair clips, some tinsel, a sewing kit, a set of chopsticks, two candlesticks, some stationery, and some soap shaped like flowers. And we came SO close to buying a certain clock radio...Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-44885180544488461542008-12-16T09:06:00.000+00:002008-12-16T09:06:00.000+00:00You really do have a gift for making your readers ...You really do have a gift for making your readers (or at least me!) laugh and cry at the same time. Thank you for this lovely story!Caroliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11637418089860927715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-76350582250412973392008-12-16T01:49:00.000+00:002008-12-16T01:49:00.000+00:00Mary, I love your stories, this one made we want t...Mary, <BR/><BR/>I love your stories, this one made we want to hug your mom.<BR/><BR/>And I'd love to visit that shop. My cart would be full.Merry Monteleonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09435956005780500310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-12778422512653329292008-12-15T23:04:00.000+00:002008-12-15T23:04:00.000+00:00I'm not sure why, but that story made me get all t...I'm not sure why, but that story made me get all teary eyed. Your sweet mom with her taste for store bought things, I think.<BR/><BR/>I used to buy all sorts of tacky stuff with my babysitting money when I was younger. Nothing as cool as a mosque/radio/alarm clock, though. I'm sure I would have bought it, had it been available in Newton, Massachusetts.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12396540555696283171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-396676116589453412008-12-15T21:48:00.000+00:002008-12-15T21:48:00.000+00:00The problem when you put tat and memories together...The problem when you put tat and memories together is: you get nostalgia. Then, there's no going back. No matter how hard we've trained ourselves to be modern sophisticates, those burnt in memories will always win through. <BR/><BR/>As ever, enjoyed the read.<BR/><BR/>Hope all is well.<BR/><BR/>PhilPhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14545929481216461218noreply@blogger.com