Wednesday, April 09, 2008

pillows



I had a good laugh earlier this week when I read a student essay which was talking about "pillow saints".

I'm fairly certain she meant "pillar saints" - early christian ascetics who tried to overcome the temptations of the flesh, and separate themselves from the world for spiritual devotion, by living on little platforms high atop very tall pillars.

A bit like that stunt David Blaine did in NYC.

Like my students, I'd like to know what they did for a toilet. Or maybe I wouldn't like it... or maybe (quite likely) they ate so little that they had not much need for a toilet...

Having just googled David Blaine, I see that he describes himself as a Magician and an Endurance Artist. Which, I suppose, is what the pillar saints were too, though (possibly) for rather different reasons. His website talks about his "INSANE 2008 event". Hmmm.


In any case, I very much prefer the notion of pillow saints. That sounds much more appealing. And feasible. In fact, that might become one of my new aims in life.

This is quite an old photo, but LG's ideas about one of The Best Ways to spend the day haven't changed hugely since then.




Good pillows are extremely important.

22 comments:

Akelamalu said...

I prefer pillows to pillars too! :)

Steve Reed said...

Pillow saints! Ha!

mouse (aka kimy) said...

I'll take the pillow also.... had a good chuckle.

love the photo of lg. lg looks as if she's a natural for yoga!

mouse (aka kimy) said...

the universe is a crazy synchronistic place steve and I were leaving comments at the exact same time! I'm sure if we asked a pillow saint we'd find that there was some hidden significance.

btw - great bit of street art documented!

taco said...

I just googled Blaine myself, no that's not true, I was on yahoo and went to his wiki page.

I have a pillow saint-- we also call them kitty cats at my house..

Bobby D. said...

People are Pillows!

Lynne said...

LG looks so comfy! I can't quite figure out her position though ... ?

Love the way that first pic (love the color and composition!) ties in with your post. Very cool.

Reya Mellicker said...

What a GREAT post! I love the idea of pillow saints. And I agree, pillows can make or break a good night's sleep.

At work I use the "Goldilocks pillows" with my clients to make sure they're perfectly supported and comfortable on the table. I have a very firm pillow, a medium pillow and a very soft pillow. Hence the label Goldilocks.

I would not do well as a pillar saint or one of those nuns who lived behind a brick wall in order to be closer to God. Wouldn't work for me.

Don't care much for David Blaine either. But that's just me.

R.L. Bourges said...

great street art - so neat, crisp and businesslike. LG looks sooo confortable - good thing I didn't look at this any earlier today, I might have convinced myself I needed a nap!
best

lowenkopf said...

In one of her last books, Julia Child spoke of pilau saints.

lettuce said...

lamalu, i'm tempted to ask "who wouldn't?", but that might be presumptious

Steve! :o)

kimy i think yoga would require too much exertion. :o/ If you did ask of course the answer might be: ZZZZzzzzz

t.f., oh to be a cat. average sleep 16 hours a day.

ched, cats are winter warmers.

lynne as i remember, her bottom was a fair bit lower than her knees - ie she was in a rather deep sort of nest affair.... Ta for your comment on the graffiti pic. :o)

goldilocks pillows! reya you're great! actually i have fatter and a thinner pillows. laurel & hardy maybe? And no, i can't be doing with all that asceticism either.

lee, wishing you a very good nights sleep, whenever you get there

shelly, please explain! (indian food is, of course, the food of the gods)

Anonymous said...

I think an afternoon with pillows and blankets sounds like a wonderful idea. Your daughter is a wise one.

The fabric of my life said...

Hi Letty
Haven't visited in ages, too busy. Loving your posts as usual. That new nephew of yours is scrummy! Those big nephews of yours look like lots of fun. How's it going with a house full of teenagers?

Shammickite said...

David Blaine? he need psychiatric help if you ask me. Or perhaps a really good pillow.

tut-tut said...

Some days I feel like an Endurance Artist, too . . .

Anonymous said...

Re pillows: I changed recently from oblong Brit pillows to big, square continental-type pillows. MUCH better for lounging around, sitting up in bed, etc.

(Needless to say I have quite a lot of oblong Brit pillows to dispose of.)

Re cats: yes, once upon a time my cats used to get up for, oh, an hour at a time. Now, secure in the knowledge that I will feed them, they get up for meals and other necessities and go straight back to bed.

They do earn their keep though: both of them - one on each side - act as my 'foot pillow/warmers'.

Pod said...

i am in the run for the patron saint of pillows
saint pod of pillows

Shammickite said...

You're right Lettie.... school dinners! Wassamatta? You don't like Lard Pie with Lard Sauce??? :-)

Pecos Blue said...

I thought today that I would like to spend my whole day like that!

Shammickite said...

I forgot to tell you.... the booties are a bit big but he loves them anyway! And his feet will grow.

Anonymous said...

Saying Pillow Saints reminded me of a girl at college who wrote the smorning instead of this morning don't think anyone had ever told her and she didn't seem to mind.

lettuce said...

she is deb, intermittently.

hi donna. they are very large and talk constantly. ;op all going well thanks.

ex-shammie, you have to wonder, don't you. Glad he likes them. :o)
(what about Lard With Bits?)
(dripping toast! yum)

Tut-tut, me too. but without the fame and fortune, eh?

actually Sally, LG has one of those large continental pillows. Wise indeed!

i think its your vocation pod. but shouldn't that be you in the lounge rather than in the run. or in the bed... ;op

honoured Mimi. I will if i have time

me too pecos blue. It is, after all, good to aspire to being saintly.

hello lusks. nice to see you here the safternoon :O)