Monday, July 10, 2006

Frickin IKEAs

It would be reasonable to expect a red-blooded swinging single guy to find spartan living quite acceptable - which explains why bachelor pads are rightfully infamous for being just a small step above decrepit, barely salvageable hovels.

Just observe some of the charming cribs invaded by the MTV Room Raiders and you'll know exactly what I mean, which brings back a barely repressed shudder as I recall some of the pigsties dorm rooms I've been in. Potato chips, pizza droppings and unidentified edible items litter the scraped floors, used underwear dangle helplessly from the broken ceiling fan and the cheap bedsheets are stained with various bodily fluids and cheap booze. One good reason why I didn't have much sex back in university.

Dorm food
Dorm food! YUM!

Then again, sometimes it's worth the sacrifice :P Fuck the sheets!

Thinking that I would be staying at my brother's old place only for a short period of time, I eschewed every creature comfort, steeling myself to live like an ascetic monk without style or interior decor. Plain unadorned white walls with the barest minimal accoutrements and my simple black medical textbooks. Terribly zen.

My brother predicted that I wouldn't last long in such a state.

Unfortunately, he was right. The blank slate practically screamed for some colour and I couldn't resist for long. Just today after waking up from what I assume was an extended interior decorating dream, I splurged ( well, call it overextended my credit ) in a desperate attempt to drag my seriously dull room into some semblance of style. Still a Casa Impian in progress - since I'm trying to look for an outstanding feature to highlight - but I'm partly satisfied with the buff-coloured curtains with the maroon tiebacks, the carmine bedcovers with the sassy throw and of course my cherry-red candles. Even a charming Vietnamese lamp by the bedside table.

When I get a little money, I buy books. And if there is any left over, I buy food.


And so there goes my budget for the rest of the month. Unlike Desiderius Rasmus, the theologian who made that quote, I don't even have any left to buy food since I spent it on bedsheets. Wonder whether Charming Calvin can spare some chump change.

20 comments:

Xavier said...

he's definately got some left over this month.. hehe

ask him to spare u lor.

Annie said...

Plain unadorned white walls maybe appropriate for insane asylums... I'm glad you decided not to succumb.. chump change? I thought you had to be chump to have chump change. So is he now Chump Charming Calvin? I'm still waiting to hear from Calvin, does he comment here often?

Ryan said...

oh damn i want a pizza boy like that!

Patrick said...

Apparently your bedsheet is even more important than foods!! I don't even care if my bed is cover by bedsheet if I have to make trade off with good foods.

hrugaar said...

Hm, anyone would be a chump to lend you change if you just blew all your budget on fripperies for temporary accommodation la. :oD

Reckless extravagance is not the mark of a good househusband, paul ... you're slipping. ;oP

MrBunnyBan said...

Methinks a certain charming fellow would be better off spending money to improve his own living conditions. Hmmm, perhaps the two needs could meet? (hint hint)

Chris said...

Never underestimate the power of a good set of sheets.

Petie said...

So... why are you staying at your brother's place? :)

NeiLDC said...

Ill lend you some white sheets if you wanted to!

Alex said...

No worries doc, this month salary is coming soon....
Can I have your old Ikeas?

Just Me said...

I bought my condo in November of 2005 and I haven't done a thing to it. Well, I did paint the walls but other than that it still looks the same. I have to buy some paintings and hang up some pictures to make this place feel more like home.

I think I will be over extending my credit too.

joshua said...

Sharing is caring... Hehe

A Bear in the Woods said...

Why don't you just decorate your room with that pizza boy? It would be oh so Versace, and only cost the price of a pizza. An unbeatable combination. God I would love to come to that.

Anonymous said...

I know I will very likely be a chump, Anniie, but if Paul helps me decorate my place, then he can be forgiven. Heh... Money for service, fair enough.

Matt. K. said...

You make me wanna enter university even faster, now!

Btw, how did you end up in your brother's place? Is it because of the change of work place?

You really like decorating, don't you?

Anonymous said...

... and maybe stain the new bedsheet with bodily fluids, eh? :-) Goodluck on the makeover!

Kihu said...

ew... bodily fluid on bed.. uhmnn..

anyway hw abt living together with ur Charming Calvin? ahaha cheaper solution wat.. ahaha !

Anonymous said...

Hi Paul! Did you get my emai? Regarding to the new look of your blog. The motif is black, white and grey. I just sent you a picture!

Annie said...

*dance* Yee HAAA! It's Calvin! He's alive - he's real? Wait. I thought he was Paul's figment of some wild imagination. Holy rice balls!

For shame Mark "maybe stain the new bedsheet"! I'm with Famezgay, "EW" and they're NEW bedsheets! gotta keep 'em clean for at least a month. Right Paul?
Paul? Paaaaaaul? awe, somebody's probably lying on his bedsheets now. humph.

Joel said...

i want to be that Pizza