Swap values at a christmas party
This is my beautiful friend and collaborator, Ange.
Like me and so many of us, she is a weird hybrid creature; a mix of culture, lands, spiritual norms and nationalities. And here we meet together all mixed and magical, a melange of shadow and luminosity.
Entirely imperfect but doing good and far-reaching work in the world, serving our collective and doing commerce creatively and consciously.
Laid back luxury.
Angela’s designer shirt
We partner in our work for the collective, and we are also good friends and chosen family.
And here’s how this photo exemplifies swap values:
See how she’s woven a scarf through that men’s shirt, to create this chic, masc-fem monochromatic look? Well here’s how that went.
“I love how you’ve woven that scarf through your husband’s white shirt.”
“LOL This is YOUR husband’s white shirt!”
“What?”
“Yes, those wine glasses you gave us were wrapped in two white shirts…”
I HAD FORGOTTEN!
So let’s break it down:
20 years ago my friend’s *then* Mother-in-law, gifted my husband and I some lovely Reidel wine glasses for our wedding. Two sets of two - large bulbs, two in the usual wine glass shape and two in a tulip shape.
Swap Values
Gifts are attached to memories, and people.
Keep things and use them for a long time.
Cherish them.
Over the years, one of the tulip-shaped ones got smashed by and enthusiastic client, wildly gesticulating while story-telling and enjoying so much good wine during a sayonara party for another client
We don’t bemoan the breakage, we rather celebrate the memory of the incident, that is forever forged in my storyteller brain. Weave it into our shared myths and legends.
Fast forward five years and a dear friend is leaving Japan and selling or giving away a lot of her stuff. In her stuff she has glasses that perfectly match our remaining glasses - and so I boost the good wine-glass collection to four tulips and four regular shaped.
Swap values
Keeping goods in circulation, receiving goods from friends, goods go back out into the community.
Memories and stories are attached to items - I can still see us sitting in her living room in Tokyo, with stuff for sale and giveaway everywhere, and me carefully wrapping the glasses to take them home, other buyers popping in and out to take items.
Two years on and I’m ready for a big declutter - a big clearout and realise that it has been years since the tulip-shaped glasses have been used. And so I think - who would like some lovely wine-glasses? Well of course my fair friend Angela loves red wine, hosts people regularly and enjoys luxury. And so I set about packing up four tulip-shaped glasses.
What shall I wrap them in? My husband in his declutter phase is getting rid of some shirts that are slightly worn around the collar - good enough to wear but too worn for professional wear. And so they are ready and bagged up for fabric disposal day. I wrap the glasses carefully in a couple of Kei’s shirts then pack them tightly with boxes from the latest shopping trips
Swap values
Use what you have, even if it seems odd to do - functional fixedness may tell you that packing glasses with shirts is a strange choice, but they are perfect packing material.
Use the recycle boxes they provide at the supermarket rather than buying plastic bags. They come in handy later too.
Save your fabric for fabric disposal day - follow the rubbish rules.
Only put goods that are in excellent condition in the swap - damaged neck meant not swap!
AND YET…
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure
So Ange received the glasses and upon unwrapping discovers two slim fit men’s shirts wrapping the glasses and lo and behold, she thinks - these look great! And yes, they look great on her. She had been dreaming up men’s shirts for her wardrobe!
She had seen a technique of weaving a scarf through the buttons of the shirt to elevate it and so is delighted when she finds these shirts - in excellent condition, save a bit of damage around the neckline, and thinks YES I’m having those.
And doesn’t she look marvellous? Paired with a long black skirt and books, she just looks fabulous! And another legend of clothing circulation is born!
Our next swap is going will be in Spring! With a new venue!
NEWS NEWS!
We are seeking a new swap venue.
After 3 wonderful years at Blink Roppongi, we are saying goodbye. Thank you to Andreia for her hosting and service.
So we are calling in a lovely, classy venue where we can feel good as we swap that can host 50-60 women, with tables.
Nice to have are mirrors, food and drink to bring on or offered on the premises.
There are other details but this is a good start!
And we do have rental budget.
Do you know anywhere?
If you can recommend somewhere I’d be so grateful - an introduction would be massively appreciated.
You never know what you might find! This has a mighty story behind it too.