PETiT TRiANON DAYS

On Sunday, bf's computer crashed and we had to take it in to Best Buy. As we stood waiting in line under fluorescent lights in a sea of garishly blue polo shirts, he turned to me and apologized for dragging me to a boring electronics store during what little non-working time I had. Shocked, I implored him to please not be so silly. I had not seen the inside of a Best Buy in ages and was rather enjoying the cultural experience. While it is true that I never thought I would necessarily miss a place that sells ambiguous items like cords, I nonetheless appreciated being someplace that was not the office nor office-related. My mind wasn't racing and my body wasn't desperately aching for a venti soy latte. I was simply taken by the environment around me (also I was searching for Def Jam Rapstar because I want that game so bad). After that, all I wanted to do was go to Target. Everyone loves Target, especially during the holiday changes. I wanted to see the aisles of color-coordinated Christmas ornaments, the new Holiday Spice Yankee candles, the festive cardboard advertisements hanging from the ceiling! So we went, and it was SO FUN. The new 2010 Holiday Barbie, the glittery Papyrus Christmas cards, the peppermint and gingerbread Lipsmackers in a plastic candy cane for your stocking! I had a great time. And I realized, we had a Petit Trianon day.

Marie Antoinette's faux peasant hamlet, where she escaped to enjoy simple activities that she could not engage in at Versailles, of course did not make her the most popular kid in class. We won't debate her actions here (History BA says I have written too many historical arguments for one lifetime), but we can learn one thing: simple should be appreciated because simple is fun. Marie Antoinette loved to garden, play with the animals, and sweep the yard. These seem like very pedestrian activities, but imagine if you were restricted from ever doing them. As someone who was raised by a stay-at-home mom, I have always marveled and appreciated the art of fulfilling domestic duties with contentment and pride. When I go home, all I want to do is follow my mom around to places like Costco and William Sonoma. It gives me such joy to help foster and run a beautiful home, produce a delicious meal, or host a wonderful party. Although I love my career, I do feel sad about not being able to do things like that right now, and I get frustrated when I can't run my home they way I want to--  I feel lack of attention to your environment is bad form. So when I do have a day off, I appreciate being able to run errands, even at Best Buy. I love my Petit Trianon days.