Friday, May 30, 2008

Cymax can help you Furnish a Dining Room on a Budget

Decorating a dining room doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition. Online shopping allows you the freedom to mix and match pieces to get the look best suited to your lifestyle at a price that will fit your budget. To help get you started, Cymax set a budget of $700.00 and put together a dining room using three separate looks, country, contemporary and transitional (based on a typical 4-person configuration).

The Country Style Dining Room

The International Concepts Table and Windsor Chair Set is a fine example of casual country styling. Made of wood, in addition to the dining table, the set includes two chairs. Cymax added two more chairs to round out the place settings to four. To make your dining area more functional, while filling out the space and in keeping with the country theme, the Winsome Antique Walnut Wine Rack gives you the ideal place to store accessories, glasses and a small selection of your favorite wines.

The cost of the country style dining room is:

International Concepts Table and Windsor Chair Set - $319.00
2 additional International Concepts Windsor Chairs - $130.00
Winsome Antique Walnut Wine Rack - $239.00
Total cost of the country style dining room - $688.00

The Contemporary Style Dining Room

The Walker Edison 5-Piece Medallion Dinette Set with Tuxedo Chairs has a distinctive modern design. Black vinyl chairs with an open pattern backrest are paired with steel and glass for a spare clean look that is stylish yet inviting. The Adesso Sonata Three Tier Rolling Trolley gives you the convenience of mobility while adding the ideal finishing touch.

The cost of the contemporary style dining room is:

Walker Edison 5-Piece Medallion Dinette Set with Tuxedo Chairs - $509.00
Adesso Sonata Three Tier Rolling Trolley - $118.99
Total cost of the contemporary style dining room - $627.99

The Transitional Style Dining Room

Transitional Style is the perfect compromise between contemporary and traditional, taking traditional design elements and paring them down for a sophisticated appeal. The Home Styles Black Pedestal Dining Table and Chairs Set features a classic pedestal style footed base, while the chairs are visually distinguished by chic X-back. Matching this dining table with the Southern Enterprises Baker's Cart Sofa Table creates a natural focal point while adding a whimsical element.

The cost of the transitional style dining room is:

Home Styles Black Pedestal Dining Table and Chairs – $490.00
Southern Enterprises Baker's Cart Sofa Table - $129.99
Total cost of the transitional style dining room - $619.99

The key to furnishing a dining room on a budget is to have a plan. Decide how much you want to spend, the decor style and what will easily fit into the space. Creating the perfect dining area on a budget is easy and fun with the right resources. Now you are ready to shop online at Cymax Stores.

Please note: prices mentioned in this article are subject to change.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Luggage Isn't Just for Vacations Anymore

No matter where we go, it seems we always need to take something with us. Whether it’s just a quick trip to the drugstore, a business meeting or an afternoon in the park, we want some place to keep our keys, wallet and cell phone handy, safe and secure. Many luggage manufacturers are branching out and making quality items in a wide variety of bags that will get you to and from work, the gym, the grocery store and school in style. With so many kinds to choose from, Cymax Stores can help make your search for the perfect bag easy and convenient.

Being prepared for a busy day at the office doesn’t have to mean just your basic briefcase. Specifically designed to meet the needs of the business professional on the go, manufacturers are offering products that include those little “extras” such as built-in organizers and pockets for digital devices. Because of their multi-purpose nature, messenger bags have become very popular. They are generally soft-sided and have several different sections in addition to the main compartment. For the obvious reason, computer bags are also gaining in popularity amongst busy professionals. They are available in a wide variety of materials, sizes and styles, but most of them incorporate a padded or secure section for a laptop, to keep it safe in transport. The leather attache case is still a classic, while portfolios, catalog cases and rolling briefcases are viable alternatives.

Going to the gym, hitting the trail or climbing a mountain can be almost painless with the right accessory. A sports bag is a good companion to have with you when go exploring. They can include zippered water bottle holders, separate wet compartments, padded handles, adjustable straps and even wheels for added convenience and mobility. They also can be used as a carry-on or a weekender bag.

As all of us are becoming more conscious of ways that we can be kinder to our planet, the shopping tote might be the perfect solution. They can range from the basic two-handled kind to ones that have several features intended to make shopping easier, including wheels. For carrying a number of miscellaneous items, many luggage and handbag manufacturers offer a variety of all-purpose totes, made of materials ranging from leather to durable, lightweight nylon or microfiber. These totes often have special compartments for newspapers or umbrellas.

When packing all that necessary stuff for a day at school or on the trail, a common choice for students and hikers is the backpack. Designed to rest comfortably on your shoulders and strapped around your waist for added stability and support, it can carry a wide variety of items. But this style of bag is so convenient, easy to use and versatile, that versions of your basic backpack are now appearing in boardrooms as well, with special laptop compartments, organizers and space for cell phones, business cards and keys.

Lightweight, compact, crafted from leather or made from water-repellent materials, when shopping online at Cymax Stores, you’re sure to find right bag for your busy lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for a briefcase, shopper tote, sports bag or backpack, you will find the perfect one that will help keep your day running smoothly.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Thinking Outside the Box: Breaking Free From Office Cubicles

Cubicle life can be drab and draining at the best of times. Being caged inside four walls of grey fuzzy fabric, put together with rusty screws and wobbly legs does not exactly inspire a creative and effective work area. Natural light and open space should not be a break-time luxury; instead, it should be a fundamental element of your office space.

Cymax Stores provides online shopping for office furniture that is essential to a successful work environment. At www.bushfurniturecollection.com, you will find a variety of office furniture fit for every type of business and every office employee. Office space arrangements can be tricky, but with over seven hundred options for cubicle configurations alone, Bush Furniture covers everything you might never have even thought of. No matter how small or big your office is, we’ll find a fit.

With collections such as Bush Furniture’s Office-in-an-Hour, designing your workplace has never been so simple. Cymax allows you to narrow your search by design, finish, and price so that you can find what you need right away. Mismatched chairs and tables, lack of storage options, and messy wires stick out like sore thumbs. Impress your clients with stylish uniformity and pamper your employees to a comfortable work environment.

Bush Furniture desks come with panel grommets for wire access, keeping computer equipment tidy and out of sight, so no more tripping over cable wires on your way to the boss’s office! No matter if you are right or left handed either, you will find a desk that accommodates you.

Although a messy desk might make it seem like you have a lot of work on your hands, it doesn’t look attractive for the passerby. Filing cabinets can help you clean up your desk and organize your files so that important information is out-of-sight but easy to access. Also an attractive and efficient storage option is a hutch for over a desk. A hutch allows you to keep your desk surface clear; it also allows you to display special items, such as framed photographs of your loved ones, so that your workspace has an individual and personal feel to it. Bush Furniture also carries bookshelves in all sorts of colors, sizes, and styles.

Many items in the Bush Furniture collection come in a variety of finishes, giving a different look for every office, while keeping the style within one workspace the same. With choices in quality materials, styles, and collections, get rid of the drib and drab in your workplace.

Most of us spend more of our waking hours at work than we do in our own homes, which is one of the reasons why it is so important to furnish an office in a way that respects and keeps in mind the needs of each employee. Our environment affects our frame of mind, which in turn affects our ability to produce and inspire ideas and productivity. Cymax works to help you accomplish a positive environment for your work team with our extensive Bush Furniture collections.

From our office to yours: happy shopping.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Going French With Help From Cymax

I’ve decided to change my identity. My entire heritage, actually. Although I am a perfectly balanced mix of Scottish and English (50/50, I’m told), I’m going French. It’s just that French is sultrier, more seductive. The language elegantly rolls off the tongue… well, more like the back of the throat, but still. I love to eat, and the tastes of France beat the Scottish meat ‘n potatoes or the British fish ‘n chips staple foods. I’ll stay away from escargot, but bring on the cheeses and baguettes, and especially the chocolate fondue, any day. And no more tartan, no more cardigans. I want Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, and Chanel. And who doesn’t want to go to the most romantic country in the world? I certainly do. French: I want to speak it, eat it, wear it, and live it. I want to be French.

In order to “go” French there are some essential things I need to change about my home. Luckily, Cymax makes this incredibly easy with the convenience of online shopping. Cymax has a variety of furniture items, for every room in the house, which will help with my transformation.

Firstly, in order to cook up a French storm, to have all the wonderful aromas and tastes that come with the nationality, I will need a French kitchen cart for all of the extra space I will need to accommodate the varieties of ingredients cluttering my kitchen. Classically styled, this cart will make it easy to cook a genuine gourmet French-inspired meal. I will also need a French baker’s rack for all of the baguettes I plan on making. I don’t know how to make them yet, but those are just minor details.

But I can’t just go from a French kitchen to a drab eating area, furnished with a table and chairs from England that have been passed down to me from centuries ago that any person my age should not have anywhere near their house if they want to avoid the nickname “Granny”. In order to genuinely transform my identity, I need to invest in a French bar table set to feed myself and my guests in style. This will provide a perfect perch for wine and cheese, and a good gab. With the contemporary style, combined with a touch of traditional French scrollwork, I can have a modern dining area with a French design. There I will sit, pouring champagne for guests, and will be well on my way to French-hood.

My new French identity needs to infiltrate my every hour though – even when I am not awake. In order to be successful at training my subconscious, I need to start having French dreams. In order for French dreams, I need to be dreaming in a bed complete with a French comforter set. This nine-piece comforter set features a leafy design that I can only imagine mirrors the falling leaves on Paris streets. Here, I will sleep in French, and when I wake up, I will take my fashionable new clothes out of my French floral accent chest to dress myself, and head to my French jewelry armoire to put on my make-up and accessories to start my day on the right foot.

The finishing touches for my newly Frenchized home will probably be the most important part of my transitioning nationality. I will desperately need a place to practice the language. Sure, I will get the chance to test out my French by speaking with friends (or forcing them to listen to me), but I won’t master the language, or the nationality, without studying. With a French floral desk to match my accent chest, and a French table lamp to keep me company through hours and hours of perfecting the language and the accent, I will have everything I need.

On top of this, thanks to the ability to shop online for all of these necessities, I can become French without having to leave the house. That said, once I feel French enough, I am buying a one-way ticket to France (bypassing the United Kingdom), and bringing my furniture with me. C’est final.

Friday, May 23, 2008

I Think Therefore I am a Dining Chair

I'm blond, I'm beautiful and I'm young. I have a svelte figure that I’m particularly proud of and one that I like to show off as much as possible. I live with my mother, father, one sister and two brothers. Our cousin also lives with us. But he’s a dining table.

I don’t know what life is like for him, but for me life as a Pastel Dining Chair is pretty casual, comfortable and fun. I have plenty of style and I’m built to last. This is not surprising, since I started out as heavy duty steel tubing, constructed for durability. My rich finish is applied in five stages, which is hand-applied for a customized look. Meaning I’m unique, even though I might closely resemble my siblings.

But the final result—if I may say so—is simply stunning. I have shapely legs, a classic lattice-back, finials, cushy upholstery and a curved crestrail. My crestrail is made of wood, in a soft warm color, which adds distinction and lessens my strong metal look. It also allows me to blend seamlessly with my cousin, the table.

The best part of being a chair in a Pastel Dining Set is that we belong to a family of five. Instead of having to take time out of their busy day to go to a retail store, we were bought online through Cymax Stores. I was conveniently shipped straight from the warehouse to my new home in what seemed like no time at all.

Since they lead such busy lives, they don’t get a chance to sit down all together for a meal as often as I would like them to. But I’m more fortunate than my sister, who has no one sitting in her on a regular basis—she’s the spare chair for when there’s a guest. I belong to a teenager, who is very energetic and talks a lot. Mostly on her cell phone when she thinks her mother isn’t looking or is too busy talking to her younger brother. The smells from the kitchen are always delicious and everyone seems to be having a good time.

My least favorite part of being a Dining Chair is when they gather to celebrate a holiday. Because the dining room is filled to capacity with people and their laughter, that’s when all the strange looking, miss-matched ones show up. You know the ones I mean—the padded, red vinyl kitchen chair from the breakfast nook, the saddleback stool twins from the family room downstairs and even a computer desk chair with casters for goodness sake! She really doesn’t belong! It bothers me that they don’t match. But I suppose I shouldn’t mind—the more the merrier! And I have to admit, we all do have fun around the dining table, who just loves being the center of attention at a holiday gathering.

Even if I say so myself, a Pastel Dining Set from Cymas Stores is a good investment. Providing a place for loved ones to gather for holidays, other special occasions or “everyday” meals, your dining room furniture is an integral part of a lifetime of memories.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

When in Rome: Cymax Goes Green

Tiberius, one of Rome’s greatest emperors, was not a really well-liked fellow; in fact he was known for being the “gloomiest of men”. No, not a popular guy at all, but Tiberius was smart: he ate his vegetables. On top of his political failures and bad reputation, Tiberius was known for eating a cucumber every day.

If you have ever tried to grow your own vegetables in a plot at the back of your house, you will know how hard it is to produce cucumbers all year round. So, in order for Tiberius to get his daily dose of vegetables, he would’ve had to have paid someone for it. A dealer. A Roman vegetable dealer.

Roman vegetable dealers were probably not as uncommon as you might think. They had the means to produce fruits, vegetables, flowers and other plants year-round in greenhouse-like structures. Greenhouses have been around in some form or another since ancient Roman times, and having survived through and thrived over time since 9th century BC, today’s greenhouse are better than ever. The development and advancement of the greenhouse has been impressive, but the basics remain the same… depend on Mother Nature.

The natural equation: Sun + glass or plastic = successful gardening. It sounds simple, and it can be. At Cymax, you will find the right greenhouse to meet your needs, whether it is for your backyard in the suburbs, your farmhouse acreage, or your business. With the convenience of online shopping, you will find greenhouses from quality manufacturers like Solexx and FlowerHouse. Choose a small eight by eight foot greenhouse for smaller gardening projects or a massive sixteen by twenty foot greenhouse conservatory for larger plants and even trees – you will find these, and every size in between, at Cymax.

Greenhouses let in solar radiation and trap the energy produced by this process to heat up the inside of the structure. Good for the environment and easy on you, greenhouses make cultivation simple and efficient. If you are wondering how to reduce energy and do your part to ride the green wave, Cymax offers an abundance of ways to help preserve our precious Earth.

Shop online for durable, quality greenhouses at a great price, and you will also find accessories to help with your horticultural journey. Greenhouse heaters, fluorescent grow light systems and heat mats aid in keeping your plants healthy and safe. At Cymax, you can also shop for thermostats and even solar powered vent openers. You can even choose from different panel thicknesses, to personalize your greenhouse to match your environment.

Think of it: A fresh cucumber every day, from your very own greenhouse… now that is worth a taste, would you not agree? I believe Tiberius would.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Bored of your Boardroom? Spice it up with Office Furniture

Bored of boardroom meetings that seem to go on and on? The scene usually looks like this: The donuts and weak coffee dwindle slowly while the guest presenter repeats the same ideas as the last guy, only in about fifteen different ways. You can feel you neighbor’s breath on you because there is not enough room for everyone at the table and the presenter keeps fumbling to keep their papers from falling off the make-shift desk that’s been impractically placed in the far corner of the room. To top everything off, the projector buzzes too loudly for anyone to concentrate and the only thing that is truly keeping everyone from nodding off is their utter discomfort in the circa-1980’s office chairs. If any of this sounds familiar, your office boardroom definitely needs some sprucing up.

The best place to find good, quality boardroom tables and office chairs is at Cymax, where online shopping makes your furnishing job easy, so you can concentrate on the job that you are actually employed to do. At Cymax, you will also be able to find high quality projectors which will eliminate fuzzy pictures and the need for everyone to squint to see them. As well as projector mounts, so that you won’t have to rely on stacking the perfect amount of books underneath your old projector. Try treating your presenters with a lectern, complete with a large reading surface, a shelf, and caster wheels so that nobody has to shuffle around.

At Cymax, find a conference table that everyone will enjoy sitting at, perhaps one with a wide presentation top, a slab base and optional electronics modules. Choose from a large variety of top colors, base colors, edge colors – you can even feature three colors on one table. You can also have the option of where you would like the power and communication modules placed, so that there will not be any loose or disorderly cords hanging about the table.

Embellish your coworkers to office chairs that are comfortable, ones that nobody will complain about, no matter how long the meeting is. Adjustable ergonomic office chairs on caster wheels are perfect for boardrooms. Your staff may fall asleep, saddled in comfort, but at least they will not fidget around and get on everyone else’s nerves. If you have surprise guests or just not enough office chairs, stock up on stacking chairs that can be stored as easily as they can be brought out.

The weak coffee problem – and the side-effect of sleepy colleagues – can be rectified by a fashionable coffee maker a generous 1.5 liter capacity, pumping out enough coffee to keep the entire room buzzing with tons of constructive ideas and plenty of caffeine.

At Cymax, find lighting, hutches, storage cabinets, computer armoires, bookcases, and other office furniture to make your office as comfy as you can. You spend most of your days at work, after all, so make it as relaxing as possible for all employees and office guests. At Cymax, we also know how busy your days can be, so we make it easier for you to get what you need with online shopping that can be delivered right to your office. It’s just a day’s work for us.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Fitness Equipment is Summer’s Best Friend

Whether you’re still shaking off the effects of winter hibernation couch potato style or you’re in denial that Bathing Suit Season a.k.a Summer is just around the corner, many us have difficulties with following a regular exercise program. For those of us who think bench pressing a bag of flour at the grocery store or balancing a three-year old on one hip is enough of a workout, Cymax Stores offers a range of fitness equipment sure to fit almost everyone’s lifestyle.

The good news is that many health care and fitness professionals point out that an exercise program doesn’t have to be high tech or intensive or even require an expensive investment in order to be effective. A little exercise goes a long way to contributing to our overall well-being. Even if you don’t want ripped abs or a buff body competition style, there are a wide variety of exercise gizmos and machines that will add a little fun and motivation to your exercise plan.

Geared to being comfortable and user-friendly, exercise bikes come in a variety of styles, sizes and colors and offer a number of different features. The popular treadmill is a favorite piece of fitness equipment for those who want to start out nice and easy. Many kinds of treadmills can be folded up and stored out of sight. They can include electronics displays, handy holders for water bottles and programmable controls to customize your workout. Great for exercising the muscles of the lower body and for burning calories, stair steppers or stair climbers are also another popular way of getting into shape.

Then there are the elliptical machines that conveniently combine the benefits of an exercise bike, a treadmill and a stair stepper. Since these three types of workouts are low impact, an elliptical machine is a good choice for people who would benefit from exercise but who are reluctant to begin a fitness program because they suffer from joint-related conditions.

For those who do want a more traditional style body building regime, a basic workout bench might be a good place to start. Or if you need something a little more challenging, a home gym that includes a variety of exercise options would be the perfect choice.

Whatever you’re into—or not into as the case may be—online shopping at Cymax Stores is the ideal way to take your time and browse for the perfect piece of fitness equipment that will get you in shape for summer.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

New Office Chairs and Waiting for a Carrot

A wave of familiar despondency washed over Phil as he resolved himself to the “mandatory attendance” line of the email reminding him of today’s apres-5 pm staff meeting. “Darn it” he said aloud, adding only half-jokingly to his cubicle neighbor, “Why don’t they make a video tape entitled “staff meeting” and circulate it among each staff member 12 times a year?” Half-jokingly might have been cutting it a little short; to call these corporate goat-herdings tedious and redundant would be an understatement. “If I stay here even five more years I swear I’ll be able to recite one verbatim” Phil thought to himself.

As the day, like any other, went by with enough of the same routine to make the forthcoming subject matter seem almost repulsive, Phil couldn’t help but brood about what lay ahead. At least an hour, likely more, of being sat obligatorily in cheap molded polypropylene stack chairs in a poorly ventilated room while being submerged in sales figures, projections, market trends, morale issues etc. etc. The fact that he had mastered the ability to feign attentiveness while football, fast women and faster cars crossed his mind was all he had going for him as five o’clock neared.

As he made his way down the hall with the rest of the keyboard peons, Phil mused to himself how much more open to these meetings he might be if there was something of a proverbial carrot on a string to look forward to. Who knows? A corporate retreat to a sun-drenched destination would be wonderful, but beyond unlikely. He would have been sufficiently satisfied with an arrangement along the lines of a $100 gift voucher to Hooters and tickets to a Chargers game for every man and woman who attends each one of these monotonous time-holes over the course of the year. As if that would ever ...

As the door to the glorified lunch room swung open, Phil was taken aback. Fully expecting to look upon a table lined with those aforementioned stacking chairs, Phil was stunned to see a row of executive office chairs awaiting him and the other peons. It seemed even the bosses were looking out for themselves, as each end of the table featured an executive conference chair that looked exceptionally comfortable. As the lot of them murmured their token “oohs” and “ahhs” mixed with a few “wow, look at these,” Phil took a seat. Within a moment of sinking into the ergonomic office chair before him, he had to admit the hour and some that lay ahead of him no longer seemed quite so burdensome.

Phil had never enjoyed any staff meeting like he did that one and he further found he’d never been so attentive. Not to say that football, women and cars didn’t cross his mind, but they did so with far less frequently than usual. On top of it all, the same contingency surplus that had reached into online shopping at Cymax Stores to bring them these chairs was the same that would see each cubicle (or pen depending on your perspective) with a new office posture chair on Monday morning. Phil was so awash in the moment he even had the gumption to suggest the topless bar / football game incentive idea but was rejected in short order.

No matter, he thought, maybe things are looking up after all.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Elvis Lives! (In the Suburbs)

On Saturday morning, I am woken up by Elvis and bagpipes. I lean over to see if my alarm clock is stuck between radio stations, soon realizing that I hadn’t set an alarm. It is Saturday. Saturday equals sleep for me.

Perplexed, I get out of bed and peek through my curtains. And there he is, in all his glory: Elvis – clad in a white bedazzled, studded shirt with the collar flipped up, and matching white bellbottom pants with a belt that you could see from space. Yes indeed, Elvis is alive and he is crooning, “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog” at my window.

The bagpipes are about twenty feet away from Elvis (not far enough). I am having flashbacks of my childhood: my mother drilling our Scottish heritage into my head by means of endless recordings of her favorite pipers and my father trying to instill in me what “real” music should sound like by playing LPs of Elvis, playing along with his guitar. I watch the pipers, and in my head, I go through the motions of Scottish country dancing – ugh. I turn my focus back to Elvis, and I swear one of my legs starts to wiggle, but it may just be pre-caffeine jitters.

I have never thought to imagine the King of Rock ‘n Roll and a band of twelve pipers go head-to-head for the spotlight on a suburban street in May. Nor what they are here for in the first place. I just moved to the suburbs after living in the city my entire life. In the city, Elvis might make an appearance, but only in the form of an over-confident, slightly inebriated fan, after closing time at the karaoke bar. But pipers? Not so much. I’m at a loss, so I walk into my den, where my community calendar is pinned up on a corkboard on the back panel of my workstation hutch. I flip through the calendar as I rub the sleep out of my eyes.

The May Day Parade! Upon realizing this, I am perhaps a little over zealous, but I have never really lived in a community before – the only parades I’ve gone to are more like protests than anything else. Wrapping my duvet cover around my shoulders, and with slippers on my feet, I visit the coffee maker for my essential caffeine kick (which did help my leg stop swaying) and then head for the deck.

One of the beauties of living in suburbia is that I have a rooftop deck – not a tiny Juliette balcony that looks out to a concrete alley between city blocks that I can only fit on if I lean up against the wall. No, this deck is huge and amazing and now that I can fit more than a body on my deck, I have completely spoiled both this deck and myself with stunning, quality patio furniture. But what feels like the greatest thing about this deck today is that it has a perfect view of the entire parade.

The parade lasts for a good hour and a half. Elvis and the piping band are followed by heaps of different community groups – from kids’ sports teams and school bands to War Veterans and vintage cars to Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. When all that is left is a few lonesome streamers and candy wrappers, I get up from my porch swing, head inside to my couch to catch up on the sleep that Elvis interrupted, with a smile on my face and an old song in my head.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Some Early Mother's Day Thoughts

It’s an interesting way of categorizing the memories I have of my child, but children’s furniture can make you think of and remember so many things. When I see a crib, I recall the excitement of my husband and me putting it together. Making plans for our little one, dreaming (!) of all the good things to come and double checking the screws to make sure that they were tight enough.

A few years later, we were putting together a toddler bed late at night, trying to make it a surprise for the little monkey’s (said with great affection and a vague reference to his stellar climbing abilities) birthday. That and we figured that he couldn't jump on it when we were putting it together if he was sleeping.

Then he started school and outgrew his bed and we bought a 'Big Boy' bed. For anyone without children, this is a twin bed. After a couple of years, we realized we had bought the wrong bed and had to buy a bunk bed so he could have friends over. Actually, from the time my son was two until he was ten we would have been better off with a trampoline but we weren't that crazy.

When he turned sixteen, we were informed that bunk beds aren't cool. The only reason we fell for that one and bought the double bed was because he didn't fit the bunk beds properly by then. The funny thing is he is away at school now, and we had to buy him a single bed for the room he is renting. My husband and I just had to laugh at that. Isn't it strange how looking at beds can make you remember so much.

Happy Mother's Day from all of us at Cymax Stores.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

The Tent Dresser


Each B.C. day weekend I return to the island and enjoy three days of camping with childhood friends I regrettably don’t see as often as I would like. A four hour drive from our hometown of Victoria takes us to our not-so-well-kept-any-longer secret spot at Hornby Island, a jewel of an island in the Georgia Strait with beautiful white sand crescent beaches and the best six-gill shark diving anywhere on the west coast. An abundance of beverage-soaked sun tanning, scuba diving, mountain biking and endless reminiscing take up the bulk of a few days that always pass far too quickly for my liking.

The whole I-haven’t-looked-at-my-watch-since-yesterday carelessness and don’t-care-if-my-feet-are-encrusted-in-sand slovenliness is truly a tonic for my soul. I love the whole haphazard existence of it. I walk by the wash huts and see guys in their shaving and think “why on earth?” as I run my filthy palm over my 45-hour shadow. I can happily eat chunky soup and hot dogs every night and don’t mind one bit waking up in a tent with an acrid stale campfire smell about me and all manner of items strewn about randomly. Granted I’m sure it would wear on me over an extended period of time but for those 3 days each year, I’m in heaven.

Speaking of tents, last year one of the guys’ girlfriends decided a little more order was needed in their nylon domicile. I don’t recollect whether they were purchased explicitly for the purpose, but they brought eight of those cheap plastic “click” stacker shelves and made what she coined “the tent dresser.” Years ago we would have scoffed at such logic and practicality in our disheveled bushman utopia, but we all admitted it was a fairly nifty idea. While my sweatshirts often served as my pillow come morning, Big O’s were neatly folded next to his sleeping bag.

Now, I’m loathe to disappoint those persons who are eagerly anticipating my announcements of cymax stores’ new tent dresser, but alas, there’s no such thing.

However, for those of you who are not constantly inclined to revert back to your wonderfully disorganized youth and do in fact keep your garments impeccably arranged, a new dresser or chest of drawers from moredressers.com may be very much to your liking. Myself, I’ve rather grudgingly come to accept the need to organize my dresser chest; socks n ginch on top, shirts and the like in 2 and 3 and pants on the bottom. However, that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten a simpler time when each one contained a mish-mash of each as I frantically rifled through in search of the right Metallica t-shirt to wear to school. The spray-on jeans and converse hi-tops were much easier to find.

I’m not much for anything pricey, and moredressers.com also offers a fair selection of cheap dressers for like-minded individuals. If it’s nothing more than a box for your threads, that’s likely the way to go.

Now if they had one that was somehow imbued with the sweet aromas of campfire, seawater and a few-too-many the night before, the nostalgic sway of influence would surely be to much for me to resist.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

The Second Generation of Kitchen Therapy

I remember trying so hard to sit still and calm down in school when I knew that weekend we were having company. Both my parents have a lot of siblings who, much to my never ending joy, produced multiple children per family. As a result, I am one of dozens of cousins within a ten year span. Needless to say, I’ve had built in best friends my entire life. When one of those glorious weekends would roll around and I knew we’d be having guests, it was the happiest I could ever be. For once in my lazy childhood I’d pick up the vacuum hose and haphazardly scoot my toys into one corner of my room in preparation. My mother would be looking haggard, to be quite honest, from the never ending cooking and cleaning, and my dad would be licking his chops over a new bottle or two of scotch to share.

Those weekends would come and go so quickly. There would be harrowing tales of love unrequited or denied and, without a doubt, a squabble or two over whose turn it was in the bathroom. People camped out on sofas and floors on a makeshift bed, yet no one ever complained. And everyone would informally gather around the table in the kitchen. Sometimes in packs, sometimes in pairs - all in search of a snack and some answers. Both were always found.

Saying goodbye on the sidewalk as family after family pulled away filled our entire house with quiet. Dinner that night was leftovers – but no one ever really ate much. By Monday the feeling was completely gone and would only return once the photos were developed; sometimes that didn’t happen for weeks.

Over the years we’ve done a satisfactory job of staying in touch, but the weekends of noise and laughter have never returned like they once were. The kids who once spent hours trying on each other’s clothes have all grown up and undertaken grown up jobs; their own families now taking precedence over aunts, uncles and cousins.

But now, I get to play host. It’s on a much smaller scale – just two of my cousins, but it will be the first time I’ve ever had overnight guests over to my apartment. The food is all prepared and fresh towels are folded nicely in the cupboard, but my home is missing something.

Everyone can agree that the house revolves around the kitchen. It’s where a kitchen chair can magically transform into a therapeutic leather sofa and the never ending grazing manages to whet your appetite even more. There being just two in our home generally means we eat in front of the TV. This scenario isn’t really conducive to company, so a proper dining table must be purchased from Cymax.

It might be a bit touchy-feely of me, but I already anticipate the exchange of news and wine over a comfortable, stylish dining table that will, with any luck, house a new generation of memories. Perhaps next time there will be children of our own . . . or better yet, an extra bottle of wine.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Shoes, Bibliophilia and a Place for Everything

Yes, I’m a woman. But I have never understood the attraction of owning so many pairs of shoes that they become a storage problem in need of a storage solution. Until I saw the movie In Her Shoes, when Rose Feller explains to her sister Maggie why she buys so many pairs, but hardly wears any of them. “When I feel bad I like to treat myself. Clothes never look any good…food just makes me fatter…shoes always fit.”

Okay, that makes sense to me. It’s the way I feel about books. Buying a new book, buying a used book, borrowing a book or re-reading a book I already own, is my personal quick fix for feeling better. When I feel bad, I too, like to treat myself. If I feel like I need a vacation, browsing the Travel section of a bookstore, preferably coffee table books about Italy, the Louvre or the castles of Germany, can be an inexpensive way to visit a European country. When I want to indulge in decadent desserts with absolutely no risk to my waistline, cookbooks are a safe option. But my all time favorite thing to do, especially in the summertime when I can read in the park, is to take a trip to the public library, pick out ten mystery novels and spend the remainder of the weekend and the following three weeks immersed in volumes of murdered corpses and those who solve the conundrums of their deaths. For a person who is not particularly fond of violence, this is my one exception—after all, it is fiction. When life gets just a little too much to deal with, my best defense is a selection from J. D. Robb’s In Death series or one of the Harry Bosch novels by Michael Connelly. If the world has really thrown me a curve ball, that’s when I reach for the hard core stuff, like Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, and read until I am ready to deal with the issue at hand.

I went through grade school being called a bookworm and spent my high school days answering to the nickname “Dictionary.” On days when work is so busy and hectic, when break time rolls around, sometimes all I want to do is read—eating is immaterial; if I don’t read, I reach critical mass faster than it takes a Lamborghini to go from 0 to 60 mph (3.59 seconds) and it’s not a pretty sight. (I mean me reaching critical mass.) I don’t even need to actually read the book; sometimes just flipping through the pages, or if it’s illustrated, just looking at the pictures, is enough to put a fresh spin on a bad day.

Do I sound weird? Well, they actually have a word for people like me. A ‘bibliophile’ is a person who admires, reads and collects books while ‘bibliophilia’ is the love of books, although the term is controversial, some arguing that it’s incorrect usage, others claiming that it is a relatively new expression. I think ‘bibliophilia’ is the perfect word to describe the addiction I have had all my life—well, at least since I learned how to read.

Aside from the view—I can see the ocean from my living room window—first time visitors to my apartment almost always comment on the number of books I own. In my living room, I have a library wall that houses my TV and a medium sized media collection, but on either side of this center section are two gloriously wide and spacious compartments designed to hold books. On the opposite wall of my living room, and matching the wall unit, is a freestanding bookcase, narrower in stature but no less impressive in its capacity to hold the L to Z portion of my personal library. (Yes, the books are arranged in alphabetical order.) Then there is a hand-me-down set of bookshelves, no less loved or treasured, that house my special collection. These are the books that are separated from the rest of the pack because I read them over and over again. They are a mixture of inspirational, non-fiction, fiction and children’s books. They tell stories that heal all that is wrong with the world; they feature heroes and heroines that get wounded, get knocked down, get up and who, at the end of the tale, conquer or at least have learned something new about themselves. These are the stories I have culled over the years that speak to my heart and resonate in my soul. These are the stories that in some way tell my story—and so I read them again and again, just to make sure that I am still okay.

Having them all around me, in plain view is an important part of bibliophilia. They sit on their bookshelves, in their appointed places, at the ready. They remind me, that in a world that seems chaotic and where senseless things randomly happen, sometimes there are definitive answers—there are stories worth telling and reading over and over.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Progressively Less Perplexing

During my late teens, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out the guys (and likely we all know the type) who buy a very ordinary, often used car and then proceed to spend a large portion of their dishwasher or pump jockey earnings on window tinting, pinstriping, windshield decals (make sure everyone knows that’s a Mazda!), mirror dice (bizarre still) etc. etc. The big stereos I could dig–yet I would look at my dilapidated turd-brown 78 civic with a massive dent in the side but with a drum set tucked into the back and a female in the front and think “they just don’t get it.”

Now for those waiting for the token anatomy reference, it’s not forthcoming. I never bought into the inferiority complex theory, but I couldn’t figure out the logic in spending one’s hard-earned money on frivolous expenditures. To each his or her own, no debate, but back then it just seemed absurd to me to purchase non-necessities.

However, since then maturity and the prolonged influence of the missus have given me more insight into the value of decoration and stylistic heightening. It’s still not my thing, as attested by as recently as the late ‘90s my TV standing on milk crates, but I’ve come to have a greater understanding of it.

While on the subject of furniture and housing, my take on headboards back then is a good example. I purchased my first double bed from friends of my parents and it was simply a frame, mattress and box spring. All I needed for 50$. If I remember correctly, my mother suggested I take a similarly wood-finished headboard in the same size that had been collecting dust in their basement. The offer, however thoughtful, was refused in short order; why add weight and bulk to the moves that were occurring painfully frequently every six months or so in those days?

Some time later an individual told me that she felt more secure sleeping under a headboard, and that it added a sense of permanence to the bedroom. Mostly in one ear and out the other, but it got me to thinking. Maybe there was some measure of function to furnishing pieces I had, to that point, considered wholly unnecessary.

Accordingly, for those who have only recently had the same semi-revelation, I happily recommend stopping by moreheadboards.com, a most convenient on-line resource for augmenting your bed’s aesthetic and rejuvenative value. From twin headboards to full headboards to the always popular queen headboards and king headboards, you’re sure to find what best suits your needs. Further, if you’re not as décor clueless as I was (sort of still am) you can match your interior or tastes with a wood, metal, upholstered or wrought iron headboard, or any one of many different types available on the site. Should function be part of the equation, moreheadboards.com similarly offers an impressive selection of bookcase headboards and those that feature headboard reading lamps. Finally, if you’re still driving a dilapidated late ‘70s vehicle, there are more than a few discount headboards available there as well.

If, however, you are so fortunate as to have that aforementioned vehicle frequently include a drum set and a female, don’t let anyone suggest your shortcomings. Those who get it – get it.