Tonight’s fine distinction is one I’d never considered: “Kitsch” versus “Camp.”
So, kitsch refers to art and design that is “tacky.” It’s not cool. It’s garish, cutesy, cheap, nostalgic, and/or overly sentimental. It’s exclusively a pejorative term, ie- not positive, unless it’s being used to enjoy something ironically…which brings us to our next term…
Camp is art and design that is intentionally kitsch. It’s garishness made on purpose, self-aware. It’s a term especially used for the screen and stage, and it arose from gay culture, although its used far and wide today. The book has this quote about camp, which I love: “The whole point of Camp is to dethrone the serious.” —Susan Sontag
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Long days. Unexpectedly busy with work today. It cost me one of my writing hours, in fact, but I got everything done I wanted to. Might be a busy day tomorrow, we’ll see. Juggling lots of projects at the moment. More than usual.
No Shakespeare reading today. No nap (though I wasn’t tired for one, unlike yesterday, so that’s good, I guess). Our houseguests went home today, so the house is ours once again. That’s always nice, even when your house guests are lovely, which they were. The sun came out today, too, which was appreciated. A very pretty day, actually. Cold, but pretty. I think we get another day like that tomorrow, and then another storm rolls through.
The writing started out rough, but it got better! Not sure exactly what it was in the evening, but I was feeling sharp and motivated. Got through much of the first scene. Not all of it. I don’t want it to be too long, so we’ll see tomorrow about pacing. Might trim back a couple ideas. We’ll see.
Snacks spent most of the day with me in my office today, too. He’s decided that’s the place to be. And Bruce is legit letting me pet him, now. He’s so awkward about it. He’s so used to being beat up by other cats, I think, that he’s super super tentative about going in for snuggles. He dives into them really quick and then backs out again so that he doesn’t get swiped. I see him do it with Silky. But I think he’s starting to understand that I’m not going to do that to him. I’ll always be gentle with him, like his mom was when he was kitten. Maybe he’ll remember how that was. Him being so scared is really endearing, though, I have to say. It makes me really want to bond with him. He’s a loud purr-er, too. Like Chloe. And very sweet.
Joy was out with Snacks in my office, too, for a while. They set in the sun together on the carpet. That was very sweet.
Night night.