Meet My Hyperfixation: Annetta & The Magpie Theory of Living
At heart, I’m an editor. That means I have the mind of a magpie. I’m driven to collect curious bits of knowledge the way magpies go after bright, shiny objects. That’s why I know that Mick and Keith called themselves the Glimmer Twins, 33 is the christological age, they’ve discovered a new circulatory system in our bodies and Alternate Side Parking in New York is suspended in May for the Solemnity of the Ascension.
Why do I know any of these things when I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday? Who knows? Maybe it’s just a remnant of childhood, when finding something interesting was reason enough to pick it up, turn it over and carry it home. But it means I don’t really have a hyper-fixation. I just have lots of random information sloshing around in my brain, waiting to be called forth to make sense of my world — or at least, create order in my house.
The fragments of facts that I’ve gleaned over the years derive from the writers, designers, artists and thinkers who humble me with their deep commitment to a field of inquiry. But I don’t do deep — I do wide. And here (pace, Brooke) is the thing: my “facts” may not even be true. But they’re intriguing or useful or…shiny to me.
12+ Things I Believe to Be True (Home & Style Edition)
You can never have too many books or too many black t-shirts.
When you move to a city that intimidates you, buy the best leather jacket you can afford. It will help you stand taller and feel cooler (I recommend black for women, brown for men).
Hang art so the center of the picture is at your eye level.
Avoid overhead lighting if at all possible, and only use 2700K bulbs in your living spaces.
If only a third of your clothes are a mistake, you’re coming out ahead.
When selling your home, move half of your clothes out of your closets and into storage. Then hang the rest on identical hangers and face them all in the same direction. Instant order.
Similar upgrade for your cabinets: turn all bottle/jar/box labels facing out. There’s a reason supermarkets look organized.
Malian guitar music makes for an incredible dinner-party atmosphere. Check out Azawade by The Touré-Raichel Collective.
You’ll look more elegant in inexpensive clothes that fit perfectly than expensive outfits that don’t fit right. Find a good tailor.
Asymmetry is always more interesting and 3 is the magic number: 3 flowers in a vase, 3 objects on a table, 3 pictures on a wall. Don’t line them up. Now go back and move them closer together.
You don’t know maraschino cherries, you just think you do. For the simplest, fanciest dessert, top plain Greek yogurt with Luxardo maraschino cherries and a bit of honey.
There is no ugly color in nature — just not enough white to balance it. And white never looks sterile when you mix different textures.
Bonus belief: It’s important to always smile at children. You never know whose little heart needs a bit of help.
So there you have it: a few tidbits from the cluttered brain of a magpie. I guess I’ll never outgrow the impulse to notice something shiny and tuck it away for later.