Recliner

How amazing to be vindicated in such a way. I was reading a profile of a talented chef/restaurateur, manager of a notable eating establishment in our city. And, he said that his most valuable personal possession is, get this….his recliner chair! Not his car or house or stereo system or DVD player or…whatever. And he’s only 27.

Eureka! A kindred soul. How can I describe the delights of sinking down after an exhausting day into the thick folds of that plush rocking chair in my living room? Such ecstacy. Pure comfort. The person who invented the rocker/recliner deserves my undying admiration and gratitude.

It’s a funny story with me. And it goes back a long way. I grew up amidst elegant furnishings and surroundings: fine oriental rugs, chippendale chairs, antique 18th and 19th century furniture. Everything very tasteful. And of course, to sit in, there were those rather uncomfortable wingback chairs, tastefully upholstered, of course. I’m not denigrating fine taste. But a recliner chair would just not have been consider suitable or in any way fitting for those rooms. So, when I got my first place, comfort was the main priority. As long as I had my books, I was happy. I bought furniture from Unclaimed Freight and the place I worked. Simplicity was a big deal for me. It was my philosophy.

Later, when I got a bigger place, I went to purchase my first recliner chair. To me, a chair I was going to spend untold hours in had to be comfortable, luxuriously so. And my first recliner would be in the bedroom, next to the window looking out over the woods. It was beige corduroy, not slick, cold naugahide. I was happy with it. Very happy.

When I was uprooted and left on my travels around the country, I put everything from that apartment into storage, including my beloved recliner. There it sat for three years, collecting dust and mothball odors from the next storage unit until i finally came and emptied the unit and gave everything away — two truckloads — almost all of my possessions — to the Salvation Army. It was a sad day to see that favorite chair loaded on the truck. We become so attached to certain of our possessions in a very real, and personal way.

For years afterward, I moved often, buying and giving away yet more furniture and never keeping anything for long. Until a few years ago. When I at last settled down, the first things I bought were a bed, a lamp, a dining table, and a recliner chair. And I tried to find one as close as possible to that first chair, and I found it. Beige and corduroy covering. It’s the type of chair you sink down into. Just like the other one. You wear grooves in it. You accumulate big piles of dimes and pennies and quarters in the cracks and crevices of the seat.

People with more refined taste in furniture may look down on the lowly recliner, but to me, there is nothing quite so fine and beautiful as a well made Barkalounger or Lazy-Boy. Civilized. That’s what they are.

Edelweis

What a nice entry here Oswego. I can see you sit there!!! It is so very important to find a cosy place when we arrive home from work. Yes indeed, we become often very attached to our belongings…but when I moved to this place I could only take one thirth of my furniture, felt sad, but now I am real happy. I think we don’t need so much. I could even live with much less. I learn that when I travel

What’s important then? Beautiful surroundings to look at and to hike, good books, nice music and a cosy chair or a nice bed to lay on in a quiet hotelroom. There you see, what else do we need?? oh huh!..a pc??? Take care!

wordyphotogbabe

I have yet to become attached to any of my furniture, but I’m young yet, so maybe that will happen for me soon. I like your description of your beloved recliners, in any case. 🙂

forever in motion

I would like to become unattached to my furniture, as the storage story is getting old. This is a fun entry from you 🙂 I must say I’ve never owned a recliner, but the times I’ve had a chance to snuggle into one and read, it’s been pure heaven. Great point here. Goodbye Eames chair, hello La-Z-Boy 😉

Sago

March 6, 2002

Oh, yes, a comfy chair–look out it’s beginning to remind me of Frazier’s father and his chair here! Joking. You know, we have two very comfortable chairs in our great room and when people sit in them they often go to sleep then awaken embarassed to have been visiting and drifted off. I consider it a compliment because I looked a long time for that comfort element before I made a purchase.

I like to sit in my comfy chair with my favorite lounge wear and slippers, and just forget there is a world outside of my home. It is how I stay sane sometimes! Great entry! My recliner is blue, and it has an electric lift in it from when I broke my back and couldn’t get in and out of a chair easily in my back brace. I ended up sleeping in it for a while! Love,

Shi

Growing up may mean we give up our security blankets and cuddly teddy bears, though often switch our affections to our favorite chairs.

i have strikingly clear memories of being 5 years old and curling up in a huuuuuuuuuge recliner (at my best friend’s house, of course). it was all fancy – with the massage feature, heating up, etc. heh. spoiled in my youth, i guess… where are those chairs now?

LOL…men and their recliners – a love story.

Yes, I have a similar chair. It’s almost as old as me, and although it’s not corduroy, it’s damned comfortable. I don’t sit in it much, as I don’t presently have room for it, but I hope to take it with me when I move later this year.

Look down on a recliner? Are you nuts? hehe..I want one that has the icechest in the arm and magazine/remote holders!

Aw, I’m jealous. I need one of those chairs. 🙂

Freewind

How comfy and homey this entry is, Oswego. My daughter bought me a really nice chair for a birthday gift to go with my writing desk. It moves with me and offers good back support. She gave it to me six years ago, quite awhile before I got my computer. It is looked a bit frayed and worn now but is still my favorite place to sit so I know how you feel. I enjoyed this entry! Thanks.

This brought a smile to my face. Shame on me, but when I read “You wear grooves in it. You accumulate big piles of dimes and pennies and quarters in the cracks and crevices of the seat.” I thought it sounded a lot like what I’ve done with my old tired body…which is looking more and more like an old recliner in far too many ways. (snicker)

This took me back to my house in michigan, where we actually had-are you ready for this? MATCHING recliners. They were soft velour, and I think i spent three years in one of them nursing babies and watching sesame street and the birds out the window in the oaks and maples in the yard. I always thought I wanted wingbacks, and now have them. with the wear they get, they will be new forever. sigh.

I can understand a personal affection for certain artifacts, but I personally can’t stand recliners. I like furniture I can be alert and upright in. RYN: Oh, not that unrecognizable. Our school will occasionally have ‘formal days’, where people dress up in business attire; these usually occur when prospective students are scheduled to visit, just to confuse them a little 😉

GeekPoet

March 8, 2002

🙂 and here i’d say my most valued posession was my computer because it has all my writings and photography on it. that’s followed by a close second: my bed 😉

RYN: You know, you’re probably right about the Threepenny. Like the others, I only submitted to them because they had in the past published work by some of the poets who have influenced me. Not what I would call good market research, but it was worth a shot. And it made me feel better about writing, and having written. Take care.

I rarely use it, but I’ve got the same recliner I bought 13 years ago because it’s comfortable. It’s out of style and date, but it’s mine…..not to mention it has all my money hiding somewhere down in the grooves of it.

Hubby has a ratty old recliner that he has sat in for years. It is an eyesore after all these years but he loves it so I dare not ever get rid of it. He says it has taken him years to get the creases and folds in it just exactly right.