1.
Find Your Space. If single, no problem. Your ENTIRE appartment is your space. That is your cave. However, if you're blessed to be married, you must allow your spouse to work with you on choosing the space which is to become your CAVE--the home in a home. The place you go to unwind, to recreate, to ponder, to yawn, to snooze, to spill ice cream on yourself or your floor and not have to wipe it right away. This is the SPACE of spaces. This is your lifeline to sanity, connected as you are with millions of brothers throughout history who have taken possession of their "drawing rooms, libraries, dens, and club houses.
Your space should be large enough to equip it with Cave-essentials:
2. EQUIP it with the ESSENTIALS:- TWO overstuffed chairs, preferably with rips, tears, and stains. This is for you and any cave men who drop by. You will find that this is your favorite place. Be sure to surround yourself with cork-board and make sure you have yours in a corner so that you have a wall to your right and a wall to your left. These are great for post-its and photos and lists. You have to make and hang LOTS OF LISTS. Lists you never get through, but have good intentions over.
- A computer (unless you work at a computer, then, you should see if you can avoid technology in your cave (with the exception of an excellent source for music).
- Fill your Cave with STUFF: Stuffed birds, owls, sea-gulls, Canada geese, or cock pheasants are a must. You can also substitute stuffed animals. Things that girls won't want to be around because they give them the creeps. Also moose or deer antlers are cool. Antique lanterns too (if you can access them). Interesting things to look at. Overwhelm the senses by making sure that the cave is PACKED with interesting things. Books are a must!! You don't read? Begin. You need to have something that will make you a 21st Century CAVE MAN.
- Although I believe that every man should have an occupation, if you don't smoke, don't start now. You can burn incense in the cave though. That's always murder on the sinuses. Then your furniture and clothes will always smell like pine forest or "summer rain."
- You need to have a couple of old milk crates OR you could get those plastic stackable ones at Target or WalMart. You can stack these and keep your books or things in them.
Somtime soon, I'll show you some photos that I hope will give you ideas.
If you look at Doc Dave 1's cave, you'll see lots of interesting stuff (check out his goose too). It's great!! He bought it some shades and put a hat or something on it and it's really quite frightening to encounter when you first walk in. It hangs from the ceiling on fishing line. AWESOME!!
3. ESTABLISH YOUR RULES.Check back with us here and I"ll share with you
my CAVE RULES. If you don't have rules, don't be surprised if your cave becomes just another room that you have relinquished to the community. Then you may be stuck with the shed or garage, which you might be able to work with. I prefer heat and proximity to a bathroom. But it's YOUR CAVE or not. Believe me . . . you'll be glad you laid it out up front and agreed upon the RULES.
Catch you later. Cave-ON!!
