Mythos & Marginalia

life notes; flaws and all

j.g. lewis

original content and images ©j.g. lewis

a daily breath...

A thought du jour, my daily breath includes collected and conceived observations, questions of life, fortune cookie philosophies, reminders, messages of peace and simplicity, unsolicited advice, inspirations, quotes and words that got me thinking. They may get you thinking too . . .

I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.

j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.

follow on social media

keep in touch

Enter your email to receive notification of significant posts. Don't worry, I won't clog up your inbox or sell your data

Pre-dawn Confusion
Posted on March 9, 2016 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment

test

                                      Awaken the night
                                                                        feeling a fire,
                      new moon of fortune, new moon desire.
     Headlights randomly spray
                                              stray light           in the wake
     of a few restless souls, little left
                                                                             to forsake.

   Window cracked slightly, aware of the noise,
 discounting discomfort, confronting a choice.
          A season of change and mysterious ways
          growing weary of colour,
and
         tired of the days.

A breath wholly taken in the good name of fear,
               exhale in silence,
                         the silence found here.
Winter is going, but never soon enough,
it’s the waiting for the waiting that
                                        makes it so tough.

     Test pattern sheds light on the night’s darkest hour
     before pre-dawn confusion from a much higher power.
     Sanctimonious lessons in a stiff designer suit
                                  no lack of words, she knows what to do.

                       Obey,
                                  fall in line
                      or
                                           fall out of grace,
     Heaven, in her good judgment,
                                                               is a judgmental place.
New moon wonder,
new moon is now,
                       unconscious thought enlightens somehow.

To be mindful of a future only makes sense
      stop reviewing past actions in solely past tense.
Breathe it all in,
                             as you listen and learn,
      question your morals and for what you may yearn.

     No dreams for the restless, wandering their way,
     few thoughts for the weary with so much to say.
New moon,
new cycle,      falls into sight
                    dilemmas become clearer when the days become bright.
©2016 j.g. lewis

Button Up Bliss
Posted on March 2, 2016 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment

M+M

People put a lot of thought into what they wear every day, but how much consideration goes into what is worn each night?

Some people strip down to nothing, while others fall into bed wearing what is convenient or clean (or not), but like anything else, whatever you are doing, it is important to always dress for the occasion.

We dress for success, adhere to a dress code at the office, or dress up for a date or social function. We may adorn our Sunday best for a more formal event, or dress down for the gym, but fashion and function no longer get the nighttime attention they once did, at lest as far as men are concerned. I recently shopped one of the oldest, and largest, department stores in the city, and could not find one complete pair of traditional pajamas. It’s enough to cause a sleepless night, particularly with this retailer’s fashion-forward focus.

Humans spend a significant amount of time in bed — sleeping away approximately a third of our lives — it’s only fitting that you dress for the time. For some people that means yesterday’s sweatpants and a threadbare T-shirt, togs more appropriate for yard work or painting the fence.

Why on earth would you dress like that for something as important as sleep? I wouldn’t dream of it. Your body craves rest as much as it does comfort. We all know how a bad night’s sleep can affect a good day at the office. Old workout clothes won’t cut it for me, I dress for the purpose in pajamas you see.

I won’t pass comment on those who chose to sleep in the raw. I do; have; and will again, sleep in the buff (depending on company and circumstance) and I will not argue that sleeping in the most natural state is truly pleasurable, unrestrictive, and quite necessary on certain occasions (summer’s heat and humidity being just one example). But for all intents and purposes, I am a pajamas man.

And I’m not at all trying to perpetuate any sort of playboy image. Hugh Hefner was famous for his smoking jackets and silk pajamas (he claimed to work at night, a lot, so the clothing was most practical), however I have not the budget, nor the affection, for silk (not on my body anyway). I like pajamas for the practicality, 100 per cent cotton that breathes and becomes more comfortable over time. Pajamas will last forever; if used solely for sleep there is little wear and tear as most of your nocturnal activity is mental and not physical.

I’m speaking, primarily, of men’s sleepwear here; the silk and style of women’s negligee has little to do with pajamas and purpose, at least in the present context.

Replacing the more unisex nightshirt in the late 1800s, the two-piece pajama option became a staple of a gentleman’s wardrobe by the 1930s. For the longest time it was not thought proper for women to wear pajamas, until Coco Chanel changed it up in the 1920s (about the same time her fabulous #5 perfume was introduced). Like many of her early designs, Chanel modeled her PJs after the men’s version; proof that the traditional nightwear can be quite fashionable indeed.

From the jersey knit Star Trek-styled PJs of my youth, to my present button up preference, the nightwear has been a part of my sleep routine since my mother’s ‘get ready for bed’ instructions included bath time and my jammies.

I used to travel for business, frequently, and PJs were essential when packing for a week on the road. Sleeping in strange beds night after night — hotel sheets never quite feel right and the mattresses were not always to your liking — you could always count on pajamas to make a bed feel more like home. The feeling of something familiar against your skin can make a great difference in both the quantity and quality of sleep you receive each night.

There is also a psychological advantage in dressing for bed. In removing your clothing you strip away the demons, dogma, and detritus of the day. Following a shower or bath, after scrubbing off all the sins and sanctimonious bullshit that has stuck to your skin, you button up freshly laundered PJs, slip between the sheets, and take the first steps from daytime busy to nighttime bliss.

Pajamas prepare you, mentally, for a few hours of sleep, and if you are lucky they dress you up for your dreams.