Deep Beauty

Diego Rodriguez at Metacool posts about what he calls "beausage."   He invented this word to capture the special form of beauty that objects take on when they've been used (often lovingly) over time. 

This is closely related to the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which I've been studying recently in conjunction with my research into "things people care about." 

Also, while I'm on this subject, the folks at Creating Passionate Users are writing a series about things people are passionate about. 

This is beginning to feel a little meme-y .

Comments

[Diego from metacool]

Just to be clear, I didn't coin "beausage". Grant from Rivendell Bicycle Works came up with the term.

But, I'm popularizing it!

- Diego

[Tom Guarriello]

Thanks for the clarification, Diego.

[Jon Husband]

Is *patina* able to be used in that sense as well, if one uses it figuratively instead of just referring to silver or pewter or other similar materials ?

And .. I can figure out how *beausage* would be pronounced in French (bo-sazj, with the appropriate pursing of lips, gallic shrug or exasperated glance, and slight drawing-out of the zj), but I'm having difficulty hearing in my mind how it might be pronounced in Ohio or Texas, say ?

[Tom Guarriello]

Yes, Jon, I think "patina" is commonly used metaphorically as well as technically.

As for pronounciation of this odd word, I heard it as "bewe-sidge" (as in female sheep). In Ohio (especially Southwest Ohio), it would be probably rhyme with the stuff that comes in links or patties!