The Final Box

This morning I searched through "the final box" that still remained unopened after the divorce. It wasn't as though I was avoiding the box, although perhaps I was, it was more that I thought I knew what was inside. My memory was that it was only filled with sporting goods, but today I discovered it held more.

This journey began last week when Cousin Diana, my neighbor Matt and I discovered that we all love racquetball. Diana found a court at UC Berkeley and today was our mini-tournament. It was only after our match that Matt revealed he had "studied with the State of Maine Racquetball Champion". Despite his pedagogy, Diana and I were able to score a few points. Of course, he paced his game to meet our abilities - Diana's at a much higher level than mine. Who knew she was a butt-kicking racquetball player?

This is one of my favorite sports but I had forgotten that I actually owned a racket and all the necessary gear, until after today's game. When we arrived back at the apartment, Matt and I ventured down to my storage unit so that I could explore "the final box". Inside was racquetball gear from when I lived in Salinas (two lifetimes ago), plus tennis rackets, bike supplies, a frisbee, and my rollerblades (recently replaced when Matt and I found a free pair of the exact same skates, in my size, discarded at the curb after a yardsale).

Today's opening of "the final box" was no coincidence, it coincides with clearing out the cobwebs in my heart.

Designers as Constant Arrangers and Vignette-Builders

Today's New York Times' Home section has an article about Best Made Company's Peter Buchanan-Smith and his change of career from graphic designer to ax designer. I found this piece hugely inspiring as it is about living your dreams - taking all of the seemingly-random experience in your life (at least that's how my life feels) and building up to something so simple and satisfying as designing a useful tool.

I especially like one of the article's photo captions which states, "Designers like Mr. Buchanan-Smith don't just have 'stuff'. They are constant arrangers and vignette-builders. One a window sill: a plumb bob, a bottle of cogne, a moth." Sounds a lot like my design aesthetic.

Buchanan-Smith is also brave to publicly share his many life-changes including divorces from his wife and also his business partner. Out with the old and in with the new.

Happy

In the past 24 hours I feel like a weight has been lifted and life got a whole lot easier. Reasons why:

1. Filed for Divorce - big step
2. Retired my laptop - so slow and frustrating
3. Bought a Mac - fast and wonderful, I feel younger
4. Amazing arts clients - new clients every week
5. Sun - crisp, clear and sunny spring

Ahhh, I'm breathing so much easier.

Tofurkey Trio

Here are the Tofurkey, Foturkeys we had for Thanksgiving at cousin Diana's house. When you spellcheck Tofurkey on a crackberry it suggests the word "divorce" and I can understand the thinking.