January

                              Nature Series                                          Harvest Blessing                                    c-2007

January

Got up early to plod through some more code stuff and head out to the storage unit we have outside of hill country. It was a triple good thing because Edy also needed some stuff from there and I resolved to reward myself for the drive with some BBQ.   I’ve lived in many parts of this country and every one of them claims to have the BEST BBQ, except for New Orleans; they just fall back on their roots and assume everyone already knows “the facts”. Texas is very proud of their version and I have to admit it’s pretty good.

Skies were clear, air pretty cool and traffic light as my master plan of traveling while everyone was at church was coming together perfectly. One of the first things I noticed as I got outside the outer loop was GREEN ! Wow, it’s been a long darned time since I’ve seen that color on this stretch, nice!  Hawks were perched every five miles warming up and scanning for breakfast and buzzards were grabbing some thermals as the morning air warmed up……….also scanning.  Cattle ponds had water albeit low, and the pastures had cattle which was not the case when all the ranchers scrambled to DIE-vest during the height of the draught.

At about the 2/3 marker I saw that my favorite BBQ place was open and already doing a brisk morning business with non-church goers and other travelers. Hooray !!! BBQ tonight, baby !....and I began to develop a menu. OK, Smoked Turkey Leg, Wild Rice and Steamed Veggies – YES !!........yum !

Traffic started to pick up a bit as I entered the cow-town where our remaining stuff is stored. “Man, I gotta pitch the rest of that stuff” I thought to myself as I was reminded of having to do this commute daily…….”Thank goodness, we don’t have to do that anymore, hey boys?” as I sought consensus from all parts of me that have voting privileges. “We” all agreed and were ready to do what we had to do to turn around and get the BBQ and get home ASAP. The car was ready for an inhale too.

I was able to locate all the things I needed and also took a bunch of other stuff that I was going to use to get a head start on “the future pitching”. My goodness we still have a lot of stuff I said again as I closed the overhead door.

The car was anxious to get home but I held her to the speed limit. The exit for the BBQ place was on the horizon and my stomach gave a little growl to let me know I was making the right decision. I pulled in to the parking lot and saw that the place was full of speed boats, bass boats and camo-trucks. Yep, BBQ To-Go……….ME. TOO !!!

I stood in line savoring the smells and admiring just how much camo one person could get on his person….dang, Impressive !  Hat, shades, tshirt, hoodie, belt, cellphone pouch, leatherman WITH camo-flashlight, pants and boots……….”I’ll bet he gets drawers and socks from his family for Xmas too”…..I thought as I moved closer to the friendly looking order taker and took the smells of the place in a bit deeper.   Finally, it was my turn to order and I said “TWO smoked Turkey Legs, please”.    She looked me straight in the eye and said ………..“We ain’t got none.”…………………….”NEXT !!!”………….

I did not say a word. I turned on my heel and headed out the door. As I sat in the car, the “boys” and I decided we weren’t that hungry after all and we should just get back home before the Do it yourselfers get motivated and jamb up the roads…….  

“January”, I thought as I entered beltway traffic, “January”………

Priceless

Rusty Philosophy Series                                          Priceless                                                                    c-2011

Priceless

I wrestled with my bid on the previously mentioned proposal all day yesterday and felt like crap all evening too; yoga was painful. I had a chat with Edy who essentially said again that no one can be low-balled on a project they want and it was pure ego making my moves for me up until that point. We also agreed that what was really bugging me was that I had lost sight of what was really important for the sake of some old fictional ego place I had invented. (I am so blessed to have picked the most wonderful woman EVER to “dink” me back into reality, when it’s required!)

Well, I am not the brightest light bulb on the string (but would argue that point to the death in another life……………like yesterday, as a matter of fact) but I definitely “got” what was being said and what I was feeling in my gut. I immediately went into back-track mode. “Oh, Lord , I hope I’m not too late”, I spoke out loud.

I called up my buddy who referred me and said that I wanted to apologize for waiting until the last minute to realize that I really wanted to work with him on their project and will reduce my fees to whatever it takes to make that happen. I also said just what I said yesterday about struggling with my ego and perceived “value” and if it’s not too late I’d like to ask with all humility if I could re-bid. He said he would call in the morning. I already felt better and just “let it go” for the rest of the night.

I got a call this morning from his “significant other” who is actually the “client” for the project and we beat around the bush a bit about “worth” and “high end” and I just said to her “Thank you but, here’s the deal, I feel that your project was offered to me as a test. A test that up until this call, I failed. I feel that I did a dis-service to my friend who referred me, to you and to the “yes current” that runs through life to support people doing their highest best.” I then went on to reiterate what I had told her partner and added  “I would like the opportunity to produce your project for you because I know I can do a good job, WANT to work with you and feel more than anything it is way beyond a “money thing, it’s about doing the right thing for the right reasons.”   “Am I too late?”…I asked, two octaves higher than normal.

”No”, she said, “Please come over”.

I just returned from our first site meeting. We were all a bit subdued in our interactions but at the same time excited about what just transpired and what will still unfold. Their young children were VERY excited and worked hard to be part of every plan exchange, measurement and conversation.  It was beyond beautiful.............it was priceless.

Sacred Cow

Sacred Cow

Yoga was hot last night and my old Achilles tendon injury was flared up from over stretching, the good news is that it’s getting better each session and most days does not cause any discomfort.

Edy and I had a brief conversation right after dinner about a number of things one of which was us not being selected for a project I had bid on. She made some valid observations about the bid process and how no one can be “low balled” , IF they really want the project. I attempted to argue my points but she recognized at once that she had touched upon my “sacred cow” ……….thus the brief discussion.

I struggle with the sacred cow of EGO.

In fact it IS my Achilles heel of life. Try as I might to temper it and release myself to openness and humility, I blow it, time and time again.

This project was a perfect example. I was invited to bid, gave a price and the owners said “wow, we know you’ve done all this great stuff but can you come down a bit as we have another price from someone else who is much less”. “Sure”, I said agreeing with their compliments and called the Engineers to have them sharpen their pencils. I looked over my proposal and saw where a few things could be shaved but then saw other I had over-looked and adjusted accordingly. I then looked at it again and said OK, where can  we trim more ??....and did just that. I was excited about the project on a lot of fronts. I knew the players and frankly could use the work while we get other things to finally “launch”  I was ready to GO! And had all of my team in place ……….so I thought.  I received an email a bit later saying “Thanks but no thanks” we’re going with the other less expensive group. I was bummed.

In the word of the great American Philosopher, Dr. John - “Nothing from Nothing leaves Nothing”. My desire to work with these owners, consultants and vendors got tripped up because of the statement about “we know you’ve done all these great things” and unraveled from there. I was reminded of past projects and past fees and despite only charging 1/3^rd of “the old days rates” still came in high. I felt like I’d let everyone down from the owners to my wife.

When I 1^st started in business I used to do all kinds of things for free just to get my foot in the door. Then a consultant of mine reminded me of the phrase “people don’t value what they don’t pay for” and I stopped that practice. I had another client tell me another time that “you must have no ego at all” when his landlord hired us to duplicate a penthouse suite that was in another building for his firm. ” $2MM job, no ego required,” I replied.

I went out for a long bike ride this afternoon after spending the morning and early afternoon “knocking on doors and networking”. As I rode past the rhododendrons and roses, I was reminded of the pruning required to get them to look so beautiful and kept up my pace. When I got to my turnaround place on the route, I made a slow sweeping turn to find the wind directly in my face and pushed just a bit harder into it. My heel hurt like hell.

Bodhichitta

Bodhichitta

Crazy weather here today, rain, wind,  thunderstorms and tornado warnings. Add to that all the solar storms and well, “It was a VERY Dark and Stormy Night” and it still looks like night outside well after noon.

I had a bunch of code reviews to do and I got through them fairly quickly. Building Codes are a necessary evil. Evil because they meet the barest of standards, necessary; you know why they’re necessary. Anyway, as I was going through the various Zoning, Building and Fire Code Chapters, Sub-Chapters, References and ASTM Testing criteria I felt myself getting kind of knotted up. “Hum”, I thought, “preparing for battle”, it was a familiar feeling. I had a colleague who I would meet for lunch sometimes when we both had to go to the Building Department. He would always say “Let’s go to War!” when he picked up his rolls of plans and headed out the door. By golly, he always got one too.

I continued some additional readings and came across the word Bodhichitta . It stuck with me all morning and I returned to the original post about an hour later to learn more. Good word. I sometimes find myself conflicted between the parts of me that are Buddhist and those that are Samurai, ( I am neither yet I am both) meaning sometimes when people (mostly) annoy me I don’t know whether I want to hug them or de-capitate them, it’s a quandary. Anyway, I sure like this word, Bodhichitta in letter and spirit..

There is a common misconception that the Design business is glamorous. It’s true that the process of seeing something beautiful arise from dirt is indeed fascinating and to then inhabit a beautifully designed space can indeed be glamorous among other things.  The process though is one of budgets, contracts, manpower, materials, weather and logistics. All of these are interrelated and need to conform to codes and the “interpretation” of said codes by various “officials”. There use to be a saying that those who can’t do teach, and those who can’t do and also can’t teach become inspectors. Not so much the case these days. I enjoyed the cynicism though for decades.

A recent project I just completed had NO inspectors because that part of the country just did not care. I hired a 3^rd Eye to do all the reviews and be sure I had caught everything.  We wrestled about a few minor things but for the most part it was a smooth and beneficial relationship and saved the Owner’s a ton on insurances and sleepless nights. In the old days I would have pounded and screamed and pointed to the “right-ness” of my interpretations of the various code sections he referred to and felt so strongly about; this time I just said OK, and had the guys do it “his way”.

Once when I was doing a job in NYC, I arrived early to meet an Electrical Inspector and was sitting on the stoop reading the Voice. A few folks from the building and on the street stopped and chatted. The sun was out and the day and people were pleasant.  One guy hung out a bit more and we talked about politics, race relations and sports. Soon the guy looked at his watch and said “I better head up” , “Oh, I said, “you live here?”….”No, he said, I’m meeting some jerk Designer from out of town for an inspection” as he put his credentials in place. “Humm, What’s your name?”, I said and stuck out my hand. “Ed” he said, “You?”………………”Jerk”…………and grinned as we shook. Inspections went fine for the entire project.

As I sat outside Yoga watching the doves, waiting for class yesterday, one of the instructors came over and stood next to me. He said, “Wow David, you have such a calm / mellow energy about you”........."Thanks, Yoga”, I said, as the doves cooed in the back ground, “Yoga.”

Front End

Front End

Gloomy grey day here, a perfect backdrop for sifting through Engineers contracts for a current proposal.  Despite a few false starts they all arrived and the scope of work and fees were all good for a final presentation to the owners. Although we commonly call this the Front End of a project it’s actually more toward the thorax, as a lot of work had to be done ahead of this to even get these figures together.

All professions have their “rules of thumb” and ours is certainly no exception.  Be it time billing, percentage of construction (co-least favorite) or per square foot (co- #2) , everyone has a way of determining “their price”.  For quite some time in the 90’s and early 2000’s I used what I termed Value Pricing. It was a hit when things were booming because it spoke only to what I could bring to the project and the inherent value-added.  Owner’s loved it. These days most in our profession are scrambling to just get work and could care less about “value”. Such is the double shame of a crap economy.  

It trickles across and down the entire page of the Economic Crossword Puzzle. Skimp a bit here to save a fraction of a %=$  and in 2 years when the warranty is up , the same head and fist shaking will start again that has existed in all “slumps”. “Why?”. In fact I had a call yesterday from a contractor about a project he’s working on and his need to go back in to undo and fix just this thing. Human nature is continuously fascinating.

Doctors, Lawyers, CPA’s and even House Painters know the importance of the Front End, yet in our business it’s the 1^st thing to get negotiated. Diagnosis, Discovery, Historical Data and Priming. Try skimping on the Front End of those and, well, I rest my case…(and continue to shake my head).

Edy and I had a discussion last night about Optimism and Pessimism and I commented that we are a bit “too Virgo” to look at a Glass to determine if it is Half Full or Half Empty.  The 1^st thing we would do is look at the glass and say, “Why did they choose THAT Glass for this experiment?”….and discuss that for a bit until we noticed a smudge or a chip or confirmed “what the heck THAT IS?” in the glass…….then determine quickly that the experiment was flawed and any results tabulated would be biased toward….(fill in the blank) …..Clean freaks, Wine drinkers, Water drinkers, Bad Dishwasher loaders….anyway you get it and we just determined to avoid any such experiments at all, on the Front End.

Year of The Dragon

          Year of The Dragon 2012                                                                                                         Fortune Bowl #1

Year of the Dragon

Slept like crap last night. Tossing, turning and trying to understand the stoic people in my dreams who were speaking the equivalent of the Old English except in French to each other. It was maddening; yoga working it’s magic I suppose. How the heck I knew they were speaking Old French is beyond me, but I knew it.  The maddening part was that they were totally unexpressive in their conversations. Like robots, except worse, human robots. I could tell from the pillows all over the floor and the sheets tied in knots it was upsetting.

I got up and made coffee and got through email exchanges with engineers pretty early. Edy and I touched base and wished each other a Happy Chinese New Year as I continued to plod through a few proposals and she went skiing with Heathe’. Year of the Dragon, bring it on.

I spent a lot of time last week reviewing all the Chinese sites I bookmarked previously to get their read on what to expect for this Dragon Year. White Tiger-Male Metal, Red Chicken are my Stems, Branches and Birth year. I enjoy this kind of thing and like the Torah, Bible and Quran try to sense into the times that were present during the initial writings. Chinese have had a lot of life run under their bridge and I kept on reading to glean more nuggets and facts. From facial moles, to chicken bones one’s fortune is ready to be read by astute “seers”, for a price.  By the time I got through all the readings and the apparent contradictions I was reminded that most core religions have principals based on an old Jim Croce song about “Jim”. Common sense and your “gut” will always steer you away from harm. Mess with it and well, much mis-fortune will befall you.

I have an Ex-step-sister-in-law (got it?) who is Chinese. When I was a teenager she taught me how to cook (ie…make 9 different meals from a chicken) and eat Chinese (a gentleman can sit 4ft from the table-her response to my not so great use of chopsticks). It was her way of offering me survival strategies that came in very handy shortly afterward. Her lessons have served me for decades and I remain grateful. Sometimes just knowing you can survive anything gets you through everything.

Usually when Edy travels I run out and eat all the things she can’t or doesn’t care for - Cajun, Pastas, Southern Food with Cornbread and Pecan Pie….etc. This trip has been different for varied reasons.  Perhaps it’s the Hot Yoga, perhaps it’s not wanting to dine without Edy or perhaps I have felt routines in and of themselves needing shifting. So, I bought a bunch of vegetables and a chicken a few days ago and will be on meal number four tonight from that one bag.   Stir fry Veggies in Hot Chicken Sauce.

While traveling in Asia many moons ago I bragged about an opulent lunch I had treated myself to. Some locals nodded and said they work hard every day to find the best/cheapest lunch they could possible find. Part game – part frugality –part adventure, all quite admirable in my book; Count me in. I continue to play occasionally and it's still just as fun.

As we enter this new year and all the yet unexplored adventures it has to offer us I offer my own sage advice for 2012:

“Don’t Spit into the Wind of a Dragon”……………………….and all will be well.

Strength – Flexibility

Three Atoms Series                                                      Strength - Flexibility                                                            c-2008

Strength – Flexibility

Yesterday was #20 in a row of Bikram Hot Yoga, 1/3 of the way to my goal of #60 where I was promised a new mind, body, spirit and a cool t-shirt. I questioned the whole t-shirt thing when I first heard about it but like yak colored blazers in Golf, in these circles it’s a big deal. Here are some very preliminary findings more will follow after #40 and at #60:

1.     You can be strong or you can be flexible but Yoga will test both of these and show you quickly where you are neither.

2.     You can get used to the extreme heat after a few days but the energy you bring or leave with will determine what a good session it was.

3.     Sometimes the instructor that aggravates you the most helps you the most.

4.      Like minded folks do similar things but not always for the same reasons.

5.     Just by showing up and not leaving the room, you win. (strong)

6.     I did not go there to lose weight or “work out” but positive physical changes are underway.

7.     I’m a pretty spiritual guy but feel expansion and am grateful (flexible)

8.     Mental clarity is an illusion (for me at least) but the Mitote’ have become exhausted and for the most part sit quietly.

9.     No pain no gain is still true, As Leonard Cohen says “we ache in the places we used to play”

10.   I ache when I wake up……(worse when Edy is gone)…………..and it goes away.

Edy woke me up this morning with a Ipad Message – It was perfect timing because I was dreaming of her. We chatted for a bit until it was time for her to go skiing and me to go for a bike ride. Its grey here but warm and I headed out with a fully charged bike computer toward Route #2. As I pulled the bike out into the hallway, I noticed our Indian (country) neighbors also heading out with the whole clan. Mom,Dad,Kids and of course, Grandma. There were dressed in beautiful saris and the boys had their glossy hair pasted perfectly to their skulls. The kids laughed out loud as I got on my bike and waved to them as I sped down the hall. Once I had zoomed my way down through the parking garage I met them again as they came out of the elevator. We went through the gates together and I caught the eyes of the boys and made a “vroom-vroom” motion with my right wrist on the hand grip before I took off……………..they laughed like crazy, parents frowned and grandma smiled. Grandparents get it.

We live next to the largest church in North America and throngs of good Christians lined the streets as I zig-zagged north.  It’s a beautiful site to see all of these folks from all over the region dressed to the “9’s” converging to offer their devotion (strong). I’m always touched.  

As I continued to make my way reality came blaring from behind me in the form of a road raged schmuck in a Chrysler laying on his horn because an elderly cat in a Cadillac “apparently” cut him off. (“I was there officer – he had plenty of room”) BLARING !!!...........Fist Shaking !!! Cursing !!!.............(in-flexible)

It was at this point Tom Wait’s Ballad of the Phantom 309 came into my head. I named one of my race cars after that song a long time ago. Great tune, kept me company as I peddled on. I noticed that my average speed had increased by over 16%, “ah, no wind – no wonder”.    Kind of a depressing saying isn’t it “no wonder”……???…………”blog worthy for the future”, I thought as I rode onward.

I smelled them before I saw them, Gardenias !  I circled back around to take another whiff and make a mental GPS note to return this way more often. The recent rain and warm spells had all the flowers showing off again and it was lovely backdrop. I’m a big fan of flowers !

Last night as I waited for class I sat outside and watched a pair of Turtle Doves and Cardinals do their courtship dances for each other in the Oak Tree above. The males puffed and strutted, spun and replayed their “stuff” while the females pretended to watch traffic.  Nature. (strong)  I could not help but think about much fun Edy and I had last week with our spontaneous Mo-Town Dancing in the Kitchen and how lessons from yoga apply to “us”.............yin-yang (strength-flexibility).

“HA, I’m alive !”

Home Sweet Home Series                              Al Fresco #9                                                  c-2008



“HA, I’m alive !”

Thus was the response from a buddy of mine who is living in Egypt with his wife when I sent a note to inquire about them and “take his temperature”. Apparently the above response is the normal one for Egyptians these days when asked “how are you today?”   My ability to fully comprehend this is marred by my privileges.

It was grey and rainy here when I got up, but it was also warm which made the air stick, if you know what I mean? I had some correspondence with some Engineers I am using on a project and watched an online video of our President singing an Al Green Song which I still have stuck in my head. “IIIIIIiiiiiiiiiii, am soooooo IN love with youuuuu”………..It’s a classic tune and anyone can sing it and sound good. He sounded particularly good and I thought ……..“hummm, DO quit the day job!!”  

Since Edy is away, I have concentrated on work and writing some short stories I’ve had brewing forever. I have the attention span of a retarded gnat so the stories offer me the ability to concentrate deeply for bursts and move on to the next one. Just like my other job, structure leads to framing which leads to electrical which lead to….anyway you get the gist. I am working off of a temporary office set up which has been in place now since we arrived here a year and a half ago. It’s not comfortable and after a while I need to get up and move. Thus the biking, and now yoga. At night I work until I can’t stand it anymore and head off to bed to channel surf for an hour or so until dreamtime. My life, while Edy is gone.

 Last night I watched a bit of Bill Maher on TV because he also had Bill Moyer on who I love.  Bill M is a solid guy and Bill M is irreverent as anything. I enjoyed the pairing. American politics is such a trip and I’ll address it later but man it makes for some good laughs while large parts of me cringe in abject disgust at what we’ve become.

 After a morning wake up email exchanges with Edy I headed off in the rain for a bike ride. It was pretty darned damp but I felt the need to ride regardless and headed out for route #2. I passed some of the most exclusive properties in our city with “Reverend Al” crooning in my head “…since we’ve been together…”…”thanks Prez!”. Rain slowed and then stopped as I wove in and out of the side streets. Past closed gates, manicured landscapes and tall fences. Just me, Al and the zzzzzzzzz sound of my tires on the wet pavement..... 

As the rain came to a stop I noticed folks emerging on to the streets like ants. In ones and twos … a couple of threes with strollers and a few others also on bikes. All making sure to get the outside stuff off that “to do list” so their day could start. I continued to wind my way through other side streets in the ant colony and gave a young lad on training wheels a big thumbs up and “great job !!” as he struggled with balance as his parents stood off to the side texting (individually) on their Smart Phones, too intent with VERY important things to notice him. I also rode past a woman I see often walking faster than normal with 1lb weights in her hands. I mean “cranking!!”. I always send her blessings as I pass her so that she might someday feel OK about whatever it is that compels her and actually enjoy her neighborhood and  life.  I wonder if women in Egypt have access to 1lb weights?

I rode over to our version of Rodeo Drive and window shopped and eventually I ended up at our local market. The weekend band was setting up and felt like putting in a request for “Al” to accompany the tunes still playing in my head but thought better of it and just went in to grab some veggies for tonight’s dinner. The place was packed. It’s always packed but weekends are sardine packed.  Parking lots full of new cars, folks dressed (down) in clothes that are worth more than the majority of American’s Annual Incomes. Well stocked shelves and for the most part happy contented souls all taking time out of their schedules to re-stock their own larders. I wondered how many were Egyptians?

As I checked out with my fresh Bok Choy and Carrots the cashier asked my “how are you today?” I just smiled and nodded my head without speaking. Gratitude had me verklempt.

Happy Binary Day

Vision Quest Series                                                      Pueblo Bonito #2                                                      c-2004

Happy Binary Day !

While writing out some documentation today I was struck by the 012, 012 of today’s date and thought to myself, Humm??? Binary Day. I wonder what the heck that means and why have I not noticed this pattern before today? That got me thinking about patterns which got me thinking about types of patterns and well, its fortunate I only had two appointments today because my science experiment continues.

It appears that binary numbers were used way before the Chinese. In fact what were once considered “primitive cultures” used them in Aboriginal Australia, South America and my favorite folks the Polynesians.  I particularly like the early Polynesians because they were the MASTER Seafarers of our globe. Magellan, Erickson, Columbus  …….”phatuuueee!!”   Pantywaists compared to these folks.

They evolved to be able to sense magnetic resonance and tidal shifts in their bodies and taught generation after generation northern and southern hemisphere celestial navigation with no metals, paper or pencils. Sure notches in timber and oral traditions were used but I remain very impressed. So add to that their use of the binary systems and the facts that adjoining civilizations also used them and a big …..HUMM ???? was started this morning. If I was a noble English Lord, I’d grab my pith helmet and,… “By GOD”, I’d finance an “EXPEDITION”!!

I’m a sucker for Sacred Sites. ANY Sacred Sites. I have visited several in Europe, Japan, Taiwan, North America and Mexico. I’d like to visit more.  Besides the spiritual aspects of these places which is key, I also love the devotion to the architecture of the places and am truly fascinated with the amount of trade that went on from such far distances. Chaco Canyon alone traded as far south as Peru and north to the Inuit. Fascinating, since the Polynesians also traded with Peru I can’t help but think that there was communication. “YES, by Jove, AN EXPEDITION…………….THAT is what is needed!!”

Archaeologists have traced the beginnings of Polynesia to the southern tip of what is now Taiwan.   “Hey” , isn’t that the place all of our computer parts are now made ???”

The Irony is just too great!

Stories

Taos Studios                                         David's Desk                                                                       c-2005

Stories

I woke up early this morning and got through emails and some code research I needed pretty fast.  I showered, wrote Edy and good morning Txt and donned “business attire” for a morning trip to the Design Center. I had a few folks I wanted to see and also needed to do some database updates while I also shopped for some personal items for our place too.    

“Back in the Day” we did not have Design Centers. We had to annually house all new samples of everything in our Studios. Salesmen would rent out blocks of rooms at a regional Hotel and we’d spend hours getting to know each other and their particular lines a couple of times a year. It was a total community with much “libation” and many laughs. In fact it was during these presentations I had my 1^st Single Malt Scotch.  Twice a year we’d go to NC for Market and other times hit NYC, LA, Dallas or Europe for specialties and always run into a familiar salesman’s face.  Samples usually took up 8-15% of our Showroom Budgets and 20 to 50% of the floor space. Not Cheap.  When the first Design Centers opened we wondered “who in the world would ever use them”? Enter recessions and economic downturns and voila’ “we got it”………AND then got mad when “others” tried to access them…...Eventually these salesmen went on to own or run many of these companies which came in handy down the road.

So, as I walked through the empty quite halls of the Design Center looking at fabrics and carpets I could identify from fifty paces I spied one of the 9 people I know in Texas. "KB", A Super Furniture Rep. “Small World” I thought as I walked up to him to say “Howdy”. He was surprised to see me too and introduced me to the current President of Pearson Company, Mike.

We all chatted about the company and I told them of the soft place I have for their products because my mentor used to design for them many moons ago when they were still quite small. “Every Ottoman had a story” I said referring to the upholstered foot stools, not the bearded heathens. Actually the stories are probably on their 3^rd or 4^th Generations as all of my staff and interns had to endure them from me as projects developed and I then taught them to design furniture. I am sure they have passed them along with a twist.  Mike and KB had to get ready for a dog and pony show so we said ciao and I continued down the hall thinking about furniture, furniture design, and times past.

While digging through some photos last night to send a colleague I was reminded that it was seven years ago to the day that I had Celebrated the Opening of the Taos Studio and Galleries. WOW seems more like seven lifetimes! So much has happened in such a short time.  Like the children’s song “High Hopes”, I had so much riding on the success of that venture that I failed to realize that it was not at all what I really wanted. It was what I thought I wanted, at the time.

I had plans to buy my building and another huge ranch north of town to create what I called the Tao-Haus. Ranch, Factory, Living for Employees all self contained.  I had already bought 2 East Coast  factories for the equipment and was in the process of shipping it all to NM. The Galleries were the showrooms for my designs and I had a cool $100k Petrified Wood Desk amongst lots of other specialty goodies and important artworks to make sure it would be a huge success. My plan was to soon start fabrication and have them available in all the Global Design Centers.  

The Universe was kind. It did not take too long to see that the economy in NM was the precursor to what was happening nationally and I now feel so fortunate to not have been saddled with any additional holdings from that Ego-folly. “ Whewwww”…….. was the actual sound I made when the photo files emerged on my computer. What a story.

New Guy

New Guy

Edy and I headed off early this morning for the airport. It was cool and the sun was just starting to peek over the horizon in pinks and oranges as we weaved our way through morning traffic.  Drop-off was smooth and I was able to un-thwart exiting the toll-booths that were totally un-manned that early by having the fore-sight to actually bring my wallet and use a Card.  This day could have begun quite differently. In fact, add another mark to the un-thwart column, just because.

I had a mid-morning meeting with a colleague and while waiting for him in the lobby of our building honed my pool shark skills on the communal table. They actually need grinding to remove the dents but it was a good diversion. My buddy arrived and we had a good meeting. Current projects and those for the future were discussed and I headed back up to our place to keep mining gold.

Although we’ve been in our new city for over eighteen months, thirteen of those were spent 24/7 on an intense project and I’m just now coming up for air. I know hardly anyone here and spend my days meeting and greeting and letting folks know I exist.  Networking is critical and I am very grateful for the contacts I DO have.

Our SAFFRON Project is moving very slowly and some days makes me nuts. Let’s see, today is the 18^th and for the sake of honesty let’s really say it makes me nuts everyday this year!!  2012, you rascal !!

Edy’s off to visit the Taos gang for a bit to hug kids (old/young) and hopefully ski, A LOT!!

I plan to use her time away to focus on outside projects to keep things rolling and on meeting more and more people here. It’s a bit disconcerting to be the new guy in town at my age, but it has to be done.

I’ve submitted a couple of proposals for new projects and followed up on a bunch of leads from the other (completed)  project contact list and have discovered an interesting phenomenon. Folks will return your calls a lot quicker before you give them written references than after. Human Nature I suppose, but fodder for the resentment bag at the same time. Cuidado major

Tonight will be the 1^st Yoga Class without Edy. I’ve already found a dozen excuses not to go but will. Because, just like sticking my hand out and saying “Hi, I‘m David, the new guy in town”; It has to be done.

Betting The Farm

Honest Work Series                                                       Hot Seat #7                                                                c-2007

Betting The Farm

I had a busy morning running errands and getting things in the mail before 10am. It was drizzling but I chose to ride my bike anyway because, I just wanted to. One trip to get boxes another to send them out. I thought I had extras here but since I have changed my pack-rat ways multiple trips are required. (note to self).  Mailing went more smoothly than I expected and I chalked one up in the “un-thwarted” column for the month.  I then returned home to have a conversation with a client that did not go at all as I had hoped so, erase and move that mark over to the other column.  January, you are certainly sure footed.

Edy and I had a nice lunch and reviewed a new fashion line she had discovered while we ate. Between bites and various shoes, handbags and dresses we discussed her pending trip and the conversation I just mentioned. Human relationships are a trip. We also discussed how life with me is never smooth and simple because I will “bet the farm” at the drop of a hat for something I believe in.

In my business one gets many kudos for the work completed but not often are heartfelt compliments given. On my way back from the post office I was recalling a few that just happened to pop into my mind as I was zig-zagging through traffic.  I guess I needed to hear them today.

The top five are:

1.     Edy’s 1^st trip to El Monte and I knew-that-she knew what it was all about, she felt me there and set the stage for our future.

2.     From Heathe’ and Fred last month when they said that they knew a project I had done was going to be beautiful just because I did it.

3.     My son when he was young telling his sisters that “Dad is like “Google”

4.     A colleague last week commenting on how much he knew I love my wife purely via some simple actions I wrote about.

5.     A construction crew member asking me if I “grew up on a farm?”...”because you can fix anything!”

As a matter of fact I did spend summers on my grandparents farm in Kansas. I spent a lot of time in the gardens and in the garage, barn and basement growing, fixing and building stuff along side my other chores. My grandfather was a gun-smith, furniture maker and mechanic. During the war he built ships. My grandmother was a horse and buggy school teacher and I have other writings dedicated to them. I was given a lot of free rein and had hours and hours to simply “putz” (as a verb). I could build, blow up and repair to blow up again just about anything imaginable because of access to gunpowder.

Wood blows up easier than Cast Iron but Cast Iron makes for an impressive concussion if the right formulas are used. Glass, bad idea and the same with concrete or any paper products (you have no idea how high burning cardboard can go until you see smoke in your neighbors walnut tree across the pond – just saying…). Homeland Security would have definitely been tracking me at age 9 or 10. So yes, farm life tends to allow one to develop a very creative bearing in the world, be adventurous and daring yet also teaches us not to blink when faced with potential detonations as we know what to expect. If it blows up, no problem we’ll fix it and do it all over again, and better this time. If not then chalk up one for the success column and move on to the next new adventure. I know it is going to be a doozie and am betting the farm on it.

Foreseeable Future

Foreseeable Future

Good job January, you’ve met your expectations fully and we’re just half way through!!

Edy and I decided after the New Year to embrace January and it’s thwarting ways as fully as possible the entire month because, well…it just seems to be the way it is.  Resistance (so far) is futile

Today was no exception.

We found today to be a hard day before 10am  – no show appointment and further disappointments on expectations set the day before in addition to some other things. Edy sent me a little cartoon last week about “too many (blank-ing) disappointments are due to too many (blank-ing) expectations”…….”right, very funny, errr”.

We had the perfect solution to our malaise. Let’s go to the Museums !!! But they were closed for MLK Day, ugh. We searched for a plan “B” and Edy said “Let’s go for a walk on the bayou” and packed up the car for the short trip. Directions were a nightmare because I did not know the way and the parking non-existent. We finally parked at a High School on the other side of the highway and walked over to the famed “Bayou Walk”. “This will be great we exclaimed!!!” – “Nature ALWAYS makes us feel better and more grounded” we agreed as we dodged the traffic and crossed the street. We were "pumped".

Past the guano piles under the bridge to the shortest length of sidewalk every poured, onto a dirt trail with Edy’s brand new Nikes, past the human waste station corner with dainty flowers and then under the bat infested bridge underway path where we both contracted rabies from the piles of droppings and the wafting of ammonia that had us gasping even as we got to the other side because the wind was at our backs. “Hum?? , perhaps we should get closer to the water” I coughed over the buzzing of the 12 lanes of traffic on each side of us…”What???” Edy voiced ….”I pointed down toward the water”….”Oh,OK” she nodded.

We walked down the embankment a bit and were immediately repelled by the similarities of this nature space with the landfills of Rio De Janero…Trash heaps were 10 feet high, storm sewers exposed and the muddy water looked radioactive……”Humm, if the rabies doesn’t kill us the cholera will” I thought as we made a quick U-turn to just return back to the car and head off to Yoga.  “People fish in there you know” I said to now one in particular. Perhaps I was just giving God a heads-up.

The class was full and the new teacher did a good job. The girl in front of me set her mat up right in front of me which was a no-no but I just held the resentment for the first few few poses to “show her”. I’m getting better with each days session.The poses are improving , the resentments need more work. Perhaps tomorrow will continue be better but I’m not sure. The only thing I am certain of is that I’ll be keeping my expectations to the bare minimum for the foreseeable future.

Door #3



                    Vision Quest Series                                                   Door #3 - Acama Pueblo                          c-2006

Door #3

Sunday Morning. I awoke to an empty bed and the heat on so I knew Edy was out in the Living room watching HGTV. She loves HGTV. I don’t, but I do love her so I will watch it with her anytime/anyplace. On many fronts we are Ying/Yang which makes for a pretty harmonious life. Movies are flexible. She loves Romantic Comedies; the Happier the Ending the Happier she is.  I like Spy/Action Thrillers and a lot of Foreign Subtitled stuff, the more complex the better. Although I never would have admitted it before I too like the Happy Endings of the Romantic Comedies more and more, so we compromise. TV, not so much compromise; I like Nat-Geo, History, PBS and Discovery and equate HGTV to the “Accountants Channel” whereby lists of miscalculated figures are hashed and re-hashed and still don’t add up in the end, it’s maddening, but as I said, she’s my love so we sat and watched the Make-over twins do their TV magic for another lucky home owner. Everytime I watch the Channel I hear Jimmy Buffett in the background singing “My Whole World Lies Waiting behind Door #3”.  then it's a day of Jimmy sneaking in songs whenever he feels like it............actually, not a bad thing.

I made Gluten Free Pancakes and we ate them while listening to soft Mo-Town Tunes. Barry and Marvin were crooning to my baby and I was remembering yesterday when Edy and I just felt like dancing to them in the Kitchen…….Sway, Swish, Spin……..Dip. We’re GOOD !!...............and need a lot more of THAT !!  We chatted as we always do about “stuff” – feelings, awareness’s and more “stuff”….as we also stuffed ourselves.   We then went for a nice (almost) 10 mile bike-ride. We explored a few new neighborhoods and swung by Lu-Lu Lemon to look at Yoga Clothes for us both. I cannot even believe it happened. Parts of Hell are certainly icing over as I write. A quick stop at the grocery store for tonight’s dinner then home for pre-prep before we head out to Yoga.

Last night’s Yoga Class encompassed milestones of many different flavors. The first was putting it ahead of a business deal I had going and the other was being able to stretch all the way down and grab my toes during a certain series of floor poses. In that I rarely is ever put myself in front of business and the fact that two weeks ago I could only touch my shins both victories were Big Stretches in and of themselves. High Five to ME !!

Dinner pre-prep was a team effort. Edy took the veggies while I did the chicken. White meat for Her – Dark for Me (yin-yang) I like skinning and butchering, Edy not so much. As a matter of fact my 1^st act of chivalry was to de-bone her fish for her our 1^st dinner together in Nice. We continue to find other complimentary attributes as the years go on. Some are mellow and ah-ha moments, others annoying as anything until acceptance is achieved. It’s a fun game. So, I skinned the chicken, cubed the breasts and cleaned up so she could finish without me taking up all the space in the kitchen, which I do in any room I inhabit.

I came in here to the office to wrap up a few things before we needed to get ready to head out to Yoga via Door #3.   

Limits

                          Frozen Whisper Series                                96 Tears                                        c-2005

Limits

“Clink, Clink, Clink”………….I could hear Edy in the Kitchen this morning loading the dishwasher as I came out of my dream state into another day of reality. “Crap, I’m sore” I said to myself for the seven hundredth time since turning in as I tried in vain to just push my internal snooze button and grab just a few more winks. It was a longer night than usual with my body buzzing and aches and pains nagging, I guess yoga is working it’s magic….or it could be just Winter.

I was supposed to have a bunch of appointments this morning with folks buying a bunch of stuff I have on Craigslist and Ebay I want to get out of here to make room for new, but it’s. 2pm and all are no shows.  I’m remembering now why dumpsters were the venue of choice in Taos. Cart, Pitch – DONE !! The few scheckles realized for the hassle of waiting and waiting and waiting seems ridiculous. Of course the other option would be to pay someone to haul off these treasures which I’m keeping in reserve.

I had memories today of standing at my old drawing boards, hand drafting changes to 50 sheets of plans each of 4 buildings of Nursing homes I was doing for an Eastern Seaboard Conglomerate. 200 sheets total needing to be revised for a 10am Monday FedEx Pickup. It was becoming a bi-weekly sanity test. Plans would be submitted, some “higher up” would think of “oh, and one more thing” …..And back to the “boards” I’d go. Site meetings would all have to be changed, spacs revised, contract addenda was encyclopedic.   Sure I had staff do them for a while but the overtime was killing me and had to be submitted separately from normal invoicing and the conglomerate A/P Dept would always question every hour and hold up payments on the original fees because of made up account codes so it just became “easier and more profitable” to just do it myself.  I hated the work, the conglomerates and the end results of the stepped all over finished designs but it was work and I needed it.

So, hour after hour I’d erase and draw, erase and draw all the while looking out the window of my third floor offices as it snowed, rained or shined. Month after month aftermonth after month. 1^st and 2^nd floors of my building were all quiet because those employees were actually living life but would return on Monday for the FedEx man. Not me baby, I was working another weekend to build for the future. New babies at home, sailboats in the harbor and the certainty that THIS is what you do to ensure security and stability for the future.

I had these clients for years and did work for them up and down the East Coast and hated every minute of it. One weekend as another sunny day turned into oranges and reds out toward the Berkshires, I heard a little voice in my head say “This is Bullshit!!”……….. “WHAT???” I said. “This is ridiculous” the voice said again. “You don’t need to keep up all this staff and loose time with your family to hassle with these schmoes anymore, Let it go !!””……………I continued to work through the entire weekend with more purpose than ever.

Monday morning came and the FedEx man showed up and took his tubes.  All but one of the staff was let go and I informed the client that they needed a new firm. I had no work in the pipeline and had been off the market for so long that I knew it would take months to even get back on the radar but a little voice in my head said …………..“Hey, don’t worry, let’s go sailing”.

Some days I miss that boat.

Moments Savored

Moments Savored

Edy and I had a bunch of things to do this morning but made a date to go to the zoo just for kicks. It’s only a few miles away yet feels so much farther once we get inside the gates.

Flowers still bloom here even in the middle of winter and the animals seem very content with the exception of a wolf that was playing out his OCD while his mate slept.” Humm??? Perhaps I too have a bit of wolf in me too?”, I thought as I walked hand in hand with Edy past the enclosures.

The 1^st days of 2012 have been a trip and a half and we needed a break. Walks are fun, biking is cool and of course yoga is our current fixation of choice. Oh, I re-upped again today for 10 more sessions as I shoot for the 30 then 60 then 90 then………???? Bikram Challenge. One of our fellow participants noted today that “hey, you guys are here all the time!!” “Yep”, I said, “We’ve got it bad.”

Anyway, the Zoo was fun and beautiful. Staff filled us in on mating habits of Giraffes which I was not aware of and one of the baby elephants has a bit of tusk showing which made us so proud. Medivac Helicpters were constantly reminding us of the proximity of the Med-Centers and more importantly that despite whatever we feel should be different in our lives at any particular moment, we have the ability to choose and move toward anything at anytime.

As we continued to walk to the next exhibit I gently tightened my grip Edy’s hand and brought it up for a soft little kiss. A moment savored.