Mother of Invention
Yesterday
was a roller coaster, so much so that I could not even finish the 1st
draft of this blog. Throughout
the night I had dreams of days gone by and people and situations that no longer
aligned with who I am today. In my dreams I shook my head as I passed them with
their accusations, claims and assertions on my time and energy. I awoke feeling
a bit slimed, but also felt charged after yesterdays church service. The church
we attend has an out-reach arm that I felt one of our prior projects would
align with. So, I reached-out and
offered it to them.
Digging
through the old files of drawings and correspondence felt more like a
continuation of my dream from the previous night than an effort toward forward movement.
As I dug, I found myself taking BIG
breaths every once in a while. So big in fact that they would shake me back
into the present moment. Thank you
lungs!
Perhaps it’s
the energetic void of a new grand-children free home or perhaps it’s the
frustration of living in the best economy in the world and still not being able
to get things to “pop” despite a ga-zillion current ideas I have floating in my
head and 200x that amount stored in the archives from days like this in the
past. All I can say is the beaver dam
is still holding and the pond behind it is rising daily.
I feel like I’m drowning.
Earlier in
the month, I mentioned reading TEXAS by James Mitchner. It was a really
good read and offered many useful pieces of history I enjoyed. One was the
invention of barbed wire and its impact on the land, law, politics and the
social fabric here and elsewhere. What
was once free range became a no fly zone
and communal watering spots became “property”. It soon became a mess as miles
and miles of open sky got compartmentalized and exclusive, (in the worst sense
of the word). Hundreds of folks were
killed in disputes and it was the death-knell of the cattle drives on the old Chisholm
Trail and others like it; cowboys would never be the same.
I started my
career lifting hide-a-beds in a furniture store. I then moved on to display
manager and then into the design studios of several firms. During these times I
also had a furniture company, a construction company and a photography business
on the side. When I could not get the quality I needed from my contractors I
got my GC license and then formed my own Design/Build Firm. I then got more
licenses and credentials so I’d never NOT be busy. When business slowed down in
one area I got licensed in a dozen other states so I would always be
busy………..and for the most part, busy I was. Happiness or better yet CONTENTMENT were never part of the equation and once this was realized things started shifting and have never been the same (thankfully). Sure economic downturns caused
problems but nothing like this last “doozie”. Once we hit Houston we were
certain that it would be nothing but blue skies and opportunities knocking our
doors down. Our initial entre’ was just
that, but we’ve now sailed into the doldrums and hurricane season has begun.
We use
computers to draw everything now and during the 90’s as technology took over I
worked really hard to be at the forefront of that curve and have stayed there
to the best of my ability. Then came my experiences with green-wash and all
things green and I committed myself to knowing all I could about that topic so
that I became a leader in that field too. My mornings are spent staying current
with relevant topics in all the industries that interest me and others I wish
to know more about. I do this because I
want to be ready for the next opportunity that comes my way.
The rules of
sailing in open water dictate that during downtimes to do maintenance and
repairs. You can also take on projects that will not impede the voyage if you
so choose. It’s also a good idea to catch up on sleep and replenish stores, if
possible. I believe the same rules apply to farming and manufacturing. During
previous lulls, I designed and developed a few thousand acres of LEED-ND
properties, including at least a dozen unique net-zero homes, developed a
software systems that monitors and controls energy consumption in buildings
remotely as well as fun furniture and lighting designs that I hope to use
somewhere…………someday. While on my bike, during yoga and to and from anywhere
additional thoughts, ideas and designs pop into my head and I’m lucky if I
remember half of them by the time I get back to a place where I can draw or
write. The archives are overflowing.
Sometimes I
think it would just be easier to “get a job” and sidestep all the stuff that
comes from attempting to force fine design and sustainable values where it’s
apparently not wanted. Each time I have this thought I step away quickly to stop the bleeding and remind myself where that thnking leads me.
Those barbs are sharper than they look.
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