'Tis the season...

There's a lot that can be said about the holiday season, particularly in regard to the commercialization of Christmas...but that's all been beaten to a pretty fine pulp as it is. This being my first holiday season as a retail worker, I have been seeing everything in a different light. Honestly, I woke up this morning and nearly forgot that Christmas was a day away. I have never celebrated Christmas in the traditional Christian sense...it has always been the "real" Thanksgiving for me, allowing time to reflect on good fortune and good company as well as on the slight missteps I may have made throughout the year. I seek ways to give back to the people I live and work with, largely by non-material means. Most of all, I try to bring out the lightness within everyone...if I can perk up even one smile on a person's (most likely a customer's) face, I've done my job. That goes for any time of the year, really. However, that isn't to say that I'm a pushover...I certainly do and will stand my ground when I see fit. Ultimately it's that genuine human kindness that I seek, both in others and, inevitably, in myself. The one lesson that the retail industry consistently reminds me of is that patience is a virtue, albeit one that can be tough to come by depending on the circumstances. When a customer gets visibly frustrated with the fine print on the back of the coupon crumpled in their clutches, or starts to get huffy when a sales associate doesn't bring them the merchandise they want fast enough, I begin to feel the same frustration, as do my other coworkers. We are human beings too, and some people like to forget that altogether. Treat us with kindness and at least some degree of respect and we will return the favor. We do not live only to serve you...we have lives, dreams, ambition and goals just like you. Seem inflated? Sure it does...but it all boils down to the human connection, the one thing that should be a priority above all of the trappings of credit cards, electronics, designer purses, etc. Ask yourself which of these truly feels satisfying: receiving all of the gadgets, whistles and bells that were on your wish list this year, or making at least one solid mental and emotional connection with another person? Batteries die, clothes fall apart, and trends fade, but you will never forget the conversations that you had or the sparks that you felt.

On that note, I send my best wishes to all of you, for the holiday season and for all seasons. Take care of yourself and the ones you love...and even those that you may not.

Jump back in.

Whew...long time no see, blog. I've been keeping myself busy one way or another, between the daily grind of college life and a brief Thanksgiving break spent back home, slaving away behind a cash register for the sake of eager holiday shoppers. Having just completed the first week of a new term, I can say that this will be a great time of change for me...I have several major decisions to make, mostly regarding my academic future. I've had a few doubts about my major and have had to step back a few times and evaluate my progress. I definitely want to work in an Asian Studies minor if possible so that I have a backup plan under my belt. In the course of studying Japanese, I realize that my love and interest in the culture/history/etc. nearly outweighs my interest in interior design. The guilt swings around clumsily...after being so sure of myself for so many years, I fear that I'm on the verge of crumbling. Although these next few months will surely confirm my fears, stir up doubt, and turn my world upside down, it'll be a good thing for me. It's just about impossible to learn anything about yourself or the world around you without experiencing some sort of "devastation". This may be the "alarm call" that I need just yet...

Pure creation of the mind.

If you need a good dose of inspiration, I suggest picking up a copy of Le Corbusier's "Towards A New Architecture" (a rough translation of Vers une Architecture). Here's one of my favorite passages:

"You employ stone, wood and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces; that is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly you touch my heart, you do me good, I am happy and I say: 'This is beautiful.' That is Architecture. Art enters in.

My house is practical. I thank you, as I might thank railway engineers or the telephone service. You have not touched my heart. But suppose that walls rise towards heaven in such a way that I am moved. I perceive your intentions. Your mood has been gentle, brutal, charming or noble. The stones you have erected tell me so. You fix me to the place and my eyes regard it. They behold something whcih expresses a thought. A thought which reveals itself without word or sound, but solely by means of shapes which stand in a certain relationship to one another. These shapes are such that they are clearly revealed in light. The relationships between them have not necessarily any reference to what is practical or descriptive. They are a mathematical creation of your mind. They are the language of Architecture. By the use of inert materials and starting from conditions more or less utilitarian, you have established certain relationships which have aroused my emotions. This is Architecture."

In the fading of the constellations, I am growing strong...

Ambiance can be powerful. It's a concept I carry through in my design work, but the effects are also noticeable in the day-to-day. As I sat at work this morning, I was somewhat prepared to take on the pile of papers and books before me...but then I was hit. The smells in the air (one of which was my own perfume), the slight chill swirling about me, the song that popped up on my iPod's shuffle mode (Laura Veirs' "Pink Light", in case you were wondering...I'm just about obsessed with it at the moment), the faint whir-and-hum from the air ventilation unit...they all seem like such insignificant fragments, but they came together and created the spark that I needed. Now I feel ready to take on my work, to do whatever it takes to excel. I haven't been working this hard to achieve mediocrity (but unfortunately, I have ended up with such results, and the reasoning is beyond me). This is quite a phenomenon, at least in the corners of my mind, and it's something I might explore in the future...but for the time being, it's "focus, focus, focus".

(Don't you love it when the pieces fit together?)

Take me in and dry the rain...

Oh, October...my favorite month of the year, and for numerous reasons. The weather is usually one of them, but there's been such a rollercoaster trend this year, with staggering highs battling the usual chilly lows. It has sucked some of the excitement out of the month, as have other external factors (mostly school-related stress), but not all hope is lost. As I'm home for an extended weekend, I have some free time in which to enjoy all that I can of the incoming fall foliage. Add to that the gentle breeze and all of the scents that, no matter where you walk, always make you feel right at home. The weather on this particular day is a bit damp, and the pale yellow of the sunlit sky pushes and pulls the gray storm clouds...it makes for an eerie yet beautiful glow. An easy walk with favorite music...an added bonus.

Speaking of music, every now and then I may feel inclined to post a few songs that inspire me or that I'm really into at that given moment. I'm not exactly skilled in creating extensive mixes, and my music collection isn't quite big enough (yet) to warrant posting said mixes in great frequency. However, I can dispense some of my collection in bite-size doses, and that's how I'll wrap up this here blog post. A rainy day three-pack for you...bon appetit!

Boris featuring Michio Kurihara- Rainbow
Laura Veirs- Pink Light
Black Moth Super Rainbow- Rollerdisco (or the entire "Dandelion Gum" LP, for what it's worth)

(P.S. Pardon my mess...still trying to work on a decent blog layout.)

Initiation.

So I've done it. I finally decided to carve up my own little slice of virtual real estate, and here's hoping that it's a worthwhile decision. Ultimately, my postings won't be so personal, but this here blog is sure to be a hodgepodge of random thoughts, issues, songs, excerpts, photographs, and whatever else is spiraling around in this head of mine. Perhaps an introduction would be appropriate...

I'm an interior design major at a small college, currently racking my brain over what to do after graduation (as well as a troublesome floor plan that I can't seem to lay out to my satisfaction). In recent months, I've come to realize that my ambition exceeds the capacity of my hometown. Four years and a bachelor's degree just aren't going to cut it anymore. I want to travel more as well...I'm dying to see the Bauhaus school in Dessau and Le Corbusier's La Tourette in France. I will be going to Japan in the spring, and I know it will be the trip of a lifetime. I never expected to actually be able to go, much less this soon. It's also a perfect opportunity to sharpen my photography skills...I'm hardly a professional, but it's a hobby I've come to enjoy in recent years. My artistic abilities have dwindled considerably, so the digital camera has become my new paintbrush.

Music...another great love of mine. (Though I have yet to meet anyone that "hates" music...I'll add that to my to-do list.) Drains my wallet and my bank account, but fills my mind, heart, and soul. My tastes are expanding on an almost daily basis...most of what I listen to would probably fall into the "alternative" category, but I'm not one to get finicky with labels. I may not be able to write about the music that I love in the most articulate terms...but I do know how to love it.

What else do I love? Friends and family, of course. Cats. Sushi. Food in general. Working hard and reaping the benefits. Exercising and keeping myself in shape. Helping others, whether they're close friends or perfect strangers. A good cup of tea. Perusing the nearest bookstore or library. Taking long walks. Udon. Genuine smiles. Bright eyes. Bright colors. Good conversation (which isn't always so easy to come by). Good company.

That's a good start, I suppose. Here's to future successes, great memories, good health and high spirits. Cheers.