Writing about details

July 26, 2012

Sitting Still

My mind wants to busy itself, to get started on something new, to read something, to go run and look at things, to check on some temporary knowledge I forgot. I’m in my third week of “summer vacation” and my mind has finally quiet itself.

This period of quiet was difficult to handle at first. After a few weeks at home I’ve had time to do a dozen things that would have never been done if I weren’t actively keeping myself bored.

Read four books
Made good progress on Project: Interaction documentation
Went for a few bike rides, including to the “Great Hill” in Central Park
Cleaned out my old client files
Organized my kitchen
Cooked a real meal at least once a day
Had lunch with other young designers
Watched a movie at 9am
Cried at the end of a movie at 11am
Sketched and architected a new project idea
Finally called back all the people on my obligatory list
Listed my apartment on Airbnb
Watched a LOT of Olympic gymnastics videos on YouTube
Baked cookies
Went to the beach
Went to a cheese tasting celebration
Drank cocktails and ate oysters
Took a yoga class
Updated my website

I still have not renewed my drivers license. It seems this is the last thing on any list, no matter how much time one has.

I’m starting a new job next week, so thankfully my brain will have something to entertain it again.

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June 24, 2011

Taliesin Day Two — All in the details

The scavenger hunt we completed this morning forced us to take note of all the intricate details that make up the Taliesin property.

What initially looked like a wide, green-filled expanse quickly turned into a detailed mental map of the minutia of life at Taliesin. We started classifying locations based on the parameters of our scavenger hunt:
buggiest place: on the other side of the rotting log with the green lichens on it
loudest place: in between the waterfall and the main road where water and cars rush past in perpendicular directions

Even the non-descript places were soon filled with our new memories of working together. The previously generic landscape became peppered with the images in our minds of our experiences at Taliesin.

We visited Wright’s home during the afternoon. On our private tour (which exempted us from wearing the dreaded hospital booties) we had plenty of time to sit and take in all the details inside the home. I was struck by the level of care and craft Wright devoted to every aspect of his home’s construction. Every detail was carefully considered, including hinged window coverings that simultaneously align with a triangular window and its neighboring square wall.

Sitting at our Wright-inspired farm home this evening I notice the same careful details on the window work. Each window has two uneven shutters inside. The corner window can only accommodate one side of hinged covers, and the cover has been neatly double-hinged to coordinate with the others while fitting into the context of the room. Every detail has been considered.

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