HOME IS HOME

Home is home.

A bunch of trees in our neighborhood fell over last night and did some serious damage. All it took was 25 MPH winds, and the pines in the area were tall and heavy, but ultimately had shallow roots. ⠀ If that’s not the perfect metaphor…

I could happily live as a nomad forever, always changing scenery, trading one hub for the next. I did that for years. But I know my best work comes with a home base.

I know what home feels like. To come home from an epic journey abroad or out of state, happy to be greeted by the buildings that line the road from the airport, the street signs in their quirky font and color.

I remember feeling that way about Santa Barbara after stints abroad. After a long adventure, it felt like coming back to my people, my place, my story that had some plot lines to get back to.

It’s been years since I’ve felt that about anywhere and if I’m honest, I’m just not there yet with San Diego. One of my big goals this year is to try and get there. ⠀ Every now and then I catch glimpses of that feeling. Increasingly familiar faces at church. Afternoon hikes. Spots where you can see the skyline from a distance.

MLK

Happy MLK Day everybody. Keep chasing Justice.

I’m LOVING the thoughts below, Clint Smith III shared earlier today:

If you’re doing an MLK day service project, consider bringing a King-level analysis to it. For example, don’t just serve lunch at a soup kitchen, interrogate why we allow millions of ppl to live in poverty in the first place. ⠀ King’s legacy isn’t about charity, it’s about justice.

The Wonder

Completely tore through this book in pretty much two sittings. This one follows a nurse assigned to observe a young Irish girl who allegedly no longer needs food. At first I wondered if this book would just be repeated scenes of the nurse expressing her skepticism and checking her vitals, but then things really, really pick up.

“Your body- every body is a marvel. A wonder of creation... the day you first opened your eyes, Anna, God asked just one thing. That you live.”

Ethiopia Launch

I’ve been falling in love with Ethiopia at a distance for a good while now. @plantwpurpose is launching its newest program there this year, and I’ve been making lots of stuff lately to commemorate- like this graphic goodie.

I do hope I get to explore over there soon. I got one little teaser peek at Addis Ababa on a layover flight to Tanzania and that only further wet my appetite. The more I learn about food, coffee, topography, religious traditions- among many other things- the more I appreciate how deep they go. Bump this one up towards the top of my travel list.

Alaska Invitations

I do so much digital design work, but it’s always extra special when I get to see some of the stuff I make come out in print.

I’m loving the way these square postcard prints turned out!

Fancy & Authentic

One of my favorite ideas to push back on is the notion that good and authentic Mexican, Vietnamese, Ethiopian, etc. food can only come from hole-in-the-wall type places.

When you start to unwittingly think that the best French or Spanish food comes from Michelin starred uptown bistros but that a fancier, more expensive setting renders Turkish and Cuban food inauthentic- there’s a good bit of bias in there.

130 years ago, Italian food in the US was mostly considered cheap, foreign street food. The concept of authenticity is flawed but it should leave room for different cuisines to evolve and take both cheap and fancy forms. Great Vietnamese food can come from Pho No. 243 on the corner or from The Slanted Door in SF. Cultures evolve, as should our perceptions.

That Minivan Life

I’ve spent most of my time on the road this weekend but its been completely worth it. Tahoe is bliss.

#thatminivanlife