A new decade
The radio plays the sounds we made
And everything seems to feel just right
-The Verve, A New Decade, A Northern SoulI'm admittedly bad at remembering details. I tend toward feelings and moods that define moments. In rare cases I actually can remember facts and so I'm writing them here to be accountable. I want you to know that things have been pretty good - in fact, great - and if I complain you have the right to tell me to shut up. There are more medals of honor here than halls of shame. I'm certain the hall of shame is entered through a skeleton closet best left alone. So, here are some of the headlines from the last 10 years, from meaningful to minutia:
- 3 beautiful kids, including twins
- 5,10 and 15 year wedding anniversaries to fascinating and lovely Ramona
- Founded and managed a VC-backed sustainable design company for 6 years, Tricycle Inc.
- Honored with a bunch of design awards in graphics, environments and products
- Moved North to Boston from Chattanooga— first residence outside of the South!
- Joined IDEO
- Sold a house
- Got robbed and mugged but lived to tell about it
- Owned a guinea pig
- Voted
- Worked out of my house for a few years
- Bought a bunch of Eames furniture
- Said goodbye to Freehand
- Had my songs on Current TV, Planet Green and Flip This House
- Had at least 10 hairstyles and 4 glasses frame
- Started going gray (and becoming distinguished!)
- Grew an ironic mustache
- Got a tattoo of a Ben Franklin cartoon
- Grew heirloom tomatoes
- Bought 2 new VWs- a family van and a sports car
- Bought property
- Went StarTac to to Emerson candy bar to iPhone
- Spent 40 days in Europe (not all at once)
- Had work selected by the Smithsonian and the National Design Triennial
- Judged design shows
- Taught 7 years of adjunct design classes in Chattanooga
- Was an Index Awards Finalist
- Employed my friends
- Buried 3 grandparents
- Co-Founded an AIGA chapter
- Recorded about 20 songs
- Broke up a band
- Sold and bought a dozen guitars, kept about half
- Was published in design books and magazines
- Had at least 4 Mac laptops and 5 iPods
- Designed 3 mattresses
- Went flat screen
- Didn't read enough
- Returned to Chuck Taylors
- Discovered Malbec, craft beer, and small-batch bourbon
- Flew more than I had my entire life
- Got named a Fellow
- Re-embraced football
- Went to lots of rock shows
- Designed a TV network identity system
- Started saving for retirement
- Hit a deer and totaled a truck
- Had a surgery
- Discovered Eva Zeisel and Russel Wright
- Stopped buying CDs, started buying vinyl
- Built a swing set
- Owned a scooter
- Gained 5 pounds
- Made my best friends
- Kept wearing plaid
Grateful. Blessed. Amazed. Looking forward to the next ten.
