Pokémon

Mexico City, Mexico. I still remember the first time I saw Pokémon. I was in 3rd grade hanging out with my best friend, Brian, at the playground next to our elementary school one evening – but he spent most of the evening glued to his gameboy. We came to trade off each Read more…

totem

Seattle, The United States Larry sits on a step out in front of Seattle’s pier across the street from the touristy Park Place Market. A pile of wood chips is growing at his feet as he slowly, methodically, chips away at the block of wood in his hands. I ask Larry if he’s always Read more…

Palm Cross

Portland, Oregon Riding back from a hike in an amazing lavatube in Washington, I noticed this small cross on the dashboard. Its owner, a new friend of mine who had recently migrated to the west coast from Lawrence, Kansas to visit some mutual friends and find a place to settle – Read more…

Immortal

Mexico City, Mexico Templo Mayor is a large pyramid complex right in Mexico City’s downtown, “Zocalo.” For seven consecutive generations, Aztec leaders on the site build pyramids – the pyramid of the predecessor being used as a base for his successor to build on top. Now mostly eroded, one can Read more…

Magic

Guadalajara, Mexico; Mexico City, Mexico There is something great about Magic. I think that we miss it a lot in the US suburbs – most of our superstitions are based on generic protestant Christianity rituals. Even the Catholics among us in the US don’t branch out a whole lot. Mexico has Read more…

The Sharpist

Mexico City, Mexico When I lived in Austin, I used to get my knives and razor sharpened at a little knife shop on Burnet Road called “The Sharpist.” Kind of a crappy little shop, but with really nice people, the tired little building with its second-hand shelves held knifes of Read more…

Insulation

Dominican Republic Sometimes even touristy activities can yield interesting finds. On a Dune buggy tour of rural Dominican Republic, our guide told us about these tables. Concrete on top, but filled with sand for insulation, a local shop owner can keep a fire going all day to cook beans. For Read more…

Handmade

Mexico City, Mexico I’ve had more than 40 roommates by now. There is an interesting sort of intimacy living with someone that is unlike other relationships. Often your mental model of a person is more built from their artifacts, arrangements, and habits more so than the ways we understand others Read more…

Halsey Bottle

Portland, Oregon; Lawrence, Kansas My first year in college at KU in Lawrence, Kansas, I decided to stay in Hashinger “Hash” Hall: the art-kid dorm. As an industrial design student and somewhat-non-terrible musician, it made sense at the time. I quickly fell in with a group of rather industrious friends Read more…