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Designing built-ins
When we got the quotation for the house build, it didn’t include everything we’d need because I hadn’t decided yet on details like the bathroom sink or what I wanted for a kitchen island. Well, now’s the time to make those decisions. I opted to do it at 555 upstairs in the loft where I
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Sleep anti-routine
Whoever manages good sleep hygiene probably lives alone in the city. Let me recount last night and see if there’s a clue about why I am usually tired in the daytime. 8:00 pm Beryl jumps off my lap and runs out of the living room. I look outside. There’s a raccoon peering towards the cat
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What if everything’s a spectrum?
Neurodiversity, gender identity, sexual preference, politics, religion, mental illness, physical wellness. While we aim for some personal goal or societal endpoint, all of our lives seem to be lived on a spectrum. A sliding scale. A gradient. A tapestry. What if all points on any spectrum were acceptable? Grey areas, in. Black and white, out.
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Before social media
This morning, I saw the headline of an article in The Atlantic, “The Age of Social Media is Ending” by Ian Bogost. It’s behind a paywall, so I didn’t read it, but… It got me thinking about the pre-platform days. How did we connect with people online? If social media dies, what will we turn
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Nearly drowned
Three days ago, I nearly drowned in the shower. That sounds pretty dramatic, doesn’t it? But it’s true. A combination of hayfever, a lingering cold, and jala neti almost did me in. I came home from several joyous hours at 555 on Saturday afternoon covered in cedar pollen which was making me itch, so I
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Kobayashi Mikan
Mrs. Kawasaki introduced me to the Kobayashi mikan tree on one of our early walks around 555 in spring of 2021. It’s a compact tree with low branches that sits to the west of the house. This was clearly a fruit she liked, because she lingered a while to admire it. “It’s good for jam,”
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Kakishibu
What color is the house going to be? Since our Facebook group exercise in exterior colorways in March of 2022, I have visualised the exterior walls of the house as a medium-dark brown to contrast with the silver roof. The tonal change creates a visual bridge between the roof and the black window frames and
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Rant on Vague Encouragements
I have to get this off my chest, and it’s a departure from my usual fare of cats, house building, and other projects. I won’t be offended if you don’t read or listen this one. I have had enough of vague encouragement on social media. I beg you, if you are going to share, please
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Windows on my world
The past few days completed the installation of the window that arrived last week. OMG. What a house this is going to be. They unlock yet another flurry of realisations as I walk through the house. I am starting to see the furniture placements and how we will circulate through the space. I decided on
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City Getaway
Tod works one week a month in the Tokyo office, but this month he is doing a two-week trip so that he can cat-sit Honey while his colleague, Will, is on a business trip. I decided to go see him on the in-between weekend and hang out in the city. It was a pleasant change
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