23 November 2005

It was one of my last days in New York, this summer. I walked around, wondering - with panic almost - what I should do or see with such little time left. I left Vadim's after what I assume to be our ritual of bagel + coffee, and knew that I was locked out of Laura's apartment (everyone was at work). I took one of the most familiar routes I knew - the N to Union Square. I'm still not sure why I didn't go to Astor Place and stroll down St. Mark's for one last time. Oh - I had to get thank you cards. Many thank you cards. For everybody that had done so much for me this summer. Jeannie, Jamie, Laura, everyone at the agency, just... everyone. I wanted to write one to New York, but where would I have put it? He is the one that made my summer the absolute best - lifted it up to its pinnacle.

So, I went to Barnes & Noble. That could either be looked at as a mistake or a blessing. Because I walked in, only intending to spend about $10, and left with $76 out of my pocket.

Yeah, I got the cards. They were a celery color, from Crane's Paper Co. (you know they supply the paper for U.S. currency?), the "Thank You" on the front in Kelly green. pretty.

With hours left, I went to the absolute top to try to find a linen-bound black sketchbook (I still never found one in NY, it took Plaza - right next to the Nanci Raygun - to find the one I was looking for. geez.). I looked at a lot of typography books, wondering which one Jay would love the most. I looked through some fashion books, photography books, indescribable art books. I looked to the right, and something caught my eye at the bottom of a shelf. bright orange. plastic. I picked it up. I picked it up because of how ugly it was.

After flipping through it for a couple of minutes, I looked around, wondering why there were even copies of this book LEFT in the store. How fucking beautiful. The thing that struck me the most was that something so ugly could be filled with such amazing things inside. I can't even explain what's in this thing... I guess I'll just show you the description on the back of it.

I bet you can't even read that. Oh well. It's pretty much a collection of suggestions by different people (Yoko Ono, T.S. Eliot, etc.). suggestions, ideas, inspirations. I was so excited, I bought two. Because I knew that once I met the person that could appreciate it as much as I did, I would have to give it to them. So, I have 2 copies of this thing in my apartment now. nuts? I don't know. maybe. I thought that I had found that person this summer, and they still might love it as much as I, but there was a great disappointment involved in that whole situation. So, the two books sit in my apartment, one nestled between my MoMA book and my archetypal branding book, the other tucked away for someone.

That person is somewhere, walking around right this second. Maybe smiling, maybe feeling some sort of child-like wonderment about something. Thinking that everything is beautiful. Where ARE you? I have something to give to you. found him!

PS - I wrote this in an airplane, sitting next to an artist. Hi Marc (Mark?). My e.mail address (since you said you might e.mail) is tokyohanna at aim dot com.