The Physical World
Construction is basically a process of making a mess and
cleaning it up.
I have noticed how many parallels in life go like that: Cooking, Painting, Storytelling, Fixing almost anything. Even grinding coffee.
When I did commercial and residential construction in undergrad, my old boss Arden always told me to remember were:
1) Always clean your tools
2) Always put your tools away
3) Finish the job
A reasonable balance of aesthetics and functionality is what I strive for when visualizing how a remodeled room will look, considering carefully the other components – Electrical, plumbing, structural, air flow/heat, storage, light, colors, and time/cost.
I have noticed how many parallels in life go like that: Cooking, Painting, Storytelling, Fixing almost anything. Even grinding coffee.
When I did commercial and residential construction in undergrad, my old boss Arden always told me to remember were:
1) Always clean your tools
2) Always put your tools away
3) Finish the job
A reasonable balance of aesthetics and functionality is what I strive for when visualizing how a remodeled room will look, considering carefully the other components – Electrical, plumbing, structural, air flow/heat, storage, light, colors, and time/cost.

When my parents left for a European vacation they had no idea what they would come back to. Feeling empowered with my newly-learned construction experience, I called my friend Dan to help me remodel my bedroom, and 5 garbage cans of the heavy plaster later we were able to see a few places of the floor.

Needless to say it wasn’t finished when they returned, but it was the beginning of many remodels I would do in the future.
Just before we painted the entire room, I invited all of my friends to stop by and write whatever they felt like on the wall.
Just before we painted the entire room, I invited all of my friends to stop by and write whatever they felt like on the wall.
Furniture

It is something about the warmth and smell and feel of wood. That it can be made into so many wonderful things, or nothing at all.
Pine Table.
Pine Table.

That it can blend in or be the point of contrast in an environment.
Pine Table.
Pine Table.

Pine Bookcase.

That it can challenge a simple design to be even simpler.
Pine Bookcase.
Pine Bookcase.