Keys
Three of the four days I was in Miami Beach, I swam in the ocean. The water temperature was perfectly moderate -- cool enough that it was a refreshing relief from the hot, humid weather but warm enough that I didn't freeze my genitalia off upon entering. I simply waded in.
I hadn't been in the ocean in three years. The last time was in Vieques, Puerto Rico, where I went with my ex on our last trip together. The US military had stopped its bomb tests there just a few months before. One evening, we went on a tour of a bioluminescent bay, where millions of glow-in-the-dark microorganisms reside. When we jumped off the side of the boat, our arms and legs splashed light with every move. A month later, we broke up.
In Miami Beach, I could barely pull myself out of the ocean, so happy to be floating there again.
***
Sunday’s New York Times contained a second magazine, on real estate, called Key. In it, seven artists were asked to create key-themed artworks. One of them, Stefan Sagmeister, photographed five rows of keys attached to dogtags engraved with sayings from his diary -- as he puts it, “Things I have learned in my life so far." Here they are:
Everybody thinks he is right.
Starting a charity is surprisingly easy.
Worrying solves nothing.
Money does not make me happy.
Trying to look good limits my life.
Everything I do always comes back to me.
Helping other people helps me.
Over time I get used to everything and start taking it for granted.
Actually doing the things I set out to do increases my satisfaction.
Traveling alone is helpful for a new perspective on life.
Everybody who is honest is interesting.
Keeping a diary supports personal development.
Drugs feel great in the beginning and become a drag later on.
Thinking life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.
Complaining is silly. Either act or forget.
Low expectations are a good strategy.
Material luxuries are best enjoyed in small doses.
Assuming is stifling.
Being not truthful always works against me.
Having guts always works out for me.
I hadn't been in the ocean in three years. The last time was in Vieques, Puerto Rico, where I went with my ex on our last trip together. The US military had stopped its bomb tests there just a few months before. One evening, we went on a tour of a bioluminescent bay, where millions of glow-in-the-dark microorganisms reside. When we jumped off the side of the boat, our arms and legs splashed light with every move. A month later, we broke up.
In Miami Beach, I could barely pull myself out of the ocean, so happy to be floating there again.
***
Sunday’s New York Times contained a second magazine, on real estate, called Key. In it, seven artists were asked to create key-themed artworks. One of them, Stefan Sagmeister, photographed five rows of keys attached to dogtags engraved with sayings from his diary -- as he puts it, “Things I have learned in my life so far." Here they are:
Everybody thinks he is right.
Starting a charity is surprisingly easy.
Worrying solves nothing.
Money does not make me happy.
Trying to look good limits my life.
Everything I do always comes back to me.
Helping other people helps me.
Over time I get used to everything and start taking it for granted.
Actually doing the things I set out to do increases my satisfaction.
Traveling alone is helpful for a new perspective on life.
Everybody who is honest is interesting.
Keeping a diary supports personal development.
Drugs feel great in the beginning and become a drag later on.
Thinking life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.
Complaining is silly. Either act or forget.
Low expectations are a good strategy.
Material luxuries are best enjoyed in small doses.
Assuming is stifling.
Being not truthful always works against me.
Having guts always works out for me.
-- Stefan Sagmeister
posted by Billy at 11:52 PM
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