both sides now / [a month into 2020?]

Why does this year feel like it’s been six months already? I really can’t say this year started off well, but I hope it’s on the upswing now. I got this 1959 Singer 401A from Facebook Marketplace early this year, and sewing has really been a great stress relieving activity. I started off with some basic stuff sacks and zip pouches, and made two Polartec Power Air hoodies inspired by the unobtainable Melanzana hoodies which turned out way better than I expected. They have been warm and cozy during this week of true Southern California winter. I also made a giant duffel to practice working with Cordura and webbing, and realized through that process that I enjoy working on smaller projects.

Here’s the hoodie that I made!

I just said I want to work on smaller projects, but I have materials for a synthetic backpacking quilt that I plan on tackling soon too, which will either confirm or force me reconsider the types of projects I want to make. In addition to that, I’ve been working on some designs for a camera pouch based on this Artisan & Artist one that I’ve always wanted but is absurdly expensive, a smaller camera bag for the Fujifilm XF10, or a nylon jacket of some kind. I made a padded keyboard case for my Planck EZ this week which was good practicing in completely winging it and having more freedom (to mess up) rather than following a guide or pattern (really helpful, as it turns out).

Planning out all my projects here.

In other news, I completed a 30 mi ride at the beginning of this year, which is pretty exciting for me. I’ve never been a good endurance athlete so riding for a few hours straight and not feeling completely wrecked by the end is promising for my century training.

Snack breaks at mile 14.

I got off the waitlist for the UC California Naturalist Program at the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, so I started that last week. I think it would’ve been more rewarding if there wasn’t a pandemic happening and the class could be hosted in person, but it’s also more accessible right now and I’m not sure that I would’ve been able to make it out to Huntington Beach every week if it were all held IRL. I’ve learned a lot about California’s geographic history and have good motivation now to be more observant and inquisitive while spending time outdoors. I’m only two weeks in so excited to learn more as well.

Much of the day-to-day memorable-ness of life is documented by these quiet little scenes—a morning at the beach, a lunch date at the park, a sunset with a kite. I wonder how we’re supposed to process the entire year of 2020 and this year spent in quarantine. I’m sure we’ll all be traumatized by this experience in different ways, but I hope I’ll remember the serenity of these moments as well.

I finally built out a normal sized desk for myself after trying a standing setup, a sitting setup, and working full days on a stool at our bar. The top is made from two pieces of 3/4” plywood salvaged from our TV console, and the little shelf on the right is made from the remaining pieces of that console. It’s nice to have space to spread out and a table to use for the endless sewing projects, and also feels pretty good to be able to recycle furniture pieces that I made into new ones once our needs changed. And speaking of needs changing, I sold my Mamiya 6. I loved almost every image that came of out that camera, but it stressed me out knowing that if any point the electronics on that thing failed (and it’s about time they did), I would be left with an insanely expensive brick. Fujifilm 400H has also been discontinued, and medium format film and development is so pricey nowadays that I can’t really justify the cost of ownership for a few pretty landscape photos a few times a year. I sold off a few other lenses for my Leica as well, so I’m left with a little kit of the Zeiss 25mm, a new Zeiss C-Biogon 35mm f/2.8, and the Olympus XA4 to cover the 28mm focal length. This frees up some change to put into other hobbies, like materials for all of my sewing projects, biking stuff, or maybe more realistically, more vegan pizza.

reflection questions

What are you excited for in this upcoming year? In the next three years?

How has this year in isolation changed you?