After a period of working individually on projects, Sean and I are back together re-designing the site that launched our partnership–Eastwood Development Inc. I can’t tell you how much we have learned since that first project. What a huge learning experience it was–the all night hack sessions, and the bumbling through solutions to problems while creating three more problems along the way. But with a decent amount of websites under our belts, we are moving through this project in style. Our work flow is sweet. We have a clear understanding about the stages of the project, found a simple, but extremely useful way for dealing with assets for the site. The stress is low and the stoke is high.

This is a sneak peek at one of the early designs. We are excited about this one.

Cheers!

VI

From a distance nothing seemed to change. A man walking along the meadow would’ve heard the stream and smiled at the lovely day. The stranger would’ve thought nothing of seeing a young woman running across the meadow, the wind in her long hair, and a wide smile brushed across her face. The man would’ve thought she must be enjoying this day as much as me. He would’ve been right. But no one was there to see Abbey running from the meadow.

Her steps took her back along the path that she had walked many years ago, but the path was worn and gutted. The path had changed. Abbey had changed. The forest had changed. Regret did not find a foothold in these thoughts. Rather, Abbey still could breathe in life and she was comforted by that idea. She had forgotten that she could run, but loved every racing step she took forward. She forgot what it felt to have wind in her face and aching joints.

She was not the same woman that she had been before and she rejoiced in knowing what she now knew. That shadow that resided in her mind was gone, and now she saw distinctly. Abbey ran the path to her house, up the porch steps, and through the front door to live her life again.

V

The house was the routine of Abbey’s life. Hallways from bedroom to bath and bath to kitchen formed the arc of her routine. Other rooms and places in the house became containers of the past – each room and cupboard a tomb no longer visited. Her mind fully gave over to the darkness and the darkness put everything in neat compartments. Abbey didn’t have to avoid these areas because they no longer appeared on her mental map of the house. Unopened doors were adornments on walls.

Today, being Thursday, was laundry day. Abbey carried her sheets and towels down the hall and through the kitchen. She opened the door to the laundry room and flipped on the light. The distinct pop of a light bulb accompanied the brief brightness and subsequent fade to darkness. Abbey’s pupils dilated, searching, focusing.

She started her wash in the dark.

Passing through the kitchen, she went to the closet in the hall for a new light bulb. Opening the door dislodged stacks of light bulbs, toilet paper, towels and boxes. The closet spilt its contents into the hall, and light bulbs shattered against the wood floor. Something glass in one of the boxes didn’t survive the tumult. Abbey surveyed the floor thoughtlessly. A general apathy pervade most of her day, and even though the mess interrupted her Thursday routine, she remained disinterested.

Abbey grabbed the broom out of the closet and began sweeping the glass into a neat pile. While sweeping, she knocked a large piece of glass down the hall. It bounced off the wall and traveled under a door. Abbey stared at the door. The glass was gone but the sound of it bouncing down a set of stairs rang clear in the silence of the house.

A burst of color blinded Abbey.

The long forgotten feeling of not knowing traveled through her spine and into her mind. Light expanded her capillaries and flowed from the nape of her neck to the creases between her toes. Abbey’s spine was forced straight as the harrowing idea collided with the darkness that had taken up residence in her mind.

Abbey fell to the floor and shook.

A warmth not felt in a long time washed down her arms and into her fingers as she lay there on the floor. The darkness residing in her mind lost part of its hold — an idea had taken hold of her. She didn’t know and had no control to know. Yet, this did not cause her any anxiety or fear. She no longer feared not knowing – all because of that door in the hall she long ago began to ignore.

Tears warmed her cheeks.

Lightness watered the dormant memories and allowed her to peer back to the beginning. With the lightness came remembrance of happiness. The beauty she had known in life – whimsical and full of the unknown. Joy pushed forward into the present dragging memories of laughter, and in this state she felt life – her life completely.

Looking up at the door she remembered her father – the door to the basement! Jumping to the door, she grabbed the handle and tried to open it.

Nothing.

She was emboldened and fearless. Invigorated by the desire to break it down and see what she did not know, she backed up and ran at the door. Her shoulder smashed the door, and she stumbled down the flight of stairs.

When Abbey rose to her feet, she saw what she could not have expected. The meadow stood in front of her and the darkness was there before her. The sun hung in the same place in the sky as it had hung the day she ventured out of the house. The lightness that pulsed through her veins forced her forward, towards the darkness that had clouded so many years. Abbey in an instance gained such a profound perspective on her life that she no longer doubted her actions.

Abbey ran across the field. The grass whipped and cut her legs and sweat fell from her nose. Abbey’s lungs burned and ached from the crisp forest air, but she never slowed her pace. She moved faster and faster across the field at the unknown. The distance between her and the shadow quickly diminished until she ran with her head lowered directly into the dark cloud.

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Part VI

With painted faces, sequins, masks, leggings and cardboard, SFIE hosted its annual Halloween Party. The all-school event was a blast this year. I was sick with the swine flu last year and missed out on the festivities. But not this year! No sir! I stood witness to the amazing costumes made by students, the excellently choreographed dance routines of the classes, and an array of remarkable talents for the talent show.

From SFIE Halloween

Each class started the day getting costumes on, trick-or-treating from classroom-to-classroom, and practicing class performances one more time before the big show.

From SFIE Halloween

The excitement was palpable!

From SFIE Halloween

All the teachers put out a lot of effort to decorate the classes. It was amazing! I know that it is an adult language school, but throw some decorations on the wall and have people dress up in costumes and everyone is a kid again for the afternoon.

From SFIE Halloween

Mario was in full host mode!

From SFIE Halloween

Cathy had the perfect Cruela Devil costume.

From SFIE Halloween

And Keith, how could he have chosen a better costume? He couldn’t have! A picture perfect Dwight Schrute.

From SFIE Halloween

Some students sat in fear of what the rest of the day would hold.

From SFIE Halloween

While others were mostly exuberant.

From SFIE Halloween

Now the stage is being set for the class performances and the talent show. Everyone gathered on the 4th floor in anticipation.

From SFIE Halloween

From SFIE Halloween

From SFIE Halloween

Even those not in costume enjoyed themselves. I think these three were wishing they had a costume, though.

From SFIE Halloween

The Lady Gaga Crew was in full force.

From SFIE Halloween

From SFIE Halloween

I was superbly impressed with the talents of the students.

From SFIE Halloween

From SFIE Halloween

From SFIE Halloween

The black light artist!

From SFIE Halloween

Honestly, these pictures suck! But the art was amazing. They were painted on acrylic, glowed in a black light and were also 3D! Yea … that’s right … 3D!

From SFIE Halloween

Everyone was enjoying the performances.

From SFIE Halloween

With the excitement level turned up to the max!

From SFIE Halloween

These two had the crowd in the palm of their hands.

From SFIE Halloween

From SFIE Halloween

As you can see from the transfixed faces.

From SFIE Halloween

The King himself was in attendance to preside over the performances.

From SFIE Halloween

Don’t fear the fangs. Fause wouldn’t harm an ant.

From SFIE Halloween

Taryn was out master of ceremonies and was superb! She kept the party rolling right into class performances and the costume contest.

From SFIE Halloween

With a free month of tuition as the first place prize, all the students lined up to show off what they had put together.

From SFIE Halloween

The ghostbuster won 2nd place and Bill Clinton next to her took 1st place.

From SFIE Halloween

Perhaps my favorite costume. The Brazilian dressed up as a Green Card!

From SFIE Halloween

Everyone else is impressed.

From SFIE Halloween

And Dracula in 3rd place!

From SFIE Halloween

From SFIE Halloween

The teachers even showed off there stuff!

From SFIE Halloween

So if you have stuck through this post of pictures, you have arrived at the best part of the day. A student for her talent brought in a blank canvas. Painted it while the day went by and at the end she had this painting for the school. The coolest part is she let all the students come up and put there mark on the artwork with paint and finger. Yes! She won the talent contest! Obviously…

From SFIE Halloween

From SFIE Halloween

And the artist!

From SFIE Halloween

The last activity of the day was a scavenger hunt through the neighborhood. I realized after making the list of activities that some of the questions might have been too difficult for our beginning class. But, they all jumped right in. Here’s the winning team who finished the scavenger hunt in like 5 minutes. It was absurd how fast they completed everything. Don’t they look like winners?

From SFIE Halloween

Well, it was a day for the books! A great one! See you next Halloween.

From SFIE Halloween

With a beautiful fall day in SF, I decided today was the day to get back on the bike. I grabbed a rag and some bike oil and headed down to the basement where all the bikes hang from the ceiling. I wiped down the bike with the dry rag and rubbed some of the grease off the chain and derailleur. The chain was still off the gears from the crash. I pulled my blue 12-speed Trek down from the ceiling and moved it over to the bike stand. As I tested the gears, I applied a little amount of oil to the chain and pedaled with my hand. I wasn’t sure how damaged the bike would be from the crash. I never closely examined it afterward. But, everything worked. The wheels were relatively true. The gears worked. The tires needed a little air, and that’s it.

I climbed out of the basement and pointed my wheels to Mike’s Bike to replace my broken helmet. What a feeling to be riding again! My house is on a hill so I immediately started downhill. The wind whipped my eyes and I coasted down the hill. I let out a little laugh. I missed this…

It feels nice to be back. My blog even told me as much. WordPress has quotes that show up in your admin console, and the quote that appeared was as follows: “It’s nice to have you back where you belong.” How’s about that!

There is no insurance against falling off your bike – not cycling through SF with a huge backpack, not riding north across the Golden Gate Bridge to Stinson Beach or Point Reyes, and certainly not towing a trailer 450 miles to San Diego. I found this out last Monday.

I biked over to Danch’s for an evening chill with the dudes. I arrived to find Papa Danch and Stepmom Danch already hanging out. Eric, the class act that he is, wined and dined us for the evening as the dudes arrived. Sean came from his first day at Pixar. No one knows where Millican came from. And Mikey came from soccer practice or his kickboxing class … I can’t keep up with his “arduous athletic routine.”

Photo by SeanPlusPlus

We all departed, and I jumped in the saddle, clipped in and headed west into the fog. You know that stat … all accidents happen a mile from home … or maybe it’s half a mile … well … sure enough, I wrecked 4 blocks from my house. I was jamming down a decent hill in Golden Gate Park – cars as sparse as street lights. I’ve ridden this hill hundreds times … I’ve ridden down this hill no-handsies singing at the top of my lungs!

Without my proper bike lights in the fog and darkness, and after a couple glasses of wine, I banked too sharp on the last turn before 30th Ave. My front wheel collided with the curb. I sailed over my handle bars into dirt and grass spinning and rolling. I came to a rest on my back looking up into the trees. Something was definitely hurt but I couldn’t pinpoint where. I lifted my right arm. Fine. Left arm … AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Photo by Mikey

I pulled my body and bike off the ground. With a shot of adrenaline, I walked the last 4 blocks home knowing my left shoulder was messed up. Dislocated? Broken collar bone? I assumed the worse.

I got to the casa and collapsed into the arms of Sean and Mikey. My face went white and then green and then white according to JR. I poured sweat and started shivering.

Photo by Mikey

Mikey made the quick decision to go to the hospital. After an hour at St. Mary’s Medical Center, I was out the door with a grade II AC separation in my left shoulder. The AC ligament connects the clavicle to the scapula. My arm will be in a sling for 10 days, and Dr. Newell says that the rehab will take 4 – 8 weeks. I should have full recove…

Wait … I am going to step back from this for a moment … although I am injured and it sucks … I have a lot to be thankful for. My body could be more severely injured. I have awesome friends who have totally helped me out … I am sitting here with three of them right now – Danch, Siegel and SMS. If that isn’t enough perspective on the situation, an Iranian student at SFIE said he felt bad about my shoulder. To show his sympathy, he told me about being shot in the Iran-Iraq war and the long healing process. So … yea … things are allllright!

I am on the mend, loving one-handed showering, and looking forward to shoulder rehab. I’ll be back on the bike at the beginning of October.

Now, the last sushi meal at our favorite place before we move.

IV

The sun rose and set many times before Abbey left her bed. When she did begin to leave, it was only for a short time and always aimed at a specific purpose. She would resolve to eat and so she would go to the kitchen and eat. She would resolve to bathe and so she would go to the bath and bathe. She would resolve to sleep and so she would stay in bed and sleep. The bed became a staging ground – nothing was attempted out of bed without long deliberations in bed – and every outing ended where it began.

The darkness glacially permeated Abbey’s mind. Initially, Abbey could identify her thoughts, but time wore away any difference, and the darkness and her mind became one. Since the arrival of the new resident, Abbey forgot about her father’s workshop in the basement and the piney smell of sawdust. The TV became another piece of furniture – not something her mother watched at predictable times. Before she would look into the woods and down the path reflecting on that day, but now she didn’t even look out the windows. Every step and stare was infused with meaning, not from the past, but from the darkness.

The routine, although comforting and safe, was a painful drain on Abbey’s soul and her body wore the effects. The skin around her cheeks was taunt and leathery and her eyes slowly sunk into a dark well. Her hair grayed. Skin and muscle hung from bone. Her breasts hung low. The light dimmed in her eyes. But, these changes were so imperceptible day to day that Abbey took it all with the rising and setting of the sun. And, although Abbey believed she had arrived at a station in life that she had full control over, this too was not true. There was so much that Abbey would never control.

All these changes she held on her shoulders as part of her choice, as part of her resolve to take control. Time and distance contorted her thoughts, and the darkness allowed her the deception of control. Time and distance erased the memories of a past. Time and distance told Abbey, “This is the life you chose.”

A grand lie, indeed! Couldn’t Abbey remember that this life was not of her making? She only tried to control her life after the darkness entered her mind, not before. But, this fact too was lost in the web of darkness that lived in Abbey’s mind.

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Part V

III

Awakened by the familiar sounds of her room, Abbey looked out her window from her bed. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and threw off the covers. Sitting up in her bed, she inspected the walls and the floor. Everything was the same. The path in the forest was gone, and the Redwood and Cyprus stood upright and tall outside her window. She got out of bed and went to the kitchen.

There was no sign of her parents. Her mother was not watching TV in the kitchen and her father was not eating the breakfast her mother had prepared. She walked to their room and it was clean and neat. The bed was made. No one had slept in that bed the night before.

She went back to the kitchen and poured a glass of water. She drank the entire glass and then filled it again. Abbey took her water outside and sat on the steps of her porch.

A shadow obscured the questions racing through Abbey’s mind: Where is my family? What happened yesterday? I walked through the woods on a beautiful day. I was happy and carefree. I had not chosen my path with great care, but no one would say that I had chosen my path carelessly. How did I get back to my house? Did I leave?

Abbey futilely attempted to make sense of the previous day — as if an understanding would change the mysterious position she found herself in. The funny medication of rationalizing — always after the fact and always a justification, yet never a cure. The actions already committed; the reasons plentiful and contradictory.

She thought intensely all morning about the path she had taken the day before. So many questions could not be answered and so many events could not be remembered. No matter how hard she thought, she could not find the crux of this change — this entirely new life. Each step she had taken in many directions was now, in retrospect, just one step in one direction. Realizing that she had arrived somewhere in her life that she had not consciously chosen scared her even more. The muscles in here neck tightened and her legs shook with tension. Quickly, she ran into the house, slammed the door, dashed to her room, and leaped under her covers.

Abbey resolved to do nothing until she could understand how she arrived in her bed from the night before. Decisions are dangerous if not well thought out, and Abbey resolved to make no decision without careful planning.

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Part IV

I am back in SF! I successfully completed the bicycle adventure from SF to SD sans LA! I went to the 10 year high school reunion, saw my family, and drove eight hours yesterday back to SF. I wish that I had pictures of the latter stage of the adventure, but I lost my iPhone along the way. We needed to travel 37 miles to catch a 9:20 am train, and somewhere between packing in the dark at 4:45 am and riding my bike along the 101, I lost the cell phone. And so there it is! The documentation of the trip ends here. I am sure more reflections will come as time passes.

One thing I am excited to do is read Sean’s blog of the trip. I didn’t get to see any of it and I know there will be some great stuff in there. (Sean Plus Plus).

See you all down the road.