Inspiration of the Month {August}

Copper has definitely been on my radar lately. With an unmistakable color somewhere between rose gold and rust, copper has a way of brightening a room without stealing all the attention. I love how it gives off a rustic industrial look while still maintaining that classy modern vibe. Whether it's with kitchenware, lighting fixtures, jewelry, or home decor, copper looks good with just about anything. And not to mention the strikingly beautiful natural patina that forms on the surface of copper over time (think Statue of Liberty). Nature is just incredible, isn't it?

While we're on the topic of nature and its breathtaking phenomena, let's just take a minute to talk about the world's largest cave, the Son Doong Cave in Vietnam. I was literally left wide-eyed and speechless after reading an article about this wondrous gem, staring at my screen with the strongest desire to travel and see this jaw-dropping sensation. Discovered by a team of British cavers in 2009, the Son Doong Cave is over 5.5 miles long and is home to its very own river, jungle, waterfalls, stalagmite, and natural skylights. I am not ashamed to admit I spent several hours reading articles, browsing through photographs, and watching National Geographic videos about this magnificent cave. The only thing is...it's $3000 for a tour. Someday, Vietnam. Someday. Check out http://www.sondoongcave.org for more info! Trust me, you'll be in complete awe after you see these photos:

Hank Butitta recently finished his Masters in Architecture at the University of Minnesota. In architecture school, Hank was "tired of drawing buildings that would never exist, for clients that were imaginary." So for his Masters Final Project, Hank bought a $3000 school bus off Craigslist and decided to convert it into a living space. After 15 weeks of hard work and $6000 in improvements, the bus was successfully converted into a comfortable and functional living environment. This 225 square foot "ultimate road trip vehicle" is complete with skylights, insulation, electricity, dimmable LED lighting, a portable toilet, a kitchen with a foot-pump sink, and sleeping capacity for up to 6 adults. Once he'd given his final presentation, Hank embarked on a 5,000-mile road trip around the country with some friends to test out their new home on wheels. Check out his website, Hank Bought A Bus, to follow their journey and find out more about this incredible project. I can only hope to have the sort of passion, ambition, innovation, and creativity that Hank has embodied in this continuously growing project. A true inspiration. (Fun fact: The black lines on the floor of the bus are actually pieces of the 3-point line from a reclaimed gym floor!)

You should know I'm a sucker for good poetry. Something about the way 26 single letters can embrace one another to create such a delightful (and often deep) literary masterpiece. For as long as I can remember, my parents' bookshelves have been stocked with Shel Silverstein books. In addition to his indisputable talent for poetry, Shel Silverstein's accompanying illustrations still inspire me to this day. His one-of-a-kind illustrations complement each poem in the best way possible, evoking a specific feeling as you ingest the words on the page. While the words are the true beauty, the poems just don't quite have the same effect when the illustrations are missing, like cereal without milk. I recently rediscovered an old poem from Where the Sidewalk Ends, a collection of children's poetry by Shel Silverstein (1974). Feeding my mind with these poems for the first time since elementary school, I've fallen in love with them all over again and now understand things I never even slightly discerned at the tender age of 7. These poems are soaked in the most enlightening knowledge and deep meanings—meanings that are not fully comprehendible for young children. Poems that may seem completely straightforward and non-convoluted on the surface are often filled to the brim with invaluable life messages. Take at least a few minutes to read this "Hector the Collector" poem and think it over. One of my favorites. (P.S. I'm sure everyone has been exposed to Shel Silverstein's well-known "Masks" poem, but if it has somehow slipped by you, read it here.)

Hector the Collector

by Shel Silverstein

Hector the Collector

Collected bits of string,

Collected dolls with broken heads

And rusty bells that would not ring.

Pieces out of picture puzzles,

Bent-up nails and ice-cream sticks,

Twists of wires, worn-out tires,

Paper bags and broken bricks.

Old chipped vases, half shoelaces,

Gatlin' guns that wouldn't shoot,

Leaky boats that wouldn't float

And stopped-up horns that wouldn't toot.

Butter knives that had no handles,

Copper keys that fit no locks,

Rings that were too small for fingers,

Dried-up leaves and patched-up socks.

Worn-out belts that had no buckles,

'Lectric trains that had no tracks,

Airplane models, broken bottles,

Three-legged chairs and cups with cracks.

Hector the Collector

Loved these things with all his soul—

Loved them more than shining diamonds,

Loved them more than glistenin' gold.

Hector called to all the people,

"Come and share my treasure trunk!"

And all the silly sightless people

Came and looked...and called it junk.

August: summer adventures, long drives, and hot afternoons. The last full month of summer has come to an end, and the start of classes is just around the corner. Not quite dreading it, not quite looking forward to it. I'm just gonna let things happen and see where life takes me. Cheers.

xx Kristin