My Wife is Always Right.

Well… most of the time.

She really thinks I should write more. And she’s probably right. But who would I be writing for? Her? Me? I’m not sure Hemingway or Salinger went back and read the books they toiled over. They already knew the ending. But, they wrote. Why did they write? Was it for you or me? Did they get pleasure out of knowing someone, somewhere would find pleasure in their craft?

When we ask, “why does this person do that and that person do this,” we are really asking, “why do we work?”

The first reason for many is to get paid. Of course it is. We work so we can survive. All the reasons that follow vary from person to person and from one culture to the next. But somewhere in that list you will find “passion.” Passion is why people like Hemingway and Salinger were writers; why Picasso and Basquiat were painters; why Eames and Lowey were designers. It’s why I am a designer.

I have many passions, but many of them I could give up. Heck, I gave up popcorn for 3 months once. If you know me that’s an amazing thing to behold. I could never give up design. Sure, I’ve said, “I’m gonna go dig ditches!” out loud a few times. But, if we were playing poker you would be witnessing the biggest bluff in the game.

Back to writing though. I enjoy it. I do. I’m just not passionate about it. Maybe it’s that design requires enough scrutiny not just from outsiders but from myself. Though words usually flow while writing as easily as layouts do while designing, I tend to toil over my writing as much as, if not more than, my design work. It’s not knowing that I would never be the next Ernest Hemingway that holds me back. I sure don’t let knowing that I’ll never be the next Charles Eames or even Charles S. Anderson hold me back from being the best designer I can be.

So, if the two of you who have read this are expecting more from me on these pages - don’t hold your breath. If you do, you will regret it. Until then, there’s ditches to be dug.

Be good.

– Brady