A PERFECT DAY

"Something to Think About" mini books

 This year is going by in a flash. Mid April and we've passed Tax Day. I look back through my calendar and wonder where the time went. I was already thinking about what makes a day meaningful and not just another hurried day, when I came across a question in an article in Uppercase, a creativity magazine produced by Janine Vangool, a woman from Canada. The magazine is full of creative ideas and one, this question, asked,

"What would be a perfect day?"

The question made me pause. I started to make a list: exploring with my husband Bill, sitting in a cafe with him, getting together with our son and his girlfriend, walking along the Embaracadero's part of the Bay Trail in the quieter spaces there, being with friends, taking workshops, exercising, writing, sketching in my art journal, taking a ferry boat ride. As the list grew longer and longer, I recalled the time during the Pandemic when we had to give up physical contact with friends and didn't travel, and I found to my surprise, that in giving up activities that I liked to do, I found Time. I found time to concentrate on creative projects that I didn't leave myself time to do when I was rushing around trying to fill each minute of the day with interesting experiences. Bill and I had more time together than we ever had before, which deepened a relationship that had flourished since college. Zoom contacts with friends and our weekly outdoor meet-ups with neighbors sitting six feet apart kept the connections that we needed. I found time to think through creative projects, problems, and ideas. By the end of the Pandemic, Time had give me a chance to explore and develop my creativity in a way that I had never given myself the chance to do. A year and a half long retreat from the world.

A quote from Erling Kagge's book, Silence In the Age of Noise:
 "Silence is about rediscovering through pausing the things that bring us joy."

I looked at my growing list and realized that each item could be a perfect day all by itself. How wonderful it is to spend a full day with friends. How delightful it is to look at Bill with fresh eyes over coffee or to walk with him in new places now that we have moved to San Francisco. How meaningful to find a place that is quiet amidst the hurley-burley cacophony of a city. How energizing it is to work on a project where my mind is focused on the possibilities of creating. I could fill up a year with "Perfect Days" but also could savor the perfect, small moments within an ordinary day that bring me inspiration, awe, and gratitude. With all the hardships that the Pandemic caused all of us, I owe the Pandemic for this new-found understanding of living life to the fullest.

I am glad I found the article about the perfect day. It reminded me to slow down, filter out too many possibilities, and treasure the odd moments as well as the days.

"We will imagine infinity."

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Thank you to all of you readers of my blog. 

April 2026 marks the twelve full year of posting Postcards in the Air.

BIRDS OF MANY COLORS

Do you remember photos of the New Yorker Iris Apfel with her big, black glasses and extravagantly colored outfits? Ms. Apfel was a legendary NYC fashionista, a word that describes someone who takes careful interest in their appearance and has the money to afford the clothes they desire to wear. She died at the age of 103 leaving behind an astounding  collection of clothing, jewelry, shoes, and furniture that eventually the auction house Christie's sold. Apfel is a part of a group of women that I think make an impression on our culture for their clothing choices and sense of style.

The first page of an A to Z sketchbook

In the 1960's, Twiggy, a British model, splashed across the pages of fashion magazines in her short skirts and dresses, tall boots, heavily made-up eyes, and thinness. She changed the style for many young women at the time. In San Francisco, the twins, Marian and Vivian Brown, walked around town arm in arm, enjoying the attention they received for their matching outfits and lifestyle. 

When we lived in Tokyo, natural, neutral colors fit in with the cityscape, except in Harajuku, Omotesando, and Shinjuku, where young people's fashions reigned. Except for teenagers, women tend to dress differently in the suburbs and the cities. When we came back to Danville, I felt out of place in my black city attire among all the bright colors and pastels in town.

Young woman in Harajuku, Tokyo

After moving to San Francisco two years ago, I've noticed a change in fashion. Full-legged pants sprouted on every street replacing the workout gear and tight leggings that women had been wearing. Guys, though, still seem to be strolling in tight jeans or in sweatpants. No statement there.

Airports and parks are great places to observe people

Portland, Oregon, is full of people and other things to draw

I try to capture some of the people who I see around town in my sketchbook. I remember visits to the city growing up. Back then, everyone dressed up, including wearing gloves and hats, to spend a special day in the city. Now, when I see men in suits, I wonder what business they are in. Lawyer? Bankers? Real Estate agents? Politicians? People who deal with the public? The tech-bro look is evident everywhere. When Bill and I go for lunch during the week, we marvel at the techie groups walking together for their lunch hour. They remind me of the flocks of pigeons on the Embarcadero that congregate in groups, following each other arouond, and flying off in unison.

On Sunday, Bill and I were having coffee when we noticed a man in a clown suit with a bright red ball on his nose sitting across the street. We wondered if he was the entertainment for the day somewhere. He became another person to add to my sketchbook. On trips to San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art, I'm delighted to see people dressed up as if they were part of the abstract art on display. 

                          

People-watching is always an interesting hobby. I can make up stories about who the people are and where they are going by what they are wearing. 

Here are two sketches. What do you think are the stories for these people?

Teen Boys on Valencia Street

Older woman on Muni Bus 22

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https://www.vogue.com/article/street-style-harajuku-tokyo

https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/unapologetically-iris-collection-iris-apfel/lots/3819

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Marian-and-Vivian-Brown-famous-San-Francisco-twins-16330809.php 

BRAINSTORMING

Practice pages with various types of lettering pencils

How many ways can I write a name? I asked myself this question while I'm sitting at my desk after a calligraphy friend proposed that I hand letter a list of names for a meeting in May. I hesitated. I'm not a professional calligrapher. There are many people in the Bay Area who have honed their calligraphy skills much better than I have, but I said yes anyway. I thought it would be a good challenge, a good way to practice, and I had enough time to figure out my design and alphabet choice for the list. If nothing worked, I could ask someone else to do the work.

I've scrolled through pieces that I've done using various alphabets and various names to come up with a plan. 

I  wanted to produce something more interesting than just a list. I thought of the grand certificates produced by the City of Los Angeles Creative Services Department, which are far more artistic than the certificates you might see hanging on the walls of doctors' offices. The LA Dept. certificates are routinely made by their calligraphers, but I knew I would need much more time than I have to create something as spectacular. (Click on the link at the bottom to see some of their work.)

What kind of format could I use? I thought of making each person's name on a pre-cut circle of watercolor paper, but that would create additional work to figure out a good way to show them on one board. 

I thought of using colored backgrounds so that the letters would be outlined in a different color from the letter itself.

I looked at examples of other lists I have made. I realized how often I make lines of letters touch each other, which makes for an interesting composition, but not particularly legible.

I could make the letters fat so that I could doodle inside them. I could use black paper with white ink or other colored paper with contrasting ink or colored pencil for the letters themselves. I could make the first letter of each name decorative like the medieval monks used to do, and then use monoline letters to complete the rest of the letters.

I could choose my favorite alphabets--Ben Shahn or Neuland--because I am already comfortable writing them. 

Here it is already April and I need to start to work on drafts of my project.

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* Check out some of the work done by the LA City Creative Services Dept:

https://share.google/hnMuoUD4k6NG5tsrk

Window View March 2026