I’ve always had too many things on my list – well, that’s in the eyes of others. I can still remember stories from decades ago where I was chided for having too many interests. Go here for some fun stories as I go down memory lane – but if you’re like me and you want to do many things from travel, crafts, time-consuming hobbies (a marvelous model train layout for example) – you might just be able to squeeze it all in.
It was nearly impossible setting up a woodworking shop in China, but the struggle of finding good tools and the joy of building the shop was a ton of fun – that was when the boys were little guys. I’ve done little but fiddle in the shop after making a cradle for Nathan. When you’re focused – things happen . . . I wanted American cherry and it wasn’t to be found behind door number one, two or three – so I went backstage. Many things in China are done through the back door, through relationships – somehow I got the cherry. In those days, most machines were hugs (factories) and wood was what they used in China. What you can glean from this is that a project from 13 years ago can still keep you alive (the workshop is still there). I may be easing my way back in, Nathan and I just cut, sanded, primed, painted and installed a little corner shelf in the bathroom. We’re talking about doing it again for the other bathroom . . . who knows, maybe a 4-poster bed is in my future.
Lenny – the world’s most famous lobster, because I said so. I created Lenny before moving to China in early 2006. Like woodworking, Lenny is part of my DNA. If this is fewer than one million words than you know I cut the story short.
Mom’s from Maine, we vacationed there in the summers. I don’t recall the year, but mom was talking to a friend about how strange it was to find great lobster gifts in a shopping mall in DC, but could hardly find such nice things while summering in Maine. I guess my interest in Marketing started around this time because I immediately thought: ‘there needs to be an online store for Maine and Lobster Lovers’. As I’ve always loved to sketch, I created lenny as the mascot/trademark