Ryan and I went to a winery last weekend and they told us that some of the past owners had lived in this cave while they made improvements. Good thing they had something to drink.

These photos were taken along Lake Michigan in the city of Port Washington after a boat ride on the Oconomowoc River and a few minutes before a campfire brat.

And while it was beautiful everywhere, I really prefer places that have toilets. With doors. And a seat.

This was Ryan’s birthday present from last Saturday. I’m normally not very good at picking out presents, but I think I did pretty good this time…

After asking the Twittersphere whether I should work on my blog last night or go to a concert, they unanimously voted for me to attend the concert. And several people like @ribeezie and @franklogic suggested that I go to the concert AND blog about. Big ideas there. So here you go. Enjoy a bit of the Thermals on a Wednesday morning.

Truth be told, I had only heard one of their songs before last night. But they were awesome. And they’re only a three-person band. Check them out.

And by friends, I mean books. Okay, people too. My friend Grace Boyle featured my books in her fabulous inspiration series.

One of the many brainstorms for the art above my couch.

The key to hanging art is to measure 58 inches (gallery eye-level) from the floor to the center of the art. With arrangements, first lay all the pieces out on the floor and rearrange until you like what you see. Then measure 58 inches from the floor to the center of the entire grouping.

I studied design in college. God only knows why. I arrived at school ready to study journalism only to find myself bored. And subsequently confused. I decided to visit the career advisors.

“You don’t need a journalism degree to be a journalist,” said the journalism advisor.

“We need you,” said the design advisor.

And so I made a decision.

I studied art and photography in high school and thought it would be a good foundation for entering design. But I didn’t expect the utter heartbreak that comes with being pushed to the edge of your ability.

Specifically, I remember one of the first assignments to design and build a model of a museum. The day before it was due, I spent the night with white cardboard scraps like snow on the floor, crying in despair.

Design was never easy for me.

And while I was generally at the top of my class, I longed to be as talented as the students at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design). I wanted to be a genius. And perhaps because I wasn’t, I didn’t pursue it much out of school.

And while my design degree didn’t provide obvious practical skills, my experience was a complete confirmation and expansion of how I viewed the world. That is, I am someone who sees everyone and everything as part of an often bizarre cosmic whole. And it is these ideas that excite, overwhelm, and won’t let go.

Enter modite / character.

It is a design, style and culture blog that will be more of a visual experience of the themes and values that are fun and amusing and important to me. For my own sanity. To nudge past what I thought was the edge in the great big search for meaning.

On the admin side, I’ve migrated the photos that were part of the original Modite site to this one. It just seems a better fit.

I don’t expect this new blog to be all that useful, but that’s the point. Practicality doesn’t breed innovation. I just want to be more. Welcome to modite / character.

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I went to the ocean recently and this was what I brought back, save for one twisty-turny shell that I gave away.

Not just anybody.

My sister sent me these Beatles coasters for Christmas, and they totally make me feel like a cooler person.

When my Wisconsin license plates arrived for my new car, Zeus exclaimed, “New York! It’s a sign!”

Uh…