Life with Keys

As Nate has moved from place to place, to yet another place, and possibly seven more places over the last nine years, he has learned the importance of making things you do every day, multiple times a day, stress free.

It can be something as simple as keying all the locks on your house to the same key. He never knew what a difference it would make until he did it, had it, then lost it. Life with keys can feel overwhelming. There is a key to the entrance of the building, a key to the top lock, another key for the bottom. Then there is the ever so important key to the city from the mayor. That one is definitely a keeper. By the time all is said and done, overwhelming masses of metal overtake pockets and purses across the country.

Yes, it takes a little bit of cash and time to have a locksmith come out execute this task. If one goes the DIY route, there goes half a Saturday. This is an example though, of a little thing that gets put off day after day. It seems like no big deal, or is it?

Think of the time spent flipping through four pounds of keys to get into the house with an arm full of groceries, only to have the bag break and liquid Tide running down the stairs. Recall that moment of frustration and pain when those coffees catch up and bladder “control” is marginal at best. The train to relief is derailed yet again when the wrong key is jammed in the hole. It only looks ever so slightly different than the right key, but there is no time to compare key teeth patterns when explosion is imminent.

Imagine a life without a wrong key. Imagine a life where this routine sequence just works, every time, every day, with minimal mental exertion. Imagine how full the mental energy bank will be if it isn’t spent on trite sequences involving keys, junk drawers, or medicine cabinets. Whatever the analogous mass of metal may be, take the time and set it right, today. As the little obstacles in life begin to lift, the mind frees to think about family, dreams, and stuff that matters. One situation like rearranging the keys might not seem significant, but twenty similar situations quickly add up to a life of eating dinner at 9:00 PM, exhausted, with nothing of value accomplished. Start little, start anywhere, just start*.

*Nate has been inspired by reading a lot of Jon Acuff and Joshua Becker. Both are great resources to living a better life, and come highly recommended. 

Chandler

No, despite what the lack of activity suggests, Nate has not gotten lost in a vortex to another dimension. 

He did, however, geek out in downtown Chandler, Arizona for a solid hour with his camera, testing each and every setting. His love of exploring new places through the lens of photography had been forgotten in the midst of the previous years’ chaos. He also seems to have forgotten, ashamedly all too quickly, that the best evenings are often those which are unplanned.

While Phoenix has been an exciting place to explore, Nate has also realized he knows very little about many of the adjacent cities, each writing their own story. Yesterday’s quest for a truck took him a round-about way to downtown Chandler. He decided to park for a while at the new Peixoto Coffee. At this quaint spot, it is clear that the employees are living out many of Jon Acuff’s principles. They have found their passion and share it with the community. They focus on their craft intensely to create a richer coffee experience than you would find in any Starbucks across the country. If only Nate would care about anything as much as they care about coffee. It’s time for Nate to re-evaluate the bigger picture and determine if today’s steps are leading toward his passions.

The recent lack of writing indicates something is severely off course.

Yes, community has started to occupy his time. That is good. What about the other 50 hours a week? There has been nothing to report because his perspective has shifted away from that which he is passionate to that which is deemed necessary. Necessary by whose standards? Society? Others? His own false perceptions?

The light and texture found in the architecture of Chandler City Hall caused a spark . All of a sudden, it was okay, even necessary, to stop and observe, appreciate, study, and wonder. It was okay to spend enough time and energy on ONE thing, and execute it well. It was appropriate to intimately understand how one camera setting can effect the end product, and how they all work together. It was worthy of awe to stop and study something long enough to decipher what is the true essence to be captured.

The lessoned learned – it is going to take 150 attempts to get 3 really good pictures, if you are lucky. It is unrealistic to expect perfection to be handed to you as would a drive through order at Taco Bell. Good art takes the most precious commodity: time.

Each new opportunity and commitment punctures a small hole in his energy cup and withdraws from your time bank. When there are one or two, the pace of natural refill matches that at which it drains and allows time for rest. Once there are five, seven, or seventeen holes, suddenly that balance  cannot be sustained.

To quote Jon Acuff yet again, it is good to be reminded that “rest is not a by-product of your success: it is a by-product of your humanity”.

It is time to slow down, say no to things that don’t matter, and begin to live again.

Digging Deeper

The journey continues as Nate navigates Phoenix’s Central Corridor. A run through the neighborhood takes him to a small and endearing historic district that he driven past, unknowingly, a multitude of times. Just northeast of Central Avenue and McDowell lies a two block by two block neighborhood known as Alvarado. Just to the east lies, shockingly, East Alvarado. Even further to the east, Los Olivos. All three are similar in size and possess what Nate would have initially referred to as an “out of Phoenix” quality.

However, it is not an “out of Phoenix” experience. This is Phoenix. Perhaps making a one in their own evaluation, sweeping generalizations do large disservice to the spirit of adventure. As Nate breaks down this barrier and digs deeper, it spurs excitement and resets the paradigm to “expect the unexpected”.

While living Tucson, it was commonly stated by Nate himself, that the lack of unique small businesses and character was one of the downfalls of Phoenix. That could not be further from the truth. He has learned that once the scale is shifted, the beauty and variety in the details, side streets, textures, and colors, not only in Phoenix, but of any place, becomes evident.

 

     

     

     

Cave Creek Escape

While Nate has been hard fast on uncovering the beauty in the micro scale of Roosevelt Row, a week full of holiday gatherings prompted introvert Nate to spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of Phoenix proper. In the great words of Tom Hatherford, a “treat yo-self” day was in order. “Treat yo-self “days are prime ways for one to learn about one’s self because yo-self is in charge calling the shots.

Having spent nearly every holiday day in north Phoenix, Nate was reminded how close Phoenix is to some great getaways that right in his own backyard. After sleeping through a majority of the Fiesta Bowl Parade, Nate made his way north, stopping first at the often overlooked North Mountain Brewery in the heart of Sunnyslope.  Along the lines of Tucson’s Sentinel Peak and Barrio Breweries, North Mountain is definitely worth a stop. With in-house brewing and a warm, cozy vibe, this is a step in the right direction away from “going out”.

From there, Nate headed up Cave Creek road to the town of Cave Creek. Not thirty minutes later, he was out of town and moderately back in time. Since Cave Creek is an old western town filled with modern cafes and with chotskis galore, anachronisms are bound to abound. History and tourism wash, but the true beauty of Cave Creek lies in the landscape. As the sun set, amplifying the texture and color of nature, Nate’s love of photography was rekindled.

As Nate sat in Local Jonny’s reading a Dwell magazine, he learned that coffee shops without wi-fi will not self destruct.

Nate even rode his bike around Cave Creek, inspiring him to “treat his-self” to a long overdue bike rack to continue his biking expeditions. If only he hadn’t busted a spoke on the trail, the adventures would already be underway. Perhaps the next adventure will be a lesson in intermediate bicycle mechanics.

The beauty of this whole experience is discovering that the beauty of Phoenix lies at many scales. The vast landscape of the desert surrounding Cave Creek takes ones breath away. The heart and soul poured into the communities of Sunnyslope and Cave Creek by local artisans and craftsmen inspires. The connection of the serene desert of Cave Creek to the energetic urbanism of  Phoenix, yielding the ability to enjoy the best of both worlds indicates that perhaps the historical placement of Phoenix isn’t as arbitrary as some suspect. Beauty surrounds, and someone early on recognized, organized, and has likely since capitalized.

Coming full circle to Gasoline, Nate is already reaping the benefits of having the time, space, and finances for spontaneous adventures. There was no large, messy house to come home to. No bills were left unpaid. The plan is functioning as designed, with days like this serving as a testimony.

Atypical Evening in The Avenues

As Nate continues his journey in Central Phoenix, he is simultaneously rediscovering his roots in the part of town some call The Avenues. For those unfamiliar with the general layout of Phoenix, Central runs north and south in the center. Streets run parallel to Central and count up going east. Avenues also run parallel to Central and count up going west.

Nate recently heard from his friend Marc, “I have never been over there. I really have no idea what is in the avenues”. To hear statements like these is both astonishing and affirming. The astonishment lies in the fact that Marc has no concept of what lies in an entire HALF of Phoenix. The affirmation lies in the fact that Marc is localized and involved in his immediate community, and is living a life that is reminiscent of the great neighborhoods of Chicago, New York, and Pittsburgh. Marc wins.

Granted, the avenues are not exactly a destination. They consist largely of seemingly mundane housing developments and strip malls that were built between 1970 and 2000. They are well kept, nonetheless, and are neighborhoods where people do everyday life. 

Last Thursday Nate was invited to watch the Arizona Cardinals football game at the Swizzle Stick (not to be confused with the Swizzle Inn) with his dear adopted parents. Skeptical to spend time at a likely-to-be-dive bar in the avenues but excited to enjoy the company, Nate ventured out of downtown into unfamiliar territory. While Nate knew exactly where the bar was geographically and had passed it countless times, he could not picture the establishment due to the lack of placeless-ness that is the amalgamation of Glendale, West Phoenix, Peoria, and Surprise.

Despite the lack of architectural character, one thing became apparent to Nate immediately. These strip mall storefront establishments are the Phoenician parallel to a dark, brick-laden, tin-ceilinged bar in Chicago or New York. Locals gather without pretense for cheap beer, loud football, and quaint company. While downtown Phoenix is doing a lot right, they are actually lacking something the seemingly placeless sprawling zones are doing well – a place to meet your neighbors and come as you are.

Not only can one come as they are, they can test the waters and push themselves to grow without the fear of judgment or embarrassment often inherent in “the scene”. Point in case – with little coaxing, Nate was able to get his adopted Dad to sing karaoke for the first time at the ripe young age of 67- an evening not soon to be forgotten.

Coming back to a point to ponder as downtown transitions and Nate establishes – what is the perfect blend of going-out flare that will attract people to downtown and gritty local comfort that will cause people to stay? How can Nate contribute to this as an architect and prototype citizen? The places that people “go out” are easy to spot and abound, but the places people stay are not as so evident as learned through the Swizzle Stick experience. The next challenge will be to overlook the flash on “the scene” and determine if the next level of life exists downtown so he can kick it as would the Beastie Boys - Root Down.