After 5.5 years of living together, my partner Aubrie and I decided to de-nest and see what living alone as adults would be like. So around 6 months ago I moved into my own place for the first time in my life. As with any life change, settling in has taken some time. It’s been positive in ways such as discovering my green thumb and deciding how I want my space to look/feel. But it’s also has been deeply uncomfortable with countless moments of second guessing and intrusive thoughts.
I thought about breaking my lease several times to move to another place in the city. I toured multiple apartments with this goal in mind. I thought about moving to Baltimore. I thought about moving to Philly. I thought about moving to New York. At one point I purchased and sold 4 different mirrors in a two week timespan. Thinking that maybe if I threw myself into decorating and forced myself into nesting that I could manifest the stillness that I was looking for. And because you’re reading this post we both know that the mirror didn’t bring stillness, though I’m told it’s the perfect mirror (for now). My uncomfortableness persisted and I didn’t know how I was going to survive the restlessness that came with it.
But then I did.
It’s been awkward and hard but somehow I’ve made it 6 months. The restlessness is still there at the back of my mind but now waiting till my lease ends seems doable. I’m still uncomfortable but have learned that the feeling naturally ebbs and flows. There’s no silver bullet that will cure it forever. I’ve learned to appreciate this new rhythm that living alone has created. I’ve learned that change takes time to settle.
Elsewhere…
I’m no longer teaching Web Design for Artists at MICA this Fall (Scheduling Conflicts, :(( )
I’m teaching Generative Typography at Type@Cooper this Fall ( :) )
Peep the promo graphic that I made for it
There are some new riso prints in the shop
I’ve been plotting:
And lastly a card I made for a friend using woodblock printing. Didn’t get a picture of the final (non crooked) one so you’ll have to settle for an outtake:
-mello
P.S. - A picture inside of my place around the end of May
