I often look around at the objects we fill our lives with, and wonder if there isn't something better, something more designed and pleasing to the eye to be had. Given that our blind fealty to the baser tenets of capitalism has brought us to the brink of destroying the climate, it seems that finding not just prettier but more considered, hand-crafted items just might be a better way forward. I also really like the aesthetic and cultural experience of the small fire, it's power to enthrall us, bring us together, and transport us through time to a primal place of comfort and camaraderie as we huddle around its warmth. Add some computer-aided design and laser cutting to the mix, and you have a redolent, fiery nexus of the ancient and modern to help stave off the darkness with your friends and loved ones.
Plus, given that the corona virus torpedoed that screen project I spoke of in my last post, I was looking for something other than craft beer and mountain biking to keep me occupied.