One of the important things Dan and I have in common is that we are both curious people. We actively look for ways to broaden our horizons, and very rarely do I suggest we attend/visit/explore something that Dan turns his nose up at.

I would say we are both hobby designers. Dan actually has a graphic design degree, and though he doesn’t use it much these days, you can see his design eye throughout our house and on the bicycles he has designed.

As for me, I have no visual arts training whatsoever, but (like many of us) I am drawn to and inspired by great design. I do judge books by their covers, and I have definitely made impulse purchases based on packaging alone.

Aaron Draplin came through town last week on a book tour and I had no problem talking Dan into attending his presentation. If Draplin’s name doesn’t sound familiar, his work will, including logos for Patagonia, icons for Wired, and gift cards for Target.

Closest to my heart is the Field Notes brand of notebooks, which I have dutifully carried for years — in fact, last Christmas, I found the Field Notes archival box under our tree.

Dan and I both loved Draplin’s funny, rambling and insightful presentation at CSU. My favorite slide of the night summed up Draplin’s work goals: Fighting hard to live my life creatively, enjoy the work along the way, and provide for my loved ones. And be free. With no alarms waking me up. 

I am working toward my own freelance business, and these words struck a chord with me — they reminded me that all of this hustle is in service to a larger goal of freedom, autonomy, and sleeping in.

We had to duck out before the Q&A, but that afforded us an opportunity to take a picture of Draplin’s orange van. Dan is holding one of the Field Notes that I happened to be carrying with me at the time.

Another memento: the first sticker on our new car is of Draplin design. (Check out his merch, it is insane. And there is still time to have it alllllll delivered to me before Christmas.)