1. RUNNING WATERS Meeting someone new for the first time and trying to connect with them can be a bit like fishing. It takes a certain kind of bait for a certain kind of fish and there is a whole lotta of wait time before you get a nibble. Sure, I could point out the common surroundings and talk about how dreary the weather is in Seattle or compliment a piece of clothing that I like from their cool hipster outfit, but nothing works better than asking what their spirit animal* is. It’s not a common question. It’s unexpected. And it gets them to think about something they don’t usually give the time of day for. In short, it’s provocative. If their animal was a Golden Retriever, I’m sure that person is or strives to be loyal, dependable and friendly. Plus, he probably love puppies. You can glean a lot more than you think from a silly question like this. Thanks to the the running waters of this bear statue, I got to thinking about what my spirit animal is — a bat with a boner. Now figure out what to do with that golden nugget of information! *In Shaman tradition, our spirit animal is a guide that helps and protects you the duration of your life on earth. Ocular Finding: Denny Way & 5th Ave. at Tilikum Place / Seattle, WA

    RUNNING WATERS

    Meeting someone new for the first time and trying to connect with them can be a bit like fishing. It takes a certain kind of bait for a certain kind of fish and there is a whole lotta of wait time before you get a nibble. Sure, I could point out the common surroundings and talk about how dreary the weather is in Seattle or compliment a piece of clothing that I like from their cool hipster outfit, but nothing works better than asking what their spirit animal* is.

    It’s not a common question. It’s unexpected. And it gets them to think about something they don’t usually give the time of day for. In short, it’s provocative. If their animal was a Golden Retriever, I’m sure that person is or strives to be loyal, dependable and friendly. Plus, he probably love puppies. You can glean a lot more than you think from a silly question like this.

    Thanks to the the running waters of this bear statue, I got to thinking about what my spirit animal is — a bat with a boner. Now figure out what to do with that golden nugget of information!

    *In Shaman tradition, our spirit animal is a guide that helps and protects you the duration of your life on earth.

    Ocular Finding: Denny Way & 5th Ave. at Tilikum Place / Seattle, WA

  2. STAIRS FOR THE HANDI & CAPABLE After a long night tearing up the dance floor and roaming drunkenly through the streets of downtown Vancouver, I didn’t think this one sight would be the most memorable to me–The Law Court stairs designed by Arthur Erickson. I ran up the stairs. I walked down the ramp. I sat on the steps. I took in the sun. And it’s the first thing that comes to mind when people ask me what I liked about trip. Every aspect of the design has been thought out beautifully. The grid pattern of the stone slabs has Mondrian sensibilities and the staircase layout is reminiscent of the Aztec buildings. The contemporary expression of these different influences in his architecture gives an air of sophistication and personality downtown Vancouver can call its own. Ocular Finding: Howe St. & Howe St. / Vancouver, B.C., CN

    STAIRS FOR THE HANDI & CAPABLE

    After a long night tearing up the dance floor and roaming drunkenly through the streets of downtown Vancouver, I didn’t think this one sight would be the most memorable to me–The Law Court stairs designed by Arthur Erickson. I ran up the stairs. I walked down the ramp. I sat on the steps. I took in the sun. And it’s the first thing that comes to mind when people ask me what I liked about trip.

    Every aspect of the design has been thought out beautifully. The grid pattern of the stone slabs has Mondrian sensibilities and the staircase layout is reminiscent of the Aztec buildings. The contemporary expression of these different influences in his architecture gives an air of sophistication and personality downtown Vancouver can call its own.

    Ocular Finding: Howe St. & Howe St. / Vancouver, B.C., CN

  3. CHAIN IT TO A RAINBOW It’s hard to appreciate the colors of a rainbow especially when you live in the inner city. Towering buildings block the sun from meeting the rain and our smartphones do an awesome job keeping our eyes looking down. But even against all these obstacles, nothing is going to stop our eyes from getting a rainbow fix any way that it can–even if we need to create them ourselves. Ocular Finding: 10th St. & Pine Ave. in front of Neumos / Seattle, WA

    CHAIN IT TO A RAINBOW

    It’s hard to appreciate the colors of a rainbow especially when you live in the inner city. Towering buildings block the sun from meeting the rain and our smartphones do an awesome job keeping our eyes looking down. But even against all these obstacles, nothing is going to stop our eyes from getting a rainbow fix any way that it can–even if we need to create them ourselves.

    Ocular Finding: 10th St. & Pine Ave. in front of Neumos / Seattle, WA

  4. THROW A WISH IN A WELL Lonely and probably the last of its kind to still be employed with electricity, this vintage Coca Cola machine sticks out like a sore outer belly button on Capitol Hill. It has no voice, yet its worn exterior croons a quiet story. Overtime, it has been weathered from the elements and have entertained many customers. There are no bright lights. There are no low humming sounds to be heard. There is no hint to let you know that it is alive and working. But with a little faith (and money), your parched souls with surely be refreshed when you cast your coins into this well. Ocular Finding: Broadway E. & E. John St. in front of Broadway Locksmith / Seattle, WA

    THROW A WISH IN A WELL

    Lonely and probably the last of its kind to still be employed with electricity, this vintage Coca Cola machine sticks out like a sore outer belly button on Capitol Hill. It has no voice, yet its worn exterior croons a quiet story.

    Overtime, it has been weathered from the elements and have entertained many customers. There are no bright lights. There are no low humming sounds to be heard. There is no hint to let you know that it is alive and working. But with a little faith (and money), your parched souls with surely be refreshed when you cast your coins into this well.

    Ocular Finding: Broadway E. & E. John St. in front of Broadway Locksmith / Seattle, WA

  5. COEXISTENCE OF GOOD & CRAP The ‘coexist’ bumper sticker design sensibilities have been called into question among many of my designer friends. Is it good or is it crap? After mulling about it some time, I’ve concluded that bumper stickers aren’t meant to be designed well. They are meant to be readable and make a statement. They deliver a message to whomever eyes lay upon them whether you agree with it or not. The ‘coexist’ sticker is no different. The message is more important than the visual aesthetics and the design speaks that in volumes. Ocular Finding: Belmont St. & E. Pine St. in Capitol Hill / Seattle, WA

    COEXISTENCE OF GOOD & CRAP

    The ‘coexist’ bumper sticker design sensibilities have been called into question among many of my designer friends. Is it good or is it crap?

    After mulling about it some time, I’ve concluded that bumper stickers aren’t meant to be designed well. They are meant to be readable and make a statement. They deliver a message to whomever eyes lay upon them whether you agree with it or not. The ‘coexist’ sticker is no different. The message is more important than the visual aesthetics and the design speaks that in volumes.

    Ocular Finding: Belmont St. & E. Pine St. in Capitol Hill / Seattle, WA

  6. LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD Ocular Finding: Battery St. & 1st Ave. in Belltown / Seattle, WA

    LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD

    Ocular Finding: Battery St. & 1st Ave. in Belltown / Seattle, WA

  7. PEN OF THIEVES There’s a good chance we’ve stolen a pen knowingly or unknowingly from work, school or even a restaurant. What makes it a habit to sign a receipt or document then directly thereafter slyly put it in your pocket and walk away? It’s a phenomenon that can or can’t be explained depending on who you ask. Octo Sushi did a clever thing to there pens that make customers chuckle when the waiter brings the check book along–funny faces on plastic spoons attached to everyday pens with Scotch tape. It’ll remind you not to take the pen, but at the same time, it’ll also tempt you to take the pen because it’s sooooo cute. That or you’ll want to take goofy pictures with them on your smartphone and write a blog post about it. Ocular Finding: Pine St. & 12th St. at Octo Sushi in Capitol Hill / Seattle, WA

    PEN OF THIEVES

    There’s a good chance we’ve stolen a pen knowingly or unknowingly from work, school or even a restaurant. What makes it a habit to sign a receipt or document then directly thereafter slyly put it in your pocket and walk away? It’s a phenomenon that can or can’t be explained depending on who you ask.

    Octo Sushi did a clever thing to there pens that make customers chuckle when the waiter brings the check book along–funny faces on plastic spoons attached to everyday pens with Scotch tape. It’ll remind you not to take the pen, but at the same time, it’ll also tempt you to take the pen because it’s sooooo cute. That or you’ll want to take goofy pictures with them on your smartphone and write a blog post about it.

    Ocular Finding: Pine St. & 12th St. at Octo Sushi in Capitol Hill / Seattle, WA

  8. KEY TO MY HEART Finding love is as elusive as discovering the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow or unearthing the lost city of Atlantis. Sometimes you look for it and you find it. Sometimes you keep an open mind and stumble across it. Sometimes you’re not even looking at all and it hits you like bird shit out of the sky. Ocular Finding: Republican St. and Dexter Ave. N / Seattle, WA

    KEY TO MY HEART

    Finding love is as elusive as discovering the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow or unearthing the lost city of Atlantis. Sometimes you look for it and you find it. Sometimes you keep an open mind and stumble across it. Sometimes you’re not even looking at all and it hits you like bird shit out of the sky.

    Ocular Finding: Republican St. and Dexter Ave. N / Seattle, WA

  9. EGGTASTICAL Egg decorating on Easter is right up there with handprint turkey art on Thanksgiving. A lot of these traditions can feel juvenile and we lose interest in them when we become older. But when a friend invited me to indulge in dyeing some Grade A eggs for Easter (which also happen to be from hens raised 100% naturally in a humane cage-free environment with vegetarian feed), I found that simple, unexplainable joy again. I felt like Sméagol from Lord of the Rings finally grasping the One Ring in hand except without all the vile corruptness that it brings. Occular Finding: E. Mercer St. & 14th Ave. E. at a friend’s house in Capitol Hill / Seattle, WA

    EGGTASTICAL

    Egg decorating on Easter is right up there with handprint turkey art on Thanksgiving. A lot of these traditions can feel juvenile and we lose interest in them when we become older. But when a friend invited me to indulge in dyeing some Grade A eggs for Easter (which also happen to be from hens raised 100% naturally in a humane cage-free environment with vegetarian feed), I found that simple, unexplainable joy again. I felt like Sméagol from Lord of the Rings finally grasping the One Ring in hand except without all the vile corruptness that it brings.

    Occular Finding: E. Mercer St. & 14th Ave. E. at a friend’s house in Capitol Hill / Seattle, WA

  10. WE’VE ALL USED THE WORD BEFORE ‘Poop.’ One of the greatest kid’s term known to man and South Park. Just like how bacon makes any dish go from good to great, so does the combination of ‘poop’ + (insert noun here) makes it funny or just very comically satisfying. Poop head. Poop face. Poop monster. Poop pimple. Poop gangster. Poop lady. And the poop list goes on. Ocular Finding: Belmont Ave. & E. Olive St. in Capitol Hill /Seattle, WA

    WE’VE ALL USED THE WORD BEFORE

    ‘Poop.’ One of the greatest kid’s term known to man and South Park. Just like how bacon makes any dish go from good to great, so does the combination of ‘poop’ + (insert noun here) makes it funny or just very comically satisfying.

    Poop head.

    Poop face.

    Poop monster.

    Poop pimple.

    Poop gangster.

    Poop lady.

    And the poop list goes on.

    Ocular Finding: Belmont Ave. & E. Olive St. in Capitol Hill /Seattle, WA