Asha (my eldest son’s friend) loves randomness. Every day in class, he will shout out: “Applewaggi!” No one knows when it’ll happen or what it means but it seems to keep everyone on their toes.
The ultimate compliment among this group of boys is to call something “random.” As in: “Whoa. That drawing is so random.” Or: “I had the most random pizza last night.” I’m sure the ghost of John Cage would be pleased. So here (in the spirit of all things haphazard and unrelated) is a random list about a random letter: “T.”
#1. Tin.
In Tulum, Mexico, a few years ago, I entered a store devoted to local crafts. Amid the usual souvenirs (i.e. portraits of Frida Kahlo and colourful Lucha Libre wrestling masks) were shadowboxes made from recycled tin. These “nichos” range from the simple to the gaudy and often feature dioramas starring saints or Dia de los Muertos figures. I know they’re touristy but I just love the look of punched tin.
#2. Theo.
When I first met my youngest son’s friend, Theo, he named all the cloud formations for me. It so happens that naming cloud formations is a hobby (and, might I say, forte) of mine so Theo and I hit it off instantly.
#3. Tiny Treehouse.
One day I hope to enjoy traditional tea in this tiny tatami-mat treehouse by Terunobu Fujimori.
