So I lost my wallet. It was very simple, made of black leather, and I dropped it (I'm assuming) outside the glorious Seattle Public Library, our final stop on a 4-day visit to Seattle.
I liked that It had no metal, no logo, no colorful lining, but I admit it was hard to find in a bag's dark interior. Inside, of course, were credit cards, medical ID, driver's license, money, credit certificates, and photos. Losing it was a bummer. Why am I including the lost wallet in a blog about appreciation?
I'm happy to tell you.
1) A wallet is a thing. I've lost wallets before. It's always a trial to replace the stuff within, but mostly it's just a small leather thing, nothing to feel too sentimental about. And now I get to buy a new one, which will certainly be in a bright color.
2) I didn't know how I'd board my flight home without identification. Luckily, Sea-Tac Airport has a Clear kiosk. I joined Clear last year and wasn't sure it was really worth the membership, BUT I told the attendant my predicament, and she explained that one doesn't need an ID with Clear. She scanned my retinas, and I was through security. That was exciting.
https://www.clearme.com/how-it-works
3) Look at this incredible library! I do not have a great eye, and in general don't take a lot of photographs, (hence, at least for the moment, no Instagram), but the Rem Koolhaas-designed library building can make anyone look like an "art photographer." The library was very busy on this Monday morning. People at computers, people in the stacks, people in the cafe, and very good gift shop, people at the Edward Curtis exhibit, people reading in comfortable chairs. Yes, many homeless people carrying their weight in satchels and shopping bags -- (there are plenty of them in Seattle) but they didn't scare off the other library-goers.
4) When I think about being a "grownup," I think I should be a woman with a French twist, a well-cut sheath dress, and pumps. My parents dressed up to go out at night, and at least five or six times a year went to black tie events. I so seldom measure up. I'm usually in blue jeans, a shirt and a sweater and flat shoes or low-heeled boots. A couple of bracelets on my right wrist; a watch on the left. On Wednesday night I wore a gown.... a gown.! A gown with a short train! We were invited to a gala celebration of Brooks Brothers 200th birthday. They produced a concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center that was superb. The emphasis was on America -- American music, American haberdashers, American idiom. Jazz, if you think about it, is a wholly American genre of music. Wynton Marsalis started off the program, with artists such as Jon Batiste, The Dap Kings, Allison Krause, Ledisi, Shirley Caesar, Chris Thile, Paul Simon ... a gospel choir, and many other performers. It was diverse, uplifting, and ended with a birthday cake. It was fun glamming up, but it required quite a bit of effort on my part. Not something I could do or want to do on a very frequent basis.
5) Robert S. Mueller, III
He's the man.
Have a great weekend!
Love,
Lisa