Who doesn't like to blog? Me, yes me! Blog about whatever you want, they tell me... so today I will do just that! Being a bit of a rebel, I am going to blog vent! Is that a real thing? Owning one's own business comes with a lot of extra worries and work. It does have a few perks though, and today's post is an example of one of them.
This morning I drove to meet with some client's whose home we recently finished designing the interior space of. On my way there I received a phone call while driving. I seldom take calls while driving even though it does go through the speakers of my vehicle. I am always thinking and creating different ideas while I am in my own little world during the drive time, and I love to have my music loud and windows down. Anyway, I declined the call allowing the voicemail to receive their message. When I arrived to the client's house I sat in the drive for just a minute to play the voicemail. Interesting, it was someone complaining of my driving too fast and what he perceived as "reckless" driving along with several choice words and an ending wish that I die in a fiery crash. He said I shouldn't be advertising my business name and number if I continue to drive like a jack_ _ _. The man didn't leave his name. My first inclination was to call and apologies for any inconvenience that my driving may have caused, but as I thought about it a bit I decided what kind of man calls and leaves a death wish voicemail on a woman's cell phone to begin with? A coward that is who. The same coward who was stopped as the light turned back to green when I passed him and sped up to catch me thru traffic and took out his phone in traffic to call me and tell me I was driving unsafe...imagine that. I truly was driving a bit too fast, but definitely not dangerously. Whereas someone speeding through traffic in a rage to catch up with another vehicle while messing with their phone probably was driving dangerously.
So, after finishing up the pictures of our finished home, I headed back to the office. I became more aware of my driving of course, but also of others. I noticed most drivers were actually driving the same speed as me and some even faster. Interesting as I never noticed that I pretty much keep pace with the flow of traffic.
Drive time truly is my time to enjoy the wind in my hair, the music, and also my time to create. I get inspired during these selfish little moments of my time. So, while some are looking for things to get angry over during their drive time like another vehicle changing lanes to pass slower traffic, or maybe the slower traffic in their way...some are simply just enjoying the drive.
Designing is a lot like that too. There are some designers that get lost in their anger of watching others pass them in the design world, the whole while they are struggling to make time to get inspired. Other's just design. They enjoy the ride so to speak! The ideas flow through them, like the blood courses through their veins.
A designer has to find what their inspiration time is, is it in the bath? While they sleep? While they drive? Maybe all the above! For me it truly is all the above. Most importantly I know when my creative moments are and I am ready to receive them. I don't take calls during drive time, I keep pen and paper by my bed, and also in my bathroom by my tub!
I did return the person's call when I arrived back in my office. I decided it needed to be handled with some humility and finesse. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned...
I began the conversation by introducing myself and apologizing for any inconvenience my driving might have caused him. Then as he preceded to be anything but gracious I realized this is just one of the reasons why I started my own business! It is my name on the line, and I can end the conversation being both informative but also direct. "Sir, you forgot to leave your name to your very cowardly voicemail and I just wanted to hear the name of the coward of a man who would leave threatening voicemails on a woman's phone"... Yes, there are some perks to owning your own business and this; today, was one of them.
Drive careful out there people! AND remember... life truly is more fun, when it is beautifully done!
~ Trish Whitsell