They are giving away Lighthouses. I want one but not one that requires a boat to access. Or has a lot of stairs. Or has a lot of wind. Actually I want a friend to have one and invite me for the weekend. Sort of like sunshine my preference is to be lighthouse adjacent. But if you want to take the government up on their offer I will for sure visit you.
“The dip of the light meant that the island itself was always left in darkness. A lighthouse is for others; powerless to illuminate the space closest to it.”
― M.L. Steadman
I am sitting in a different kind of Lighthouse. The finished two minutes ago still smells like paint is filled with ladders and I really hope I never need to see their punch list amount of time. This building was a long time coming yeah. But it isn’t my whole world. (Taylor Swift fans rejoice not just at my crappy quote but also because the horrible slimy romance with the alleged racist anti-semite is over.)
So to break it down Denver has a fucking amazing writer’s everything (I played with space, school, birthing center) that used to be housed in a Victorian on Colfax, the street famous to my readers for housing my son’s high school and famous to Playboy for being “the longest, wickedest, street in America.” Due to landlord stuff and also outgrowing the Victorian the Lighthouse Writer’s everything began a capital campaign to fund construction of the space that I am sitting in right now. RIGHT. NOW.
The temporary spot was in a reclaimed warehouse community which had somethings to recommend it (ample parking and proximity to Steve’s favorite brewery) and other things that made it not-so-good, Echoes, bathrooms a mile down a concrete maze. Now however I am in the new space. Sure I dropped out of the design consulting committee but in all other ways I support this move. If you are wondering why I am a committee drop out… an overfull room of super-nice writer/introverts making a series of decisions with care and compassion is an excellent setting for me to bulldoze (pun sort of intended) and alienate said lovely people.
Obviously they made the decisions without me because I am inside a building that was built. It has a spiral staircase and fireplaces and couches and desks and a kitchen and a bookshelf or 187. It also has quotes. The paper is still affixed to the vinyl decals but the one near my super comfortable mid-century inspired settee says: “Be Wyrd. Be enchanted. Read Poetry.” It is above a giant niche (nitch, neesh) that I assume will be shelved with poetry books. But I am a drop out so I don’t know for sure. I also don’t know if Wyrd is a poet. Perhaps if I read more poetry I would know.
Today I am taking a “soft opening” class to help them figure out tech and how many chairs fit at a table. Or something. On Friday I will spend many hours a day here for lit fest. Which might mean that I write to you more (because inspiration and generative workshops) or less (I’ll be busy and tired and cranky and pretending not to be those last two.)
If Lighthouses are a little too classy for you (style and also workshop wise) I present to you Catopia. Because nothing says class like a stuffed animal cat collage.
Would you rather live in Catopia or ride a boat to your cozy Lighthouse home? Also are you a committee drop out?
Would love to visit your friend who gets the lighthouse (up there with all the chateaus they are selling on the cheap in France because the cost to heat / maintain is insane!) Enjoy LitFest- cannot wait to see the new building.
You are a terrific interior designer. I'm sorry you left the committee. But there's work to be done at my house.....