The Children of Charles & Ray Eames: What Have I Done For You Lately III

Rarely are we able to do something we love and be paid for it, but this month I was lucky. When Nathalie, the Editor of East&West Magazine here in Saigon, asked me to write a story about Charles & Ray Eames for their September issue, I was overjoyed. The Eames' through their design, art, films and architecture have always proven to have been an inspiration of a higher power to me. See my story below, and share with me a life of art, love, design and modern technique that lives in complete harmony.

E&W.Eames

For more in the "What I have I Done For You Lately" series see:

(I)WHIDFYL I: American Airlines
(II)WHIDFYL II: Nintendo
(III) WHIDFYL III: The Children of Charles & Ray Eames
(IV) WHIDFYL IV: Heartbeat Vietnam
(V) WHIDFYL V: A Study in Contrast - Sandrine Lloquet

Perspective

Today on the street there was a woman with a small pile of electrical refuse – wires and connectors and stuff, sockets & plugs. She had a screwdriver and a small hammer and was very deliberately separating the tiny copper and brass connectors from their plastic casings, throwing the plastic away. Each effort yielded a piece of metal about half the weight of a penny. She had a very small bag full of the scrap metal – not even a pound; and that was worth her time this afternoon – right across the street from the photo here. Graham Greene in his novel "The Quiet American" called Vietnam a country where nothing goes to waste. I see this in practice everyday. I am paid to think for a living. I shouldn't waste a thought. Perspective, for sure.

Update: 03.02.09 - I have learned since, that the building you see pictured was designed to be the home of a famous writer - hence, the window treatments representing the quill of a pen. Tre' cool.

For more on the "Perspective" or "Little Things" series, click below:

My Morning Wake-Up Call - Perspective XX: The Little Things XII
We'll Have A Gay Old Time - Perspective XIX: The Little Things XII
"Rolled Foggy Disposed Ricepaper" - Perspective XVIII: The Little Things XI
Joyeux Noel - Perspective XVII: The Little Things X
Lunch With Obama - Perspective XVI: The Little Things IX
One Motley Crue On The Bus Today - Perspective XV: The Little Things VIII
Attraction vs. Conversion: How To Power Your Blog - Perspective XIV: The Little Things VII
A glass box full of deep fried chicken heads - Perspective XIII: The Little Things VI
Seoul Searching - Perspective XII
He Would Have Shot Me 40 Years Ago - Perspective XI: The Little Things V
Chomsky on Colour & Sleep - Perspective X: The Little Things IV.2
Running With Scizzors - Perspective IX: The Little Things IV
Henry Miler II - Perspective VIII : The Little Things III.1
Henry Miller - Perspective VII: The Little Things III
Big Brother - Perspective VI: The Little Things II
This Carnival of Life! - Perspective V
The Art Walk - Perspective IV: The Little Things
Bentley #5 - Perspective III.2
Bentley vs. Vespa - Perspective III.1
Bentleys Invade Vietnam - Perspective III
Death Of A Colleague - Perspective II
Perspective