Amazing feats of engineering

P1290276I'm still finding blue feathers all over the house.

And it's funny, but they make me think of my dad (who passed away 7 years ago).

He was an engineer. And he used to tell me that engineering, like design, was just a matter of "problem-solving."
I remember having this discussion with him when I was fresh out of design school and was hired to design a logo for a gal who was selling costume jewelry out of her Hollywood apartment.

He would reassure me with: "It's just a problem to solve.  Even rocket science or brain surgery is just about solving a problem. You can do it."  That thought still helps me to this day.

I did end up doing the logo for the jewelry designer and she paid me my $75.  On a side note: She is a multi-millionaire today, but it is still my own handwriting that ended up being her logo. (small comfort, but I still get a kick out of it whenever I see it. =D)

Back to blue feathers and engineering...
I had to design a tail for Lucy that would grow ON STAGE.  And although I knew I could do it,  I was wringing my hands trying to figure it out.  I would sort of chant the mantra: "it's just problem solving. I can do this." (actually, I chanted it in Spanish =D)

I am out-of-my-skin proud of my daughter and her performance.
But I have to say, I'm really proud of engineering that growing tail.
(Thanks for your help, Papi.)

NOTE: The other "Amazing" girl in the video is also Cuban-American - does this surprise anyone? And I also (blush, blush) designed her pink & feathered dress.  ;-)

So you see,  Cookie,  I am pretty rich myself. =D