It’s my first week back from New York, and I have to say I’m surprised at how nostalgic I was this time around (likely due to the great weather and getting to see so many old friends). And yet I’m so very glad to be home with the puppies and tending to my garden.
I came back to some media mail, most excitingly, my copy of Afghan Style. For those that don’t know what that is, my good friend, veteran Marine, and professional photographer-cum-designer Robert Spangle smuggled himself back into Afghanistan nearly a decade after his last deployment there to capture and document the bold and broad range of Afghani style from the adornments of Kochi nomads to Buzkashi players and Taliban. What I love most about the book is how well it catalogs the different aspects of style on a fundamental level while honing in on how Afghan culture has uniquely and preternaturally excelled at this aspect of self-expression, as well as the socioeconomic factors that have influenced it. There are principles here that can be applied by men and women living anywhere, and there are specific details, seen but not explicitly expressed in the copy, that I find particularly inspiring in how they marry form, function, and cultural relevance. It’s a true work of art that I think perfectly expresses Rob’s personality and unique approach to life and relationships. He’s someone who I’ve found captivating in his unassuming charm and infectious charisma, and it’s something that comes across for me in everything he does. Maybe that just speaks to the authenticity of it all, but if you know the guy, you know he lives and breathes the work he’s devoted his life to.
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