Do you know what else are beautiful? Handmade bleach-stenciled The Hedge hoodies.

Dave Zucker and I have had our eye on this project for nearly half a year but never found the time or inspiration to complete it. Around two weeks ago, we realized that our dearest Claire Storck (see below) was leaving for New York City today. As in, she's already left right now. To commemorate the fantastic, loving house we shared, Dave and I needed to produce before she departed.

Dave had the concept for each letter of 'hedge' based on congruent (is that the word I want?) circles at varying heights. I took this concept and added some thematic flair—the leaves and branches you see adorning the letters above. One late night with Illustrator and I had the design you see above, complete with a leafy heart for the left breast. Dave laser-cut the stencils into plastic sheets at work on Monday. We were ready last night, armed with bleach, a cosmetics spritzer, rags for blotting, and plastic bags for masking.

And we produced two perfect hoodies with nary a hitch. Success! I'll have to take some better (non-iPhone) photographs because the one we have really doesn't do the piece justice.

These final shots came from a fantastic evening over Memorial Day weekend, when Whit and Claire were visiting from San Francisco. We had purchased (nearly) matching shorts at REI then added to our outfits with 15 minute–$10 limit shirts from Buffalo Exchange, assigned to all participants randomly. What choice did we have but stage a photo shoot with these gorgeous ensembles?

I stumbled down the hall to the bathroom for a pee and several long gulps of water from the faucet---am I the only person who thinks bathroom sink water tastes way better than kitchen sink water? I stumbled back to bed and used my iPhone to set two (2) alarms and check my e-mail. Who knows what could have come through between midnight and 5 AM?

A bit over two hours later I yanked myself out of warmth for fast cereal and an even faster shower. No time was wasted considering wardrobe: clients are in town and we, NeonGecko, are heading back to the Columbia Tower Club for dinner with them. Today is a suit day, sans tie, and I snazzed up right quick. Watch on the wrist, pockets full, laptop bag---wait, what did my watch say? 7:36?

That means my bus is leaving the stop, what, right now?

I sprinted out the door and down the street towards 40th, seeing a car stopped, presumably behind the bus. The car started to pull away and, rounding the corner from Eastern to 40th, I caught a glimpse of the 26 Express heading up the hill. DEFEAT IS NOT AN OPTION.

I picked up the pace, knowing there would be a line of commuters at the next stop just two blocks up. The bus stopped, and I saw them start to board. One block to go. "Hold the bus! Hold the bus!"  Heads turned, and I knew I was safe.

I hopped onto the bus, thanking the bus driver and smiling at him despite his look of obvious impatience. The passengers wore mostly amused expressions as I found a seat in the back and fell down into it with a satisfied sigh. Victory.

I went through three outfits Monday morning before I was able to leave the house in peace. I started in a pair of hand-me-down gray Carhartt's with a VC Ultimate jersey. No, this didn't feel right---too informal. I switched to a nicer, cotton t-shirt and threw a VC quarter-zip ripper over it. I still was unsettled. What was wrong? I was only going to the law firm in Beacon Hill, at which everyone dresses casually. No one there has ever so much as blinked at sandals, shorts, Ultimate jerseys or my Jolly Roger armband.

And then I had a bit of an epiphany.

When I work at NeonGecko, I always acquit myself in smart clothing, be it business or business-casual. The nice shoes and belt come out, and I am rarely without a collar. Such has always been my conception of that job. I am compensated well because I am a skilled professional who delivers code and lands clients. I dress as if I am worth it and I work to prove it.

In contrast, I have not felt particularly professional or motivated of late in my development of CaseHawk for LawFortress. The working mode and environment has long been too casual, too haphazard, and I do not accomplish as much as I should. I have probably billed 25% fewer hours in each of the last two months than in any of those ten months preceding.

So, on Monday morning, I changed again, into a nicer pair of jeans and a tan button-down and my slick Skechers. I was dressing to approach seriously and professionally my work that day. I cannot say that those hours were perfect in productivity but I took a step in the right direction, I think. A brown, leather step, free of dangling dying threads at the end of my pant leg and Ultimate logos splashed across my chest.