I met Wendy the first day of college at The Ohio State University in autumn of 1990. We were both hoping to enroll in the design program but first we had complete preliminary classes and submit a portfolio.
She coerced me to ditch my current Art 101 class and join hers with an awesome teacher by the name of Michael Arrigo. This would be the first time among thousands when Wendy steered me in the right direction. We learned a ton from him and I honestly think he helped me see the world with a new lens.
As our college days wore on it it became apparent I would not have graduated without Wendy’s help. I copied her class schedules, she made sure I remembered important dates and she reminded me when to eat.
We made it through design school, living together in a packed house on the edge of campus. Thankfully cameras required film back then and most of this phase of life is undocumented.
After starting our first jobs around Columbus we got with our good friend Anne and rented a condo at the edge of Goodale Park. Thus began our Three’s Company phase of life. I was a slob at the time in the basement. At one point I had the cable shut off because bills were made of paper and I was a space case.
Eventually I would move to Cincinnati to start a web company. Anne and Wendy would join some years later and dive headfirst into the world of web design!
This story could go on and on… Let me fast forward a little…
Wendy met Tom.
They got married.
They had a few kids and moved to Oxford.
While web budgets petered out after 9/11, I closed up shop and joined with Wendy and Tom to start Wire & Twine.
By the time they had their third child, they asked if I wanted to be in the delivery room. Wendy knew I would not likely experience a live childbirth in my lifetime, so she let me and two other dear friends to witness the arrival.
So at this point? We’re family.