Meet Elwood. Magical unicorn. Party animal. Coffee buddy for life.
Elwood’s fairy tale begins in an Effort, Pennsylvania ceramics studio. It may not be an enchanted forest, but it is a charming place, bursting with creativity and inspiration. It’s where JoAnn Stratakos develops original designs, like everyone’s favorite Rainbow Unicorn, by letting the clay guide her imagination.
Every team member here at UncommonGoods gets a chance to tell a bit of their own story, but every now and then someone comes along who really steals the show. For the past two and half years that person has been (que in spirit fingers) Gabrielle Dolceamore. (Yes, that is her real last name. And no, you are not pronouncing it right.) Gaby has been one of the most public-facing Ugooders yet. If you read the blog, follow us on social media, or attend our events, you know Gaby. So, like us, you’ll be sad to see her leave UncommonGoods. Sure, we’re bummed that we’re losing our friend and coworker, but we also feel lucky to have had her as part of the team and are proud to celebrate all she’s accomplished here.
As Community Outreach Coordinator, Gaby’s done great work telling our brand story through lookbooks and PR events, chatting up artists and designers (on stage!) as a design panel organizer and moderator, and building our community through design challenges, email newsletters, and social media. We’ll miss her clever hashtags (#UGInstaFun), consummate style, and impromptu ukulele concerts.
Besides her major responsibilities mentioned above, Gaby is also known for her witty one-liners, shopping online like a gold medal Olympian, zenning out through after work yoga at Prospect Park, and her entertaining Avenue Q one-woman-show outbursts.
Gaby, we love you, we will miss you, and we thank you tremendously for sharing your undying love for Barbara Streisand, teaching us how we can make everything look better with the miracle of washi tape, and heavily supporting our Pinterest procrastination. Good luck in all of your future adventures!
Valentine’s Day is approaching and, as the old saying goes, love is in the air. We’re extra giddy about celebrating Saint Valentine’s holiday this year thanks to a special collection of fun new art created by our Product Development team. The Intersection of Love ™ is a way to show the world that your one-and-only has a special place in your heart.
On the other hand, Valentine’s Day can be a total bummer for those who are feeling unlucky not in love. And, since our blog team is made up of women at different points in the journey to the intersection of love, we decided to pool our experiences one night over a couple glasses of wine and share our best advice for those looking to arrive at the corner of commitment.
1. Make an itinerary for your journey. Know who you are and what you want.
Some travelers are just looking for friendship, others are looking for marriage, and some want something in between. Before hitting the road, evaluate what you really want. Look at the map of where you’ve already been to evaluate past relationships, then make a note of where you want to be, who you want to be there with you, and what you want to do to find that person.
2. Choose Your Mode of Transportation
Where will you feel comfortable meeting someone? Many people find love online these days. There’s nothing wrong with that, and although it can be scary setting up that online dating profile, once you make the decision to do it it’s a lot easier than you think!
It’s also okay to go the old-fashioned route. Get out there and attend events where you can meet people with similar interests, talk to your friends to see if they’re interested in setting you up, and don’t feel like you have to commit to the same mode of transportation for the whole ride.
3. Read the Road Signs
You’ll come across some important road signs along the way, so it’s important to be able to read those signals. Some things are easy to pick up on (your potential partner stops texting), but others are a bit more subtle. It’s impossible to tell what another person is thinking, so trust your intuition. Spending time with someone is sort of like taking driver’s ed. You’ll learn new things along the way.
4. Check Your Gas Gauge
You don’t want to run out of gas, but that can happen if you leave a lead foot on the accelerator. It’s okay to tap the brake, or even pull over for a bit if you think you’re going too fast. Keep your tank full by making conscious efforts to keep your relationship exciting. Also, take the time to really think about your relationship and if what you’re putting into it (and getting from it) is creating a mutual valuable experience. If your tank does start to get low, it’s time to evaluate whether it’s working or if it’s just time to move on.
5. Know When to Flip on Cruise Control
So, you have a full tank of gas and you’re feeling pretty comfortable? When your relationship is in a good place, you don’t always have to stress about what’s next. When you get to this point, make time to enjoy just hanging out together (even if you don’t have big plans), get to know each other’s friends and family, and learn little things about each other you didn’t know before. Sometimes it’s fine to relax and take in the scenery.
6. Knowing When You’ve Arrived at the Intersection of Love
When you reach the intersection, you can pretty much drive with your eyes closed (though we certainly don’t recommend doing that on any actual road trip). When you’re both in the same place emotionally and have the same idea of what it means to “arrive” then it’s almost as if your GPS has announced “Destination on left.”
Disclaimer: The blog team at UncommonGoods are not relationship experts. We don’t have degrees in interpersonal psychology, and the advice in this post probably shouldn’t be taken too seriously. However, we do sincerely hope you find your way to the intersection of love!
