It feels almost ironic to be in business of making time-keeping devices when time itself seems to have come to a screeching halt. Not exactly overnight, as the reports, personal accounts, and statistics have been dotting the news for weeks prior to the shutdown, heralding the health- and economic crisis that was to come. But by the measures of a small business this is definitely rather short notice. It is like waking up to a wrecking ball barreling through the walls of your bedroom, and realizing that you, as well as all the rest of your neighbors have missed the memo posted by the elevators from the absentee management that the building is slated for demolition.
It’s never easy to predict the weeks and months ahead in an economic crisis, and to time the bottom, and we will not attempt to do that. This is more about where we are now. It’s about what we can do, how do we man the bridge, and steer this tanker through the eye of the storm. Can we rely on the instruments that have guided us this far – are they still calibrated? Or is this time to adjust our bearings. All the while waves are thrashing the vessel port and starboard.
This has got to be the most ironic crisis we’ve endured in this century. Despite how turbulent things appear to be for small business, the world outside is standing completely still. Traffic in LA has all but disappeared – along with it, the iconic sheet of LA Smog. The flat-topped skyline of downtown can be seen from as far south as Orange Hills – clearly outlined against the overcast sky like a group of investors in top hats huddling together amid Wall Street panic. On the streets faces are rare – masks are not.
The world is staying indoors – ourselves included. The romantic in me can’t help but to think of this as a scene from the Firefly, or an hour spent in No Man’s Sky gallivanting about the universe – everyone appears to be in their own unique pressurized spacecraft, communicating with one another over screens and speakers. I suppose had this pandemic any patience or decency it would at least wait a couple of years for us to have holograms to interact with. But oh well. Flat imagery it is. we deal, we deal.
Our pressurized spacecraft is managing quite well to stay afloat, despite the [quite real] stormy weather, and [quite quite real] water leaks through the cracks in the ancient concrete walls of our shop. While business is at a halt, work inside goes on. We are re-tooling, re calibrating, testing new ideas, and planning where to set course for next, once the smoke clears. And, having consolidated our shop closer to us, we’re open for online business as well. While the world stands still, time does not. And neither do the devices that tell it.
Stay healthy everyone… We want you to know that in case you feel like you’re losing track of time, you’re not alone. But if you need a beautiful, wall-mounted device to help you keep track of it – don’t be a stranger ;]
