July 11, 2024

Volume 194

FROM CEDAR TOWN

As curated by Mike Lynch

Founder, Artist, Craftsman, Underground Poet

A very long time ago, I became close pals with a local legend by the name of Brian. Brian runs a rad local lumber design studio called Made Lumber and he builds epic furniture.

Somehow, someway our tastes for the more handmade crafts in life synced up and we became pals - he’s like a big bro to me, really. The guy is fiddling and designing at all hours - only person I’ve met in my life who always has more projects than me, and believe me, that’s a shit load - it’s mostly impressive because the quality is always there. Ironically, and this isn't self-boasting,  but man I find it so surprising when you can be built in such a way that you are purely output and almost barely any input(yes, that’s how I am, hence, imperfects as a company).

Brian is one of those kinds of freaks of nature, as am I, and this is why I’m talking about Brain and wood working and cedar. It all leads to cedar. Stay with me, I’ll bring this whole thing around. 

So way back, I started making chore coats and surfboards with the Imperfects logo on em and the first dude to invite me to sell my gear at a shop was Brian. Years later, I mentioned during a surf that I was thinking about starting a surf factory, the next day I got a call and the big bro Brian found me a spot across the street from his place. The first office table and dinner table I ever owned were handmade by the dude. The first time I ever dyed clothes in a batch of Osage wood pulp were with the big bro(stay tuned for that collab, btw). I tested countless chore coats and courier pants on him because if they could outlast him, they would outlast anyone.

What's been keeping you grounded?

I pulled off more natural light shoots in his lumber yard than I should probably admit! The first time I purchased a building in the name of Imperfects was because Uncle Big Bro Brian found the location and built me up mentally strong enough to form the investment strategy and make the leap. And now, here we are, 6 months after deciding we should order 7,000lbs of raw cedar from Oregon, to sitting on beautiful rough sawn cedar that we are going to build the Imperf retail store with, all thanks to uncle big bro Brian. Why am I telling you this? Simple: you have to appreciate those epic homies around you who push you to become greater than what you believe you are and you have to meet those OGs with full force.

What are you into lately?

I give everything my all, I never do anything half ass and I pride myself on that, I think that’s partially what the moral of the story is here but today, it became a whole different beast. There was something about fork lifting and hand unloading a 40’ trailer of 20’ long cedar planks that just made me realize, this is fucking going for it.
Intrinsically, I’m not very confident. Internally, I’m too profound or have too much going on mentally to hold most basic conversations for long periods of time. Emotionally, I’m a bit more in touch with my inner self than the norm. I’m constantly moving at 125mph just like my golf swing. This is all because of my surrounding humans.

We like to call Imperfects ‘The Human Experience’ for two reasons: 1, we are all inherently and naturally imperfect and that’s the dopest part of this whole journey and 2, being aware of your own human journey gets you a shit load more awareness with the other humans around you, then that becomes cyclical and makes you a better human, all around. The strengths we grow into in this life are not coming from being on our own but coming from
Being together. 

So let me wrap this up so I can get to the poem I have flowing in the background right now: listen to the true energy inside yourself and you’ll end up with an uncle Brian getting you 7k lbs of cedar to work with! Feel me?! Whatever your passion is, let it be fueled by your imperfections because that’s where it stems from. The HQ smells like a cedar forest right now and that’s a dream I’ve wanted to fulfill since I was a little grommet and I had absolutely no idea until today. Happiness is surprising yourself by out performing yourself. Thanks for the life lessons Uncle Brian, I’ll keep the free clothing and surfboards coming forever G .

WHAT IM ROCKIN'

Dude. The courier short, a Sailor shop tee, our latest Shepherds Shirt in ‘67 Wash Primo Denim and my broken in Exodus by Imperf Travelers Cap. My goodness, summer season is pure fit comfort mentality and these are all boosting right now! Pair of Classic Vans and a sock check, I’m smooth sailin’. Toppin’ it off with the new Root Beer from the homies at Grey and Patina.

Shop Tee in Organic Cotton

Shop Tee in Organic Cotton

$45.00

POEM OF THE WEEK

It’s a full life.
True realization is the element 
The one they don’t explain 
You have to dismiss the mess and dissect the pyche 
Throw the ego overboard and let it tread water 
Save the ego with a buoy when you become a Father 
The strain is not the pain 
The realization is the only gain 
Let the beauty be in the eye of the beholder 
The holding is all held by you and your love for the smell of cedar.

What are you drinking?

WHAT IM DRINKING

Pinot Noir - been on this Willamette Pinot from Beaux Freres. Smooth Old World Style, reliable. Unreal for the summer months.I

What are you listening to?

WHAT IM LISTENING TO:


How I built This podcast by Guy Raz
(they are all good but the new episode with Fawn Weaver or Uncle Nearest is amazing).

Quote of the Week

QUOTE OF THE WEEK


'Hipness is not a state of mind, it’s a fact of life.”

— Cannonball Adderley