They Yellow Paperclip in Enzo's Birthday Loot Bag

I can't believe it has been a year since I held newborn Enzo in my arms (read more about Enzo HERE). We celebrated his first birthday at Jollibee and I was thrilled when Rhea told me she wanted to include my book in the kids' loot bags.

My paperclip had a great time surrounded by kids, toys, sweets and Chicken Joy! Here are some snapshots from yesterday's party: there's Mommy Rhea and Baby Enzo, me with friendly Jollibee, and a group shot (look for Becca who is all grown up now!).

Here's the Yellow Paperclip with my officemate's kids - with Ron's four-year old brother and with Janet's nephew Marvin. Sweet! Thank you, Mommy Rhea!

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Seoul

It was a cross between Amazing Race and Lost in Translation as I made my way to Seoul on a solo adventure on a rainy Wednesday morning. A kind Rotarian brought me to the bus station in Cheongju City, helped me buy my ticket, waited until I boarded the bus... and even waved goodbye from the terminal!

I spent the afternoon checking out hotels for upcoming events in Seoul and shopping in the famous Nam Dae Mun market... all alone except for the essentials: some Won, an umbrella, my trusty Crocs, and a Lonely Planet Korean phrasebook! That evening, I met up with Jeda Kim, an old friend from AdMU, and my colleague Stephanie Nam for a delicious dinner in Yoido, in the heart of Korea's Manhattan-like district.

The rest of the evening was spent walking around the University Belt. Stephanie and I went to Cafe Eros, her favorite fortune teller cafe (my destiny is exciting... ;-) I can't wait for the rest of my life!), and three other cafes before we called it quits at nearly 5 in the morning! By the time I got into a cab, sleepy and tipsy, the sky was fast changing color. I crashed on the hotel bed with the sunrise on my face... What a memorable Sleepless in Seoul adventure! Kamsa hamnida!

Yellow and Purple Flowers in Korea

As promised, here are a few of my favorite photos of yellow and purple flowers. There will be more as the days and weeks go by...

I made sure I placed my "wishing rocks" near a bunch of yellow wildflowers. We were told that wishes come true when rocks are stacked up and placed along the riverbank. I tried to find the most heart-shaped rock I could find. Hee-hee.

I love it how Mama Mary looks Korean! I took this photo after our first Sunday Mass in Okcheong City. And of course I love it how the flowers in the pots are yellow and purple!

This is one of my favorite macro-shots. There are so many purple flowers here in Korea but somehow, they all still draw me in.

A Purple/Pora Hanbok Just for Me

Greetings from Jincheon City! I got to wear a pora (or purple) hanbok, the traditional Korean dress in Cheongju City last week. Isn't it pretty? I saw it in the hanbok store when we walked in and fell in love with the hand-embroidered butterflies and the purple ribbon. I mentioned that my favorite color is purple and I got to wear it! I think I could pass for a Korean girl?

There are so many beautiful yellow and purple flowers here that I've been taking close-up shots left and right. With all the flowers, food and sights, I have a total of over 700 photos in just six days. Will my 2GB memory card be enough? Will I be able to choose a few as my favorite shots? Will I ever tire of taking shots of yellow and purple flowers? (Wait for the flowers in my next post... or should I start another blog just for my Korean adventures?)

A Month in the Life

In less than ten hours, I'll be on a plane heading to South Korea for a four-week exchange program with the Rotary Foundation. Together with two others, I was chosen to be a member of the Group Study Exchange (GSE) Outbound Team to Chungcheongbuk-do (approximately two hours south of Seoul). I look forward to being some kind of ambassador for RI District 3830, the Rotary Club of Makati North, DDI and the Philippines itself.

I'll have intermittent access to email but should be able to check messages at least every other day (... I wonder if I'll ever have time to blog?). I'll also be getting a Korean mobile phone so don't fret if I don't reply to messages you send to my Smart account. As Bing bid me farewell last Friday, she exclaimed: "You'll be a changed woman by June!" We'll see just how big a purple spot the GSE will turn out to be... Until then, annyonghi kyeseyo!

A Picture Book for Papa

Thanks to iPhoto, I was able to make a picture book for my dad's 60th birthday. It's my first print-on-demand book (courtesy of Picture Books) and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. My dad has been taking photographs ever since I can remember and one of his favorite subjects is the humble (and often lonely) bicycle. One of the earliest shots is this bicycle in Amsterdam in 1981. I collected several photos (I love it how he has a hard drive just for his photos... and even a folder specifically for all of his bicycle shots!) and counted exactly sixty bikes (some photos had more than one in them!), worked on the layout on iPhoto (I love how Macs are so intuitive and foolproof!), and sent them over for printing. Best of all, Papa is well pleased with the book.

Remember how I said it's now my personal mission to help others realize their dreams? Papa has always wanted to have his own photo exhibit, and a portfolio is a first step. This book 60 Bicycles can serve as his portfolio. Other possible book projects: 60 Doors, 60 Patterns, 60 Shots of Nikki... Happy 60th birthday, Papa! I love you very mucho!

PS. While I'm happy with the quality of the printing and binding, I was so upset with the delay, considering I gave my photos in two weeks in advance. It was unnecessary stress! So if you want to make picture book through them, just make sure you don't have a super tight deadline. (But, plus points for them though: they replied to my I'm-an-unhappy-customer email and gave me a 15% discount.)

One Step Closer to Another Big (and Shared) Dream

I beat the official deadline by an hour and 58 minutes. At 10:02 PM tonight, I clicked "SEND" to an email I sent to the Board of Judges of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. Attached were my scanned official forms, my resume and of course, a copy of my story. But I really should say our story, or even better, his story.

I have always dreamed of submitting an entry to the Palanca Awards (okay, another tick on my checklist!), but my friend has always dreamed of having his own children's storybook. I find myself drawn to helping other people realize their dreams (yes, it's pay-it-forward time), so when I found out last year, I told him to join the upcoming PBBY-Salanga and the Palanca Awards. He felt stuck and didn't know where to begin; I really wanted to help so it was but natural for me to volunteer and write a story for and with him.

The result is a collaborative story: one I wrote with a lot of inspiration and guidance from my friend, with the help of YM messages, Skype calls, email and SMS exchanges. It's the first time I collaborated with someone to write a story and it was a very good experience. I'm happy with how the story turned out. We submitted it to the 2007 PBBY-Salanga Prize last year but unfortunately, it did not make it. We'll see if the stars are aligned to get us the Palanca Award... and sending it out is a big step closer to our dream! It must be the craziest, fastest-and-most-furious time in my life right now (get this: editing a book on leaders, running after a big sales prospect, managing a regional project, preparing for an upcoming four-week trip to Korea, getting ready for my dad's big 60th birthday... whew!), but I'm really happy I took time out to do this. Once again, it's the most perfect time to quote one of my most favorite quotes of all time: Dreams mean work. (It's the last line in Coelho's By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept and has been my YM status message for the last few weeks.)

As much as I want to go public, I can't quite disclose the subject, plot and the name of my friend just yet. We'll have to wait until the results are out on September 1st. When we hear the great news then, we'll definitely celebrate with a bang!

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Portugal

What a nice surprise in my inbox today from Susana, a good friend of May Ann:

Hi Nikki! I don't know if you remember us: we are the twins from Lisbon, Portugal. We commented in your blog a couple of weeks ago. As promised, here is the picture of the two of us holding your/May Ann's fantastic book. We wish you all the best and hope to see many more books from you!

P.S. Oh, and I forgot to say: in the picture, Patricia is wearing the white shirt and I am wearing the brown one.

I'm so happy the Yellow Paperclip found its way to Portugal, but even happier that it has made twin friends. Here's hoping for more books too!

Easter's Yellow and Purple Spots

My countdown to Easter was spent at The Karis retreat house, a beautiful sacred space in cool Tagaytay, at my second Jesuit silent Holy Week retreat. I had four days to sloooooooow down, rest, refresh my weary self and relish in God's Silence... and yes, to appreciate His yellow and purple creations!

My spiritual director was Bro. Oliver Dy, S.J., a.k.a. Bro. Ody - truly a blessing and a kindred spirit when it comes to our love for stars and words. It was wonderful to share my personal history with him (which is not complete without the story of The Yellow Paperclip, of course!). He enjoyed reading my story and saw glimpses of Aquinas' medieval theology - now that's a first! But more importantly, Bro. Ody helped me to identify and articulate the ever-elusive yet present thread of Providence working in and out of my life. I was just so happy that the gift of writing stories is, and will be, an important element in my continuously unfolding life story. Storywriting has taken on a completely new meaning for me and I can't contain my excitement for the work and service ahead. I am humbled beyond words. Thank you, Lord!

You're invited to visit my prayer blog for more Easter reflections. May our Every Day be lived as Easter Day!

PS. Look at our photo closely. Doesn't it look like I have Easter bunny ears because of the plant behind me? Hee-hee.

A Paperclip, A Teacher and A Doctor

Here's to the third storybook... and more to come! I wrote in my last post. They always say (have you met "they"?) be careful what you wish for. I guess they're right: I just found out via email that the second story I wrote for the Great Men and Women of Asia - Children's Series will also be published! I am thrilled beyond belief.

It is the story of Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, a Japanese missionary doctor based in war-stricken Afghanistan. Dr. Nakamura won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Peace and Understanding in 2003 for "his passionate commitment to ease the pain of war, disease, and calamity among refugees and the mountain poor of the Afghanistan-Pakistan borderlands" (read the entire citation here). The story's title is A Lucky Doctor and it highlights his fascination with bugs and how he felt "lucky" (yes, that's the word he used!) to be able to see beyond cultural and religious differences. I can't wait to see the illustrations... and the book itself! I was informed that the book launch will be sometime in July or August. What a year this is turning out to be...

Next up: the Palanca Awards! (I can already hear them saying: "Be careful what you wish for, Nikki..." Hee-hee.)

It's Sweeter the Second Time Around

I have a second book! WOW! I was taken completely by surprise when I saw my name staring out from the cover of Khan: A Teacher of Everything on a shelf at The Podium's Ink & Stone last Friday night. I didn't even know the book was already available! Khan: A Teacher of Everything is one of several stories in Great Men and Women of Asia - Children's Series, a partnership project of The Bookmark, Inc. and Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation to bring inspiring stories of real-life heroism to children all over the world. Click here for more details and some thumbnails of the books.

Khan: A Teacher of Everything honors Shoaib Sultan Khan who won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1992 for "his nurturing self-reliant development and bringing hope to the forgotten peoples of high Pakistan" (read the entire citation here).

Thanks to Quix P. Maiquez, another amazing artist, who made wonderful illustrations for my story (I'll upload some photos as soon as I scan some pages!). Thanks also to young Elijah, a good friend of YPC, who inspired the title (I knew it was a great idea to brainstorm with him before writing the story!).

It's sweeter the second time around... and now I can proudly say that I'm really a writer (and not just an I-got-lucky-kind-of-writer)! Here's to the third storybook... and more to come!

The Yellow Paperclip Goes to Cebu

I was in Cebu for a couple of marketing events last week and it was good to find time to meet an old friend Mia Zamora. Mia and I share similar interests and backgrounds: she's also from Ateneo, an HR professional and also a writer! She writes for Kikay, a weekly fashion + beauty + lifestyle column of the Cebu Daily News. Click here for her archived articles. The Yellow Paperclip is happy to have a new friend in the beautiful Queen city of the South!

A Yellow and Purple Valentine

Alec (or fondly known as "Klutz" - our mutual term of endearment) is the sweetest brother in the whole world. (And yes, I say that proudly even if he is my only brother in the whole world. Hee-hee.) He left this on my window sill. If the card is too small, it reads: Hope you like these yellow flowers with bright purple... flowers! Aawwwwww... Thanks, Klutz!

Backblog (Backlog ng Blog)

I wish I had more time to write. If I did, I would write about...

• The Magic of Teacher Mauie
• Noli's Unique Kids
• The Yellow Paperclip Visits an Animation Studio
  
• A Dream Come True (Almost) for My Friend Johnny
  
• Writing for Grown-Ups
• Don and the Joy of Believing in Paperclips
• The Yellow Paperclip Goes to ISM

I have a Stickie note on my desktop to remind me of my backblog. But I thought I'd post it up here as a baby step to making it real. Eeeep. Find time, Nikki... please find time.

The Yellow Paperclip Meets Alice and Joy

I spent a day in a room full of writers, aspiring writers, fellow lovers of children's books, publishers, teachers, psychologists, psychiatrists, moms, and new friends. It was the day of the writing workshop sponsored by The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators with globally-published author Alice McLerran.

I saw her as I entered; she was wearing a purple dress (and I was in a purple shirt!)... and I liked her already! Alice shared her stories with us as a writer, daughter and mother; a number of us also shared our stories during the group critique sessions. Now that was nerve-wracking! Whew! (That experience deserves its own blogpost. Abangan...) Until I can find the time to write lengthily on the writing workshop, I'll share some of the notes I scribbled as Alice talked about her life as a writer and shared some tips on the writing process (with additional and pahabol thought bubbles of mine in purple!).

Publishing is anytime you let go of a piece of writing. Publishing your work matters. The fun in writing is sharing it with others. (It took me a while to share my writing with others. It was great to know that other people enjoyed what I write... so it wasn't just Mom. Hee-hee.)

You're the same writer even after a "Whopeeee! I'm published!" moment. Things don't change drastically. (Exactly! I was suprised when I sat down next to Michele of CCP and she said with a laugh, "How intimidating! Of course someone with a book had to sit next to me!" Me, intimidating?! Not at all. It was nice to meet you, Michele!)

With picture books, you have to trust your illustrator to tell the other half of your story. And illustrators must know how to draw imagination. (And I love it how May Ann saw the world of my Yellow Paperclip so much better than I even imagined it myself!)

We write about what we know and care about. You have to care enough about your story. And care enough to share it with others. (Who would've thought others would find a paperclip just as fascinating?)

An idea is not the story. You still have to develop the story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Yes, it's hard work. (That a-ha moment still needs a lot of work, tears, patience and determination. "Dreams mean work," Paulo Coelho said. I believe him 100%.)

The most simple of plants (and stories!) draw their strength from a complex root system. (If only you knew the entire root system of the Yellow Paperclip...)

There's no one set of pictures for a story. (Alice's book The Mountain that Loved a Bird has been published in several countries, including Russia, Pakistan, China and the Philippines - in the native language and with locally-inspired illustrations. Amazing!)

Rewriting should be the fun and most pleasurable part of writing. (This should be my mantra... Really.)

Ideas come and go. Write them down as soon as possible. (Never leave home without that trusty notebook and pen!)

Creativity is not romantic. A lot of it happens in strange ways. But a lot of it is craft. It's practice. (Creativity is also a way of life. It's about being curious and silly and child-like.)

Trust your subconscious. (I should. I will.)

I bought a copy of The Mountain that Loved a Bird, a very moving story with beautiful new illustrations by Beaulah. I also gave Alice a copy of The Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots and she loved it! She said it wasn't lip service but she really enjoyed the story. I'm so happy! I hope we keep in touch.

Oh... and if you're wondering who Joy is, you'll have to read The Mountain that Loved a Bird! Send an email to mothertonguepublishinginc@gmail.com or visit their site to get copies.

PS. I can't believe I didn't get to have my photo taken with Alice! Sayang. And it would have been so cool for this blogpost (especially since we were both in purple!). Beaulah or Nikki, I hope you can share some photos with me. Maraming salamat!

The Painful Truth Behind My Purple Spots

I got the biggest Halloween trick yesterday, except it wasn't a prank... it's the painful truth behind the "purple spots" on my face. What does this have to do with paperclips? Well, I always knew my story was autobiographical but I don't know if many people know I associated the bright purple spots with my own face.

NO, it's not a delayed onset of puberty-pimples, it's not adult acne, it's not even allergies. It's a chronic inflamatory disorder called Rosacea. I spent the last day and a half reading up about it and I thought I'd share some of the info with you as I will be needing all the emotional support I can get. Here's a quick intro from one of the websites:

Rosacea (pronounced "roh-ZAY-sha") is a chronic and potentially life-disruptive disorder primarily of the facial skin, often characterized by flare-ups and remissions. Many have observed that it typically begins any time after age 30 as a redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead that may come and go. In some cases, rosacea may also occur on the neck, chest, scalp or ears. Over time, the redness becomes ruddier and more persistent, and visible blood vessels may appear. Left untreated, bumps and pimples often develop, and in severe cases the nose may grow swollen and bumpy from excess tissue. While there is no cure for rosacea and the cause is unknown, medical therapy is available to control or reverse its signs and symptoms. Individuals who suspect they may have rosacea are urged to see a dermatologist or other knowledgeable physician for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Apparently, Rosacea affects about 14 million Americans. The disorder is more likely among Caucasians (so, mestiza pala ako?!) and celebrities like Bill Clinton and Princess Diana had flare-ups too. I don't think it's very common here in the Philippines which is probably why my first trips to dermatologists as early as 2004 were frustrating as they couldn't give me any info. Luckily, I feel much better with a new dermatologist I'm seeing. She's truly an angel in disguise. (And get this! I found out on my second visit that her dad was the OB who delivered me! That can only be a good thing.) I am now on medication - oral antibiotics and a topical gel to relieve some of the pimples and redness. However, I was warned that there may be some "transient redness" when my skin reacts to the medication. True enough, I turned tomato-red yesterday. It's so frustrating.

Given that there's no cure, the best thing to do is manage my lifestyle and avoid specific triggers that aggravate my Rosacea. There's no known cause either. Each individual has unique triggers; the challenge is to identify them soon so I can avoid them completely. But it's not as easy as that. From a recent survey, these are the top triggers for flare-ups:

1. Sun exposure - 81% (Eeep. Of course I just got back from Panglao.)
   
2. Emotional stress - 79% (Hmmm. This will be hard to isolate.)
   
3. Hot weather - 75% (I live in the Philippines!)
   
4. Wind - 57% (I guess I can't drive at 130km/h on the Skyway with the windows down anymore.)
   
5. Heavy exercise - 56% (No wonder I turn beet-red after my Elorde workout. Tai-chi, anyone?)
   
6. Alcohol consumption - 52% (Cheers... you can have my San Mig Lite.)
   
7. Cold weather - 46% (It feels like the North Pole in the office sometimes. So cold that I can't even type!)
   
8. Spicy foods - 45% (Bicolano ang tatay ko. Patay.)
   
9. Humidity - 44% (Once again, I live in the tropics!)
   
10. Indoor heat - 41% (Apparently, even the heat in a crowded elevator!)
    
11. Certain skin-care products - 41% (I think I had a flare-up from Cetaphil the other day.)
    
12. Heated beverages - 36% (Gasp. No more coffee... Sob!)
    
13. Certain cosmetics - 27% (Yes, even the hypoallergenic ones. Even Clinique and VMV.)
    
14. Medications - 15% (Pimple creams are absolute no-nos. Ibuprofen can also be a trigger.)
    
15. Medical conditions - 15% (Even a cough could trigger a flare-up.)
    
16. Certain fruits - 13% (I have a feeling I overdosed on Florida's Natural...)
    
17. Marinated meats - 10% (No more corned beef. No more longganisa. Well, less carcinogens for me!)
    
18. Certain vegetables - 9% (Sana ampalaya ang trigger ko... Hee-hee.)
    
19. Dairy products - 8% (Please... let it NOT be cheese.)
    
20. Other factors - 24% (This is my favorite... I wonder what in the world it could be?!)

I am now subjected to a super-bland diet and have to drink 10-15 glasses of cold water a day to keep me cool and hydrated. I can't even take hot beverages - so goodbye coffee, tea and hot chocolate... unless of course I opt to drink it at room temperature, and only when I can isolate that caffeine is NOT a trigger in itself. Other websites have compiled a long laundry list of triggers that other Rosacea patients have reported and you'll be amazed at the variety of triggers. Problem is, there aren't any tests for it. I have to keep a log of everything I do and eat, how I'm feeling, what the weather was like, etc. Notice too how emotional stress is high on the list... and it could even mean non-work or 'happy' stress like excitement or excessive laughter. Argh. Again, how frustrating.

I just wanted to share the news with you so you know what I'm going through. It's not easy and it will not be easy the next coming weeks/months. So as early as now, I'm apologizing if I will be cranky! Or if I choose to hibernate and not go out on gimmicks if it's a bad flare-up day. It sucks to look in the mirror every morning and always have to think: is today a bad flare-up day or not? I'm scheduled to see my derma in two weeks' time; hopefully the medications would have taken some effect by then. I sure hope so.

So that's my Halloween trick this year. If anything, I'll have to come up with something good from all this... like maybe write a story about a little girl who gets red spots?

Panglao's Yellow and Purple Spots

Hello, Room 1403 - my homebase for the next two nights. It was a well-deserved vacation for all of us. With my trusty purple backpack, a yellow sun hat, a snorkel, a camera and sunblock, I was all set for paradise! I didn't see a paperclip this time around but I did encounter some interesting yellow and purple spots in the three days we spent on Panglao Island. Check out these photos...

Purple, giant and alien-like jellyfish floating...
...or sunbathing on the sand... ...or just hanging out! They were so fascinating that I couldn't help but take photos from all angles... and zoomed in for an up-close-and-personal look! I loved the ube soup they served for dinner one night... yum! Of course I loved seeing yellow and purple together: along the walkways... ... and at the resort's man-made islet.

I guess I will forever see purple and yellow in a different light; these two colors will always stand out, no matter where I go. Don't get me wrong though... Panglao was in full color! Check out my other photos (in other colors) HERE - including some great videos of dolphins!

Panglao will forever be a favorite destination... with or without paperclips.

A Purple Passport and A Yellow Hat

I'm getting my passport renewed (what's going to be my first stamp in it?) and I got my photo taken wearing my favorite purple polo. I don't need my passport to go to Panglao tomorrow but my mom bought me a cool hat with a yellow ribbon!

As you can see, I'm starting to associate anything purple and yellow with paperclips (and this blog). Maybe because I'm blogbling (babbling and blogging at the same time?) after being away for just about two weeks. Maybe because I've got a purple Stickie with a list of Blog Backlog (BackBlog?) to write and I'll never get to pack my purple backpack once I get started.

I wonder if I'll see another Panglao paperclip just as I did last year...

Visit a Children's Art Exhibit of Hope

Gusto ko matahimik ang mundo. Sana makabenta si Nanay ng maraming bulaklak. Gusto ko maging mananahi para makagawa ako ng damit para kay Nanay. Sana maging makulay ang buhay.

An art exhibit featuring life-sized silhouettes, created by children living in poverty expressing their hopes and dreams for a better world.

14 - 27 October
10 AM to 5 PM
Museo Pambata

In commemoration of October 17th as the World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty. Organized by ATD Fourth World Philippines.

Who can change the world without me?

The Paperclip is Nominated for the People's Design Award

My cousin sent me this interesting link today: Based purely on anecdotal evidence gathered at the baggage carousel, we feel pretty safe in saying that 90% of air passengers now travel with a wheelie suitcase. We feel even more secure asserting that most humans over the age of eight are familiar with the rounded contours of the paper clip. These objects are world famous, yes. But are they great design? Somebody thinks so—and has nominated them for the first-ever People's Design Award from the tasteful folks at Cooper-Hewitt. Though the museum has long hosted the National Design Awards, this is its first stab at a contest where items are submitted and voted on by we, the people. The polls are now open. So wander through and mark your ballot for objects as disparate as the Band-Aid, post-Katrina cottages, a baby stroller, or the Stratocaster. Then tune in on October 18 to see which one takes the trophy for the people's favorite.

True enough, the simple, comfy paperclip is nominated for the People's Design Award and here are some reasons why (and my own purple thought bubbles in parentheses).

• Probably did more than any other single item to create the modern western office culture.(Definitely more, or at least sooner, than Post-Its!)
• Its function cannot be improved by any design change. It cannot be completely replaced. (Exactly! Bull clips and staples don't come close!)
• So far, it hasn't been replaced, changed or updated in any essential, structural way. I think that says enough about the ingenuity of its design. It is a great example for all structural designers out there that there is no need for excess; less is really so much more sometimes. (Simplify, simplify, simplify.)
• Functional, accessible to all users, aesthetically pleasing to look at. What more could you want from any design? (They look even better with bright purple spots!)
• One day my two friends were asking each other the difference between design and architecture. The simple answer being "time" - a building naturally has more time on its hand than a product. But with safety pins, paperclips and zippers, I would have to say that they are here for good. Maybe. (I think paperclips will live forever.)
• Timeless. Unmistakable purpose. God is a paperclip. (Umm, I wouldn't go that far...)
• Elegant yet simple. Essential. A design that makes you think, "Why didn't I think of that?" and yet you didn't. So universal that it has become invisible. (Hopefully my story will get people to take notice of this amazing invention in a new way.