catapult magazine

Ten “spacious” things from 2012

by Cary Umhau

The word “spacious” has come to mean a lot to me: free, relaxed, open-hearted, expansive, expectant, hopeful, adventurous, broadminded, accepting, creative and generous. Because I love that mindset, I named the organization I run “SPACIOUS.” We exist as a neighbor-loving mechanism, using fun, creativity and service to bring people together to know and appreciate each other and break down social barriers.

“Spacious” is also just a fun word to say, spitting out the “sp” at the beginning: “SSSSPPPPAY-cious.” Try it!

2012 was our first full year in existence. People tend to send us spacious illustrations of all sorts. Here are my ten favorite spacious things of the year:

1. Hands down, the most epic, spacious thing of the year was Caine’s Arcade. If you don’t know this story, you’ll love it. A nine-year-old boy, Caine, created a cardboard arcade in his father’s auto parts shop. A customer, Nirvan, discovered him there, bought a fun pass and played some games. Nirvan decided to make a movie, which went viral, and Caine began having mobs of customers. The Imagination Foundation was born, encouraging kids with entrepreneurial ideas. Caine now has a hefty college fund. A creative boy, an encouraging father, a customer who went out of his way — a spacious story.
2. It was a great day for adults since the top four finishers at our SPACIOUS Adult Spelling Bee were born before spell-check came into being. Not only do I feel the pride of mid-life, but I also salute all those teachers who graded spelling tests for my generation. And I also recommend journalism as a career if spelling bee fame is your desire. Three of our top four finishers were journalists, including Melissa Block of NPR in first place and David Plotz, Editor of Slate in second place. Who says spelling bees are for kids?
3. 2012 was the last year that the most spacious musician ever was on earth.  Dave Brubeck died the day before his 92^nd birthday in early December. He had the first million-selling jazz album of all time with Time Out, and he changed jazz forever with new time signatures. He used his music to change the world, and he always had a smile.
4. I saw the most spacious car ever in a parking lot. Here it is. I wonder if it’s possible to be in a bad mood driving around in that thing.
5. A Ravens fan in the Baltimore airport definitely sported the most spacious fingernails of the year (and yes, she has more fingers than pictured).
6. A New York man (yes, man) wins my prize for the most spacious outfit of the year. I saw him in a park in Chelsea.
7. The coolest collaborative art project of the year yielded this collaged face. Artist and art teacher Lisa Shirk led our SPACIOUS Blank Canvas Day at which every participant did a section of this without knowing how their own piece would relate. Awe (and this) resulted.
8. Performance artist and folk art tailor The Cowboy Prince made the most spacious Kickstarter video of the year and launched himself into the public eye with the beautiful hand-painted cart he built and now pulls through Richmond, Virginia selling his wares. And yes, he’s my son.
9. A college friend is in the middle of his second trip to space. Tom Marshburn is in the International Space Station. How could that not qualify as spacious?
10. And every year has to have a spacious dance. Here’s the one for 2012; dance-walking through New York sounds fun.

What will 2013 yield? Who knows. But when you’re looking for life to be spacious, it is.