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Territorial Trace

September 11, 2017 by Bob Borson 27 Comments

First, let’s make one thing clear: while it is labeled as “trace paper” don’t call it that. It is simply called “trace.” No apologies to “onion skin”, “bumwad” or any other monikers.

Trace.

A while back, I told everyone that if they smashed their roll of trace, it wouldn’t roll away from them when they were working. While that’s definitely a great tip, I kind of wish I hadn’t shared it with the world. Now half of the rolls in the office are smashed and it’s not as easy to know which roll of trace is mine whenever it goes missing. I can’t be bothered to mark the roll so I know … that’s not the point. They are ALL my rolls of trace.

architect's trace paper trick

We have quite a few people who sketch in my office so rolls of trace can be found just about anywhere you look … but that doesn’t matter to me when I reach for MY roll of trace only to find that it’s gone missing – probably a result of me leaving it somewhere rather than someone else stealing it.

Trace Paper

I know the people in my office pretty well since I sit next to them for 10 hours a day, and I’d probably know them a whole lot better if I didn’t talk so much more than everyone else. Even as I sit here at my desk writing this, I can simply look over the top of my screen and see all but one of the people that work here … and I see 6 rolls of trace. Two of these rolls are on my desk, one is on Landon’s desk, but he sits right next to me so I am going to say that that’s my roll of trace as well. (sorry Landon) That makes three rolls of trace on my desk, but I want the other three rolls that I can see to be on my desk as well. Particularly if it’s a newer roll. Yes, those are better.

You can take my pens, I have a million of them and it’s unlikely you could ever find them all. You can even take my scales – I have like 30 of those, and with the exception of the one I took from my Dad, the very first one I ever owned, I hold zero attachment to any of them.

I’d prefer you not take my scissors – I have the kind that is specifically made for left-handed people. Ever since they started making the handles more ergonomic, it is actually painful to use scissors made for your right-hand in your left hand. I know left-handed people all over the world know exactly what I’m talking about. Right-handed people probably didn’t even realize this was an issue because they think everything is about them. Even then, I’ll make due … I’ll grab my X-Acto knife.

But don’t mess with my trace. I want all the trace.

Good looking out –

Bob signature FAIA

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Filed Under: Architects, Do you want to be an Architect?, Life in General Tagged With: a day in the life, about bob, architectural studio, bob borson

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