Some years ago, winter of 1979, while attending a liberal arts college in Upstate New York, I needed to fulfill a humanities requirement. I was working toward a degree in accounting and had already taken most “core” requirements… golf, music appreciation, astronomy… but still needed one more elective….somehow I settled on a woodworking class. I first toiled over a record cabinet… something to hold my large collection, so I designed and built a cabinet that has stood the test of time… in fact the item is still in the family, and currently holds my sons collection in his apartment. My second project was a jewel box. Why a jewel box I am unsure… but the joy of the build proved worth the effort. I researched a design by the study of my mother’s jewelry box… which yes happened to be a “Mele”. My box had a walnut finish, a red velvet interior, and brass hinges. It did not have the interlocking drawer system of mom’s Mele box… but it was still nice and my instructor liked it too… I aced the class! I gifted it shortly after the build. I think it is pretty neat, that after a few short years, I settled in to a career with Mele & Co. While I had the pleasure to make only one jewel box, but continue to take great joy in woodworking... note the Adirondack Chair. Looking back I reflect on how great it is to work for a company that has a mission to “create joyful experiences”... it has been and continues to be real great. ~GBM