Let there be light….Forever!

Some of my fondest memories of growing up are of me going to my grandparents who lived in the same apartment for over 60 years. My mother and aunt grew up there and I spent many days, nights and summers there. “There” is a small 3 bedroom apartment on the 3rd floor walkup in Tel Aviv.

Other than the food (which was amazing), the TV that was free-flowing, and the general no rules policy, my biggest love was working with my grandfather building $hit together. Anything from fixing the vacuum, to wooden shelves, clocks and windows. My grandfather could build and fix anything and had ALL the tools needed to do so. I’d help him saw, shave, screw and hammer as soon as I got there. My grandfather was the original G when it came to self-learning and building what was then called things and now, products.

Recently I came by the old apartment that is now empty to clear out a few things and saw this little light bulb that acts as an above bathroom nightlight, that my grandfather and I put up over 25 years ago. Now, this next bit you will find hard to believe but trust me it is 100% true. In the last 25 years, this light has been on all day and all night (except for citywide power outs here and there). But the amazing part is that in those 25 years the lightbulb has been replaced only once 😱.

Whatever my grandfather did with the electricity is so exact that the power that comes from the mains is converted and dimmed so much so that this little lightbulb is still going all these years without burning and breaking. This product and it’s design is so spot-on for several reasons:

• It is located exactly where it needs to be between the bathroom and the main light
• It is overhead not to bother the rest of the house
• It was built using some sort of pixie magic that my grandmother never had to change the lightbulb or turn it on/off herself even years and years after my grandfather past away

I too, like my grandfather never learned how to design products, love working with my hands and will do as much as I can so my grandmother doesn’t need to concern herself with how the little things around her work.

While I am nowhere near the builder my grandfather was I do hope I get to continue making things with people who love the act, the process, and the grind :-)