The object that I chose appears rather ordinary at first glance. It’s a plain, black, ceramic mug. The two things that would make it stand out is the quote printed on it that takes up the front, and its size, as it appears to be a bit larger than a regular mug, measuring about 5 inches in width (including the handle, 3 inches without it) and about 4 inches in height. The mug is quite heavy, even without all my contents in it, giving it a feeling of sturdiness and reliability. It has a smooth finish to the touch and a sleek look, which the black color helps to contribute to. Because the mug is almost entirely black, it has this shine to it. When the natural light touches it, it’s as if the mug takes it in, and proudly wears it on its surface.

Without the text on the front, this would just be a plain black mug. The words help to give it a supplemental meaning, pushing it beyond its role of simply being a mug for people to put contents in. The words transform the mug from a cup that holds things to an object that conveys wisdom and inspiration. The quote on the front reads, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. –Neale Donald Walsch-,”. All of the words are in capital letters, to convey a boldness and resonance with the reader. The typeface is soft, but clear. Both of these qualities help to further communicate this simple, yet powerful message. The way that the words are arranged on the mug is aesthetically pleasing. The quote is written vertically, reaching from top to bottom. This style opposes how words are normally written, horizontally, but in this deviation lies the aesthetic, and is what makes it appealing to the viewer—it stands out. To go a bit deeper, the “different” way that the words are arranged could symbolize the act of pushing out of our comfort zones and challenging the status quo. The arrangement of the words mimic how we might see a simple poem written, adding emphasis to each word as we read it and conveying a significance to each word—they’re carefully and purposely placed. Like certain poems, the appearance of both the mug and the words on it are powerful in its simplicity, but unveil a deeper meaning—to implore us to take that leap, to live life with a level of fearlessness.

My relationship to this mug made me think of Daniel Miller’s conversation in Stuff about the functionality of objects compared to their social or cultural meaning. I don’t use the mug the way I “should.” I have never put liquid in this mug or drank from it. I have deprived the mug of its main “function,” and replaced it with a function that means much more to me. I keep this mug on my desk, and fill it with my pens, markers, scissors, highlighters, etc. I have turned it into a medium for school, rather than a medium for sipping. However, I believe it serves a better purpose on my desk, where I do my academic work, where I can view it and have it as a constant reminder to heed its message. This mug has a deeper meaning to me, personally. Before I left for college, my best friend from home, Katie, got me this mug as a parting gift. We were both leaving everything we had ever known—our home, the familiar, the comfortable—and we were leaving each other. Katie has helped shape me as a person, and has believed in me in times that I haven’t. She has a knack for recognizing things in myself before I even do. She knew I was apprehensive about leaving for school, but also knew the potential I had in me. This mug conveys a message she has always been sharing with me and encouraging me to do. The quote on this mug has been my mantra throughout these four years in college. It has guided and steered me through all of my experiences here. Those words pushed me to put myself out there and just go for it, which has led me down incredible paths where I’ve been given amazing opportunities and met wonderful people.