When I picked up this journal to write my first entry, I couldn't tell which cover was the front and which was the back; they were identical, without title page, manufacturer's stamp, ISBN or price tag…completely, totally blank. What the heck!? I flipped it several times and reopened it–the same–frontwards and backwards–the alpha was the omega.

I imagine the designers knew what would happen. Some users would embrace–without the need to analyze–the tantalizing metaphor. Others would be immobilized: "I don't know where to begin!"

It occurs to me that at any time I could flip the whole thing over and begin writing from the other front…or back. Ambiguity. I love it.

Text and image © 2010 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.