my piratic ways

Lyle Lovette makes me smile. I think he's funny and he was a welcomed listen after the new addition of Lucinda Williams.

I haven't been really enjoying my music selection as of late so I went to Amazon and bought some other CD's; Lyle Lovette was in the mix along with a couple books on design.

I was lying in bed mentally fighting with myself to get up and on with the day when I remembered that I hadn't emailed the ad to the publisher.

I was only ten minutes late to the day job.

...

It was an easy night mostly because I had the redesign started and done prior to the due date; that's not normal even though that is what I prefer.

After the ad was done, I worked on another custom birthday card for Lady G and this one was nice. Well, nicer.

...

I have a redesign for that blue brochure.

Everything I do seems to be a work in progress.

I never seem to be completely satisfied.

...

Hand stitched booklet - will be one birthday card.

...

I've never been a fan of just 'yelling out' in the office, even though a normal speaking voice can sometimes be heard rather easily.

...

Your love is a lie if it is ever overcome by hate.

...


I know this site is read for bits of information that would never be know otherwise so here's another bit: the trick to replacing the water cooler bottle is to start pouring the water into the cooler hole and to just quickly continue to turn the bottom side up.

There is also a trick to pouring from one of those square gallon cans when it's full, that trick is to keep the spout at the highest point when pouring which will eliminate that glug glug because air will be able to easily enter the can as the fluid escapes. But it is a little tricky to precision pour that way because the spout will be further away but just suck it up and stop your whining.


That about sums up what I have learned in my years here on Earth.

And that piratic is a word.

For some reason I thought waterproof paper would be alright in an inkjet printer. It did print out just fine but it refused to dry.

The map wasn't revised too much; three developments were added and I changed the style on the numbering system.

The owner is going to give them out to other sets of people, as well, so we'll at least get some more play out of them.

...

She told me she was angry with me. She thinks I forgot about her.

I haven't forgotten, I just haven't done anything to let her know I have remembered.

...

I always think that I can win you back. That's how much I believe in my charm; which makes me a bit of a sleaze.

...

We're going with the new ad. I would really like to know who the unbelievers are; I'll have to ask.

...

Purple

...

CMYK is color for printing
RGB is color for displaying

...

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

I still don't know shit

Two ad books from 1994 were sitting around. That version was the fourth year I was involved in it. I wondered how good I was as a designer back then so I thumbed through it.

I could count eighty three ads that were mine. I liked twenty one of them. I had some trouble identifying all the ones I did; some of them used techniques I wasn't aware that I knew back then.

I would go too big and use too many typefaces in the same ad back then.

Almost all the informational pages were good. I rocked them.

Thirteen years is a long time ago. I didn't know shit but it was a pretty good job for a run of the mill office printer and an early version of CorelDRAW. It was short notice too.

I still don't know shit.

Mostly while watching Scooby Doo

Twelve hours on Saturday, eight on Sunday - that's half a normal work week. Your really should start tearing up a little bit for all my woe.

Yesterday was a custom map for some big shots. It's a really nice map after the revisions that I have in my head are made.

It has a strange feel to it, not unpleasant but different. I don't know if you have every felt that waterproof/tearproof paper but it was sort of like that.

Note to self: buy some of that waterproof/tearproof paper.

It's ideas like that that make me seem like a genius and you really should thank me for letting you go along for the ride.

I've been printing everything out to fit on a 4x6 inch piece of photo paper because I have so much of that paper that I don't need (it comes free with the ink) and because it's cool. I highly recommend that you print out all your stuff to that size. You'll be cool like me if you do.

...

I was asked to modify that pet related icon. I was asked to replace the paw print with an actual photo of a dog. I think this is a mistake. I don't think people want cutesy from their real estate professionals, they want business chic.


I seem a little weird today. My sardonic nature is manifesting itself more than usual. Usually, I keep the levels down in my writing.


I think I'm going to use 'business chic' in a conversation. "Listen, we've got to go with business chic. Nobody's doing it. We'll be the first. People will copy us."

Modish too.

"This ad has a modishness to it that you don't see anywhere else."

...

So, on some opening page it asked "Are the Shins the best band ever?" to which I raised an eyebrow because on an impulse I had picked up their latest CD just one day prior and I really wasn't impressed with it. But I'm an open minded type of fellow in a hard set kind of way so I listened to the CD again and the answer to that question is no.

...

"He's the type of guy that gives hotheads their hot heads."

...

"Hey, do you know that a wheel has fallen off of that chair?"

"What?"

"A wheel has fallen off." I said as a pointed to where it was missing. He leaned over to look at the missing wheel which caused him to tip over which was the exact reason why I pointed. He never thinks about that step ahead.

...

I'll be sitting at my desk wishing not to be there and then I'll hear the Siren call of those potential days off.

"Come on just two days. You won't be missed. What are you saving them for? You're not going to go anywhere. Take the days. It will do you good. You need some time away. You deserve some time away. It will do you good."

Having a goodly amount of vacation time on top of a few personal days while having no life is sometimes tough.


...

The burst of design ideas all started with a $120 printer. It makes me wish I had some real talent.

...

"Smooth cut, Junior." Who critiques a movie they are watching in their own living room like that?

I also say "Who's the sound editor?" and "What, no one was doing continuity that day?"

Also, "I don't believe it. No one would say that; ever. Who wrote this?"

Mostly while watching Scooby Doo.

I've always like the color of rust.

So,...

I got nothing. I've been here thirteen hours.

I'm typing this right from Blogger so I'm not going to spell check.

I like living on the edge sometimes.

Twenty banners, a few photos with someone else's camera, a floating bolt 'picture,' I hope there's more but that's what I remember for now.

I think we've started to kick ass again.

"Too modern" was some of the feedback on the ad redesign. I had wished they had said that to me. I owner likes it though so... and if she didn't I would have made a stand. Se heard a little of it anyway.

"If you go with that ad, you'll have the most contemporary ad in the whole paper and it's totally unique. Once you have the listing you're not selling to owners anymore, you're selling to buyers and those are two different sets of people."

"I know. I agree and I'd tried to explain that to them..."

You can't sell high end properties using old world traditions.

The ad's not even edgy and it uses normal looking typefaces and the predominate color is a muted green. Babies! I say.

I'm still rather conservative.

I kind of think it's funny though because I was going to leave a note to the owner saying that I didn't she had the balls to use it


Here's more bolts for you.

I put this on my scanner bed and pushed play

I wish I had a crate of thinking caps

It's before eight on a Saturday so it's not unexpected that I beat everyone in. The first person arrives at about quarter to nine and attempts to shut off the already shut off alarm system. I shut out that it's already off before she can enter in the fourth number that will actually set the alarm. I didn't bother to explain that when there is not an irritating tone going off when you enter the door that the alarm is off.

She left and then at nine an office assistance came in and called out to see of anyone was about because the alarm was off. I yelled out an "Hello."

She walked up stairs where she found me sitting in my office with the blinds up but no overhead lights on. "Do you want some light?" she asked.

Yeah, could you help me out with that? I'm having trouble figuring out the light switch.

for your regalement...

I doubled parked in front of the coffee shop; only the owner recognizes me anymore, the staff I knew has moved on but then I guess so have I, maybe not so much on as out. They still have mighty fine coffee and every casual chance I get, I'll buy my coffee from them.

It's been eleven years since I stood in their line on a regular basis; things have changed. I was watching the lady with the fur coat enter the house across the street; she was also from my past. "Can I help you?" brought me back to the present. I ordered a jumbo cream no sugar which was what my order was eleven years ago. I guess my mind didn't make it all the way back to 2007 because I usually get it with sugar now.

I got to the second office by quarter to eight. I wasn't asked or expected to be there but I felt that I just had to do something; I was having too many ideas just to keep them in my head. I had a need to get some out.

I'm working out of two offices at the moment. I've moved the essentials over to the front office while most of my supplies and infrequently used equipment is still in the back office. I'm trying to keep the new office organized.

I set my coffee down on the new cutting mat I bought for my new desk and them walked to the back office to grab some napkins to use as a coaster. I cracked the plastic lid off getting ready to add some sugar that I keep around for when I make tea before I took a sip.

I've changed the way I drink my coffee a few times, usually I'll drink it the same as someone else that I'll usually have coffee with just to make the ordering easier and then the coffee shop just keeps making it that way for you.

I don't have too many strong preferences.

That first sip was good, though. I might just change my standard order.

my life gave me this tie

it's a kurt douglas movie

I keep on getting whistling noises from my bells.

...

I'm truly NOT impressed.


So, I listen to the thing or see the trick that is supposed to be awe inducing and I'm like:

...and?


I've very dismissive sometimes


...

So, he comes by my desk and starts asking all these foolish questions like: "Do you remember last Tuesday?"

I didn't answer any of them.

That's one of my pet peeves. I would rather just hear the bottom line question and not all the superfluous bullshit.

I had half turn to look at him while he interrupted me but after stupid question number three I turned back around while I asked "What's your question?"

...

Last night I felt I should write something for this site, even though I had just posted a thing or two, even though a bunch of what was posted was, indeed, written words. I felt I was being neglectful, somehow.

I'm still not certain who or what I was neglecting.

Maybe I was just jonesing for writing because what I did post was written a day prior.

...

If you tell me a story where some donkey does some jackass thing, you're not going to get much of a reaction from me because a jackass being a jackass isn't news.

In fact, I maybe slightly irritated that you just wasted my time.

In other news: it was raining heavily and I got wet. You see what I mean? Where's the story in that?

...

Lonely Are the Brave

4 quarters

This one's green

So, I got another mini flash drive; the two gig version this time. You must have know it was just a matter of time.

Hey, it was on sale. What could I do but buy it?

...

I walked in last night and was presented with three problems before I even rounded the front desk. I did my best to brush them off. When a grabbed the spare key to my new office the owner told me that everyone liked the signs. I told her that I read black is the new black for the up coming year. She then told me that they showed the signs to a design company and they liked them too; I sort of brushed that off too.

It's nice that a design company would say my work is good but were they just being kind? Were there any qualifying statements like "these are good considering..."

Whatever.

I've been charged to redo one of our weekly ads.

...

I spent $1.87 on a grande size coffee from the Starbucks on the way and walking across the plaza I wondered how I would react when someone would refer to my coffee as 'high test.'

"Hey, you bought high test today."

"When the last time you had a coffee from Starbucks?"

"Me? Never. But my kids tell me that it's high test. It's what they have out in California."

It was my direct supervisor. I did my best not to roll my eyes in a way he would notice.

Listen, I'm not really paying very close attention to this life

He asked what I made a year and I was quiet as I put my mind to the task of multiplication, only I couldn't remember what I made a week.

He then asked what my net worth was which produced more silence. "Do you have a lot of stuff?" he asked. "Yeah, but it's not worth much if you have to resell it," was my answer.

I think I gave him my correct date of birth, though.

Sometimes, I say mean things

"If you ask him what side of the bed he got out of he'll say the wrong side."

"If you ask me what side of the bed I got out of I'll say ask your wife."