Was recently invited to a lovely site called Working Not Working. (Thank you Chris!) An invite-only community of the best talent in the creative industry, my profile is up and ready for whatever happens next. My hope is that it becomes useful in some way and doesn’t just fade off into the ether, which has happened before with other creative communities. Time will tell I suppose. At first pass, it feels appropriate and needed, and the setup process was fairly enjoyable. Sites like this help me feel a little more connected and part of a network of other folks dealing with similar ups and downs in the workings of design independence. For that, thank you WNW.
Repeating
Talk about this without talking about this. See where this could go. Look at it from the other side of the room. And up side down. Try to look at it while not being in the room. Imagine it without the confines of physicality. It doesn’t have to be where it’s at. It can be somewhere else. It is okay if it’s something. It is okay if it’s nothing. Let’s call it “Removed Assessment in Objective Notation.”
Off and Running
And here we go. 2015 is in full effect. The downtime was amazing and now the sleeves are rolled up and we’re back at it. The next couple of months are sure to be interesting. To track progress, shots will be Dribbbled, some projects will be Behanced, and Action Backed will be Tumbling. This blog will get its steady use while Medium could see some longer writings. And, of course, new work will be added to this portfolio. So many accounts, so little time. Here’s to sharing and being open about what works, what fails, and how we grow and change.
In the Neb
The winter solstice kicked off a period of little work and lots of downtime. That downtime has been filled with reconnecting with friends in from out of town, family gatherings, and time with my wife where we could just slow down a little. Here in Nebraska, with dark nights of frigid cold, the feelings of home and belonging make for a reflective time that looks forward to a new year. The upcoming schedule for 2015 is already packed with plenty to get done—design, activism, and collaboration all made in the Neb. Nebraska, this place in the middle of everything, with all of its Midwestern qualities, where small is beautiful and roots grow deep, will ring in the new year with much fanfare and high spirits. And come January 5th, we’ll be ready to roll up our sleeves and get back to work.
Good People
In the mad dash to wrap up 2014, all the to-dos can make a fella just a little grumpy. As projects conclude and the beginning of 2015 comes more into focus, the downtime around the corner will definitely be enjoyed. Going offline for a good stretch, one thing about this year I want to emphasize is the people. Wonderful, amazing, and inspirational people. Trusted client partners and collaborators who can really bring it are the network who help make JKDC possible. I am extremely impressed by the people I get to work with every day. So creative, so smart, so thoughtful. They make me want to do my absolute best on whatever thing I happen to be working on with them. They have made this year particularly great. With that, my advice for the new year to anyone reading: surround yourself with great people and be thankful.
Debris
Meet in the midway, trip over the mess. When the efficiency machine in us takes over, the hum at which creation happens can be quite mechanical. Like a thresher, but made in the tech age. It processes out the nonsense, hones in on the acceptable, pushes some limits, and ultimately resolves itself into deliverables in monetary terms. When the efficiency machine takes over, what’s left can sometimes be almost zero. What happens when the efficiency machine is doused with kerosene and set on fire in the front yard? After the burn, there’d be debris. No harvest, but debris.
The Middle, Part 2
Start off with poor direction or frantically crunch a ton of work into the final stages of a crazy deadline, as long as the middle creates something magically, all is well. We know the finest, most well-intentioned talk at the beginning of a project is just that, talk. And all the polishing that happens at the end can only do so much if what you have to work with isn’t that good. If the middle gets shirked, the finished product always falls short. The middle must be the point of emphasis. Put more of the blood, sweat and tears into that stage of discomfort and heartache, and when the end is reached, you’ll be able to confidently proclaim you’ve arrived at something worth telling others about.
