On Macintosh Ads

You just wait, I've got a cooool post in the works...

On Logo Changes

Paypal, *blank stare*

Can I first say that...mmm it wasn't good to begin with. And the new one...isn't much better. However, we do All know how sinful bad 'stroking' is on type, but the change made really...just...flopped the little box in illustrator that changes from stroke to fill. I mean... if you're going to go through the marketing effort to give yourself a new logo...at least give it some intention?

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Kudos for keeping with the times. The primary colors of the old logo are pretty outdated, and this new ...deeper red is quite trendy. BUT! Props for keeping the identity recognizable.

Mmmmm Ice creeeam...

The new DQ logo has gotten pretty bad reviews. The biggest critique is that the new "swoosh" piece has no "meaning". Wellll I say...GO TO DAIRY QUEEN AND GET A FREAKIN BLIZZARD FOR YOURSELF.... and while you're there, notice on the menu that they also serve regular fast-food stuff. The swooshes, and their color, are Saying the tag-line of "hot eats, cool treats" ... While still maintaining the form of the original logo...keeping it easily identifyable

Payless ...needs to up their shoe prices or something

I will give you all of my money... $12... if you can tell me what the little circle thinger is... I haven't been to a new Payless shoe store to see what they've done with the entire system. And its not like...the company has ever Really relied on their logo...so Maybe a total revamp was necessary. But...this new one...doesn't say.... 'SHOES!' to me

Astroturf treads lightly

Soooo to me, this should say "FlagSales" or something. ... I don't see turf. ...or anything, really...

The NFL simplifles

These changes have made the NFL logo bolder, sharper, and simpler, yet give you the same effect. This is a quality example of a good logo redesign. Less stars, less clutter, more scalable. Well done.

Jiffylube, Another Non-Web Company Goes 2.0

I'm biased. I went in for a damn oil change once and they charged me some $70. Said I needed a new filter and ...something else. I've been bitter ever since. But... The new logo. ...Yeah, just another Web 2.0 looking thing, and Another brand going from the bring red to the deeper... anyone else seeing a pattern? Let me show you another:

Compaq

See what I mean? And wtf is with that typeface? Its like what there was when computers first came out..

AT&T ...still Debating

Any seasoned designer seems to say "its awful". There has to be something to be said for their argument. The original was designed by none other than Saul Bass. It served the purpose in a creative, clean way. But...I agree that it needed a makeover. The new hollow globe however...not doing it for me. Well...maybe a little. I guess I don't mind it. But the light(er) lower case at&t seems...weak. Really weak/wimpy. C'mon, you're AT&T

MSNBC

I don't know...good 'nough, I suppose. I'm glad they kept the peacock.

Qantas Takes a Step Forward

Another color change to...keep up with the Jones' I suppose. This is a nice example of being able to touch up your brand and make it look better without actually changing the brand. Most average people would not notice the difference, but they might notice the brand more now. I dig the effort that was put in to better matching the typeface with the image..it doesn't look just "placed" in there.

Delta

A good modernization. ...But....My reaction is a simple *shrugs* which......knowing the effort/time/resources/cash put into updating an identity, a... *shrug* probably isn't...the best you could do?

Old Navy Goes Navy

I noticed it a while ago through stores, and ...I think that seeing it in its context, it looks nice. But the new logo alone fits awkwardly within its new oval(ish) shape... and the typeface makes for weird spacing within the letters. Hmmm...

The old logo was no gimmicks, straight up neat. But...the new one.... I'm skeptical of. It looks like they pulled the font off of dafont.com. I feel like...wtf is with this forced "BR"? why does "Basken" get its "B" represented twice, and "Robbins" is rollin on only one? ...I get that its to make the "31" but...whatever.

Anyway,
I pulled the images/comparisons from Under Consideration But I just stole their images and didn't agree with most of their ideas *go figure*

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the Logos in Review session...
Bet you didn't even notice half of those that had changed...
hmph.

On Underneath

GO WATCH THIS!!
its the new Alanis video for Underneath.
I know I've already posted on this before, BUT REALLY!!?
I didn't say much of anything more about it.

My favorite part of the video is right here:


Where you have to pause to catch it,
but the "gentle" tattoo... Amazing.

The song itself though...
I love its message.
And how its applicable
For me, I interpret as how...
what's happening within me shows up in the outer world
and instead of putting all my energy into
fixing things outside of me and trying to tweak all the symptoms,

"There is no difference
In what we’re doing in here
That doesn’t show up as symptoms out there
So why spend all our time undressing our bandages
When we’ve the ultimate key to the cause
right here all underneath."

really looking at the cause of it, which is my internal world
----self-hatred or self-love, or raage, etc. ----
and I think that...what Underneath is trying to say...
is that its more effective long term to put your energy into That
as opposed to trying to tweak everything 'out there' in a way that....
....is not sustainable....

and won't make for long term effects.

On Elliott and Luda!

Me and Elliott!!!!
:)

I love my bike. That's all I have to say about that.




And...
I love Luda, too!!!!



I think we're quite adorable together if I do say so myself...

First note:


These are the people I work for/with.
.....hmmmm.
haha kidding. its a good crowd.



_______________________________________
IN OTHER NEWS


I went home this past weekend.





I got to play with my nephews,
which was GREAT.
4 and 6 years old... what Amazing ages.
Wally is playing T-Ball
and Brodie is helping g-ma in the garden.

Then we had a gathering.

I brought home a leftover pony keg
that we hadn't finished after another gathering back in Ames.
...So...in good redneck fashion
we stuck it in an old-school cooler...
put some ice (from McDonalds) in it
and covered it with a camouflage insulated jacket and pants

You can't make this stuff up...


_______________________________________
BUT THE HIGHLIGHT




LUDA!!!!

(note the picture which includes Luda+Kris which = Ludacris) HOLLA!!!
Tonight we're going out to a park and having a grill out...
And since the Folds Family has a rather new video camera,
maybe I"ll get some video of Mr. Luda so you can Really meet him....

:)

On Patience, and Luda

I have a post brewing, currently.
Its about patience (and maybe a bit of faith)
and what I've learned about these things in the past week.
The idea that...
wow, I can't help but believe that some things...
some things happen for a reason.
And in the moment, we can't know
or explain
or begin to comprehend Why...

But as time goes by, it begins to come together.
And it all (or most...) works out.


For example.
I got a dog...
Okay, well I pick him up on Monday...

his name WILL BE
.
.
.
.
.

Luda.

.
.
.

Just like I mentioned before,
about Ludacris....
Exactly.

He's a black Lab/Retreiver mix of sorts...
with a teddy bear kind of head...
I'll tell you much more about him later
And probably share some pictures...

I feel like we're going to have a Lot of great times
and adventures
and ...frustrations...
and fun
together.

_________

If Anyone would like to donate to the doggy dog food/treat fund
or...dog dish...leash...shots...kennel (oh..josh has that covered for us...)
uuum whatever else it is that dogs of this size need...
please send to:

Me
247 Sheldon Ave. Apt 25
Ames, IA 50014

Thanks.

Luda would probably love you forever.

Also...other dog names Might be in the Mix...
We'll see...

On Living Places and Spaces

Recently I've been embarking on the task of trying to find
somewhere to live next year.
It hasn't been easy, but I haven't really been trying Terribly hard, either.
But recently...I've found a few spaces.
The skinny is that I'll be having a pseudo roomate
who will use the space as a work area/studio space.

I believe it will be a blast.
And if all goes as planned (and that's just Begging for disaster, isn't it?)
I'll even be able to have a dog.
WHICH because K is there during the day working...
the dog won't even get lonely while I'm away at class!!! Spectacular!

If I had ONE fear though, it would be that
Kris' space would look something like this:

and mine probably more like:

hahaha
kidding (ish)
mine would definitely have clothes scattered across the floor
and a few bikes tossed here and there...and a funky stench of dirty clothes...

But K...
can we have Yellow bucket lights??? Those a freakin' sweet.

It really makes me think more though
about "Creative Space"

With K writing, and me doing grad work...
I can only hope that there is loud Awesome music
(brandi carlile?? Alanis??)

blazing through the open windows
And that light and bright colors flood each room
Books tossed all around...
graphic design books, writing books, and cycling magazines maybe?
And plants! There will definitely be some house plants!
All things that spark creativity and motivation.
We'll maybe hang up pictures like this:

and maybe make our own cool things to hang up...that are kind of like this:

And for study breaks,
we grab a PBR or two and sit out on the front porch with Luda

no not THAT Luda...
I'll tell you more about Luda later, maybe, if Luda happens...

And in the evenings, we'll have campfires in the back yard.

This could Really be an ...Amazing summer...

On the Big Day

It was Really Good.
:)

On Alanis

As with every album as it seems....
I think that Alanis and I MIGHT be living somewhat parallel lives.
Because once again, an Alanis single that totally encapsulates what's going on.

I have to get back to work,
but please indulge in this writing.
And maybe even the message ;)


"Underneath"

Look at us break our bonds in this kitchen
Look at us rallying all our defenses
Look at us waging war in our bedroom
Look at us jumping ship in our dialogues

There is no difference
In what we’re doing in here
That doesn’t show up as big as it does out there
So why spend all our time undressing our bandages
When we’ve the ultimate key to the cause
right here all underneath.

Look at us form our cliques in our sandbox
Look at us being cruel kids with both our hearts blocked
Look at us turn away from all the rough spots
Look at dictatorship on my own block

There is no difference
In what we’re doing in here
That doesn’t show up as big as it does out there
So why spend all our time undressing our bandages
When we’ve the ultimate key to the cause
right here all underneath.

How I’ve spun my wheels
With carts before my horse
And shine on the outside springs from gloom
Spotlight on these seeds of simpler reasons
And score bourne into form, stretching my limit

There is no difference
In what we’re doing in here
That doesn’t show up as big as it does out there
So why spend all our time undressing our bandages
When we’ve the ultimate key to the cause
right here all underneath.


Also,
for those of you, my close friends,
who have DVR...
if you love me...

On Graduating

It just REALLY sunk in the other day
that I'm going to graduate.
Not even just graduate,
but from a great school,
with an awesome degree,
in something I really enjoy,
and with a pretty saweeet portfolio...

It wasn't long ago (four years) that I was sitting in an auditorium
listening to people talk about student loans,
about the academic atmosphere of a University.

I remember going through this same routine in between...
elementary school and middle school,
middle school to high school...
and of course now i'm hearing it about this transition into grad school.

But these transitions have never really phased me
I've gained confidence in the fact that...I will adapt.
On top of that, these conversations/preachings we are given
remind me of ...how unbelievably lucky I am.

There were always sections of the lectures that tell us that
__% of you won't go to college,
for those of you who do
__% will drop out in your freshman year
for those of you still there
__% will switch majors and/or transfer to a different school
__% of you balh blah blah

But alas, here I am. ...somehow.
And I could name off probably 50 other percentages explaining why
...why the odds are against one such as myself, but I'll spare you.

And really,
I've never given credit to it before
(especially since I'm just going to grad school, anyway)
but... that degree,
that little piece of paper.
Its actually kind of cool.
Well...the paper isn't, what it represents is what's cool.

And I don't know Exactly what it means
and its not like I ...can suddenly teleport
or fly or something cool once I get it.

But hey!
Its mine.
And it can't be taken away...

And that's pretty...settling.

On a Poster

Yeah. I know you WISH you had this poster from 1985 in your room...
but you have to have an uncle like Uncle Steve to get one...I think.
Or something like that.
Its one of my favorites, Ever.