Mysterious Stacks

I've been debating on this for a while now, but I think I want to add an additional layer of Jquery on top of my portfolio animations. I still need to figure out exactly how I want animations working, but my biggest concern is if this 'stacks' icon makes any sense to anyone visiting my portfolio. Guess it's time for a last minute user test.

La Femme Fatale: Slight Exaggerations on Daily Life

Today I started with a bang. I spoke to a seductress, who always seems confused. Got into a small argument about the existence of doomstep (doom metal + dubstep). I watched her eat a large meal. The day ended with a bike home during a thundering monsoon.

Snowy Fallout

Chemistry. Delivery. Solitude. Chaos. Regurgitation. Eyesight. Tanks. Oxymoron. Crackle. Guns. Books. Recordings. Nightvision. Runners. Screams. Yells. Silence. Fog. Sparks. Hyenas. Crosses. Fire. Symbols. Glass. Snow. Legs. Split. Brass. Porcelain. Mint. Rain. Acid. Sulfur. Circles. Feathers. Belts. Mud. Karma. Violins. Ghosts. Light. Sun. Sun. Sun.

The Pleasure Principle

As always, the more immediate the pleasure, the higher chance the tendencies will become habitual. De nada, Anna - this one is per your request (whether it's what you had in mind is another question).

And Not a Single Fuck

...was given that day.

Likely Incredible

I've always loved simple and modern approaches to any design problem. When it comes to the apartment, there's nothing like the incredible contrast of technology and architecture through the use of select furniture pieces that really bring out the best in every aspect of the space.

Bunny Resurrection

And now, time to celebrate Easter with the kiddies!

Best of RUE: Issue Four

Oh, I love RUE magazine. I really wish they had a men's version. While I don't personally own an iPad just yet, I see their little online mag operation as one of the primary reasons why Apple's got one of the most powerful platforms for media consumption today. Browsing these things on a computer just don't feel right!

The Things I Would Do

I'm finally getting an AUX port installed on my car today. It's only been like... 6 years too late. Next, convert my '93 Maxima into this bad boy.

Metronomy Is Pure Sex

Decor by itself is pretty. Girl by herself is beautiful. Combine forces and you have Metronomy. Their new album just got released and I'll admit - I'm seriously in love. This sexily hypnotic fan-made video doesn't hurt either.

Building Sensation

Here's an idea of what I've got in mind for my new place next month.

CYCLOC Wall Flower Pot for Bikes

For $90, you can have your very own stylish wall-mounted flower pot.

A New Pokemon Adventure

I really hate Pokemon with a passion. But Adventure Time rules! Makes me wonder if I'd finally accept Pikachu if he started resembling Jake.

SproutBox Reflections

I’ve always liked the motto, “Improve upon everything you do.” When given the opportunity to collaborate with the talent at SproutBox earlier this year, I knew it was something I could not pass up. Speaking with Marc Guyer, the CEO and co-founder of SproutBox, I quickly found a home for all of the user experience theory and technical skills I had built up for the past 2+ years.

We both agreed - web applications can be a great timesaver and change the way we interact with our world, but like many digital experiences, negating those who actually use the product can be disastrous and highly unforgiving in such a rapidly changing landscape of the World Wide Web. Marc knew this, as his company was built for translating great ideas into actual products within an astounding 3-months.

Assigned to Adam Quirk, the Director of Marketing and Operations, and I was the CheddarGetter revamp. CheddarGetter was an in-house project that had received some recognition for the brilliant idea of a plug-n-play API for recurring billing executed on the cheap. It was also one of the first projects at SproutBox and was starting to show its age. And it was apparent; huge blocks of text, confusing navigation choices, and a completely dissociating experience left much to be desired.

It was time to get in there with a sledgehammer and get CheddarGetter caught up with the competition. Working closely with Adam and the development team, I developed site workflows and balanced user needs with business objectives. Marketing played a huge part in all of this, as designing the experience of buy-in while easing the user was not as easy as it sounds. To engage, you must first set the mood, much like a movie, and allow the customer to explore the environment. Only after they’ve bought into the experience that the product is indeed something worth investing their next few minutes in would they continue with any steps we introduced later on.

This mantra and approach played a vital role in the curation of the home, features, pricing, signup, video, and entire onboarding design. Using personas, we could test the information flow and design pacing to optimize signup rates and allow them into the full product without dissociating them with external outbound links. As the product gets ready for launch later this month, we're all very excited to see the new direction for CheddarGetter and the potential to finally compete once again with the giants that currently dominate the space now.

All in all, I quickly learned that a 3-month deadline from concept to product isn’t a task for the light-hearted. It requires everyone to stay on top of things. It means leaving the on-site beer taps dry... for several weeks at a time. It means loving Basecamp. But most importantly, it means trusting what you know and completely putting yourself into the things that you create. For that, I thank SproutBox for the opportunity to learn something from the pros while walking away a stronger, more-confident designer than ever before.

Retro Raging

This is the kind of music that comes out when technology moves too fast. I particularly love how rough the texture on footage is. So damn rough! Almost like they filmed it on torn-up VHS, projected it, and filmed it with a Super-8.

The band, by the way, is The Weeknd. I suggest you cop their album now.

Nong Shim Instant Wicked Noodles Recipe

Eating instant noodles by themselves is grade school. If you're out of college, you should at least be steppin' up your cookin' game, even if it's just a little bit. And this means turning those instant noodles into something a little more awesome.

My favorite recipe: Boil half water, half chicken broth. Add green onions and Kimchi, and just enough of the spice packet for flavor. Add the noodles. Once the noodles are almost cooked, add two large eggs. Once done, drink the soup or save the extra for rice. It's deliciouso.

Fashionable Rentals

Just because you're renting, doesn't mean you can't deck the living s%#t out of it. Hang up huge photographic canvas prints, spread fabrics over any cold areas, and punch color into the space through decorous items that mean something to you.

The Immaculate Victorian

Classic Victorian apartment within 1 mile of work. Penthouse balcony with view of the capitol. Recessed ceilings and historic details. Check, check, and check.

Deadly Grab Bag

This week's inspirational grab bag theme is stylish destruction and immortality. Enjoy and protect your neck!