In Living Color

This post-neon period should last about 2 more months. Then it's back to black and white.

Whiskey Militia Bar Sketch

The idea: Create a bar for whiskey lovers. Decor will be urban country club. Leather seating paired with modern lighting with an inviting dance floor. Reasonably priced drinks. Whiskey-Coke for $9. Beers for $6.

Here comes the best part. Every evening from 3-5PM for happy hour, we'll have this special. We call it the "Ben Hook Deal" (based off this guy genius). Basically, if you order a bottle of your favorite whiskey (and trust us, we'll have lots to choose from), you get access to unlimited beer. The catch? You'll need to have 5 friends with you and all must order at least one (1) regular drink in order to reap the benefits.

There are, of course, some legal issues with this new approach to social drinking, but it's a tempting endeavor that I wish I could experiment with if I only had a few more investors. Must start making investor friends.

And Not a Single Fuck

...was given that day.

Experiencist Shopping Guide

Here's just a bunch of crap I'd like to eventually contribute to my new apartment is wherever-town. Preferably gifted to myself soon so I can break them in. Yes, those clocks are $380.

Asking the Right Questions, Building Ideas

An interesting take on sense vs. nonsense and a brief integrated overview of the human processing model. Lovely sketch notes by Frank Chimero.

Good Design Principles by Homeboy Dieter

Principle number seven: Good design is non-obtrusive. Good design should be well-rounded. Good design should be fully thought out at every angle.

A Higher Purpose

Reminds me of the stuff we've learned in the history of HCI up until the third wave. Hoping to not make it a trend of having RSA videos every other day, but they inspire so many ideas for my sketch notes that I just can't help it.

The take home message? We need to motivate pay people enough for what they do so that they're not thinking about money. Then, provide them with the following:

Autonomy: Ability to have self-direction.
Mastery: Ability to get better at something.
Purpose: Ability to contribute to something great.

Pace of Life

I feel like I'm a hedonistic present-future thinker type who enjoys the pace of life of digitally wired monkey.

White Floors as Light Magnets

For one, they bring ample amounts of light in. Sucks if you're not a morning person (like me), but I do appreciate having natural night fill my room up on a daily basis. More here.

Positive Support

Fun with geometrics. Fun with yellow. Fun with type. All of my favorite things.

Tennis Ball Steady Cam Hack

This is fricking geneous. Ya. Geneous. All you need is a tennis ball, a utility knife, some pliers, a Sharpie, nuts and bolts, and a little bit of patience. Gawd this is so awesome I think I'm going to do it tomorrow night.

But wait, I need a camera first. Dammit all!

The Art of Inspiring Oneself

Dr. Ronald Chevalier from Gentleman Broncos on "The Art of Inspiring Oneself." I sorta do the same thing, except I only wish I had a synthesizer.

Business 3.0: Incentive Models

Dan Pink discusses the current inverse business approach with financial incentives and how it hinders the speed of cognitive tasks instead of strengthening it. The shift, he proposes, should be towards Autonomy (intrinsic motivation to direct our own lives), Mastery (ability to improve oneself), and Purpose (a long-term goal). This translates to paying people adequately and fairly, but also allowing them freedom to discover new things on their own, with less focus on time frames and deadlines and more focus on creativity and discovery.

Wall Sticker Invasion

I need to start designing some quirky stickers for white walls. It'll be great for renters like me who don't want to lose my security deposit with paint and wall-mounting hardware.

Aspirations, Expositions, and Missions in Life

As uncertain as our generation's "American Dream" has turned out to be during these past few years, leaving many folks of our Y-generation out of jobs right out of college and struggling to pay off loans meanwhile getting by on a dime, I still cannot help but dream about the potential of our future.

For now, those nickel and dimes will continue to amount to much more than we ever imagined they would be. While we try and step back to absorb wise words from our parents and elders, more often than not, we're only welcomed by discouragement tied by a dated mindset. A mindset that has led to dissimulation of our current economy. A mindset filled with overconfidence in choices based on safety, tradition, and job security.

So how does one design a successful company/venture in this dire situation, in this early age, surrounded by the endless stream of crap that's disillusioned us for so long? The more I gather ideas from speaking with associates and writing for Unplggd, the ethos of creating such an environment that fuels creativity and becomes more and more likely that it's still possible to whip up something the works, as long as you continue to have the drive to do so.

It's a secret formula, while risky in nature, has managed to continue coming together during the uphill battles I've held through the past few years. A concoction of ideas and ideals, fueled by what I like to call, "the empowerment of people other than yourself" - working on and off each other in a work flow that can only push forward, never back. And while it's not perfect, it's enough to keep me going in the direction I'm going in. So that even when I'm stranded in my bedroom with no gas money to spare, I'll still be enjoying my 10th cup of Campbell's chicken noodle soup with no regrets.

Designin' Ain't Easy, But It's Necessary

I'm pretty stuck in between the leather fabric choices of red and brown for my Humanscale Freedom chair with headrest. My greatest fear is the red being too contemporary lookin' for the laid back retro-modern look I'm trying to pull off with the rest of my furniture. What do you guys think?

In The End, There Was A...

And righteously, so! Still on the lookout for a decent letter to throw up on my wall shelf of eclectic goodies though. These Davis thrift stores are getting sorta depressing in terms of quality items...

How To: Prep Your Bike For A Paint Job

Removal: Use Aircraft Stripper or sand down with 180grit wet/dry sandpaper. Rinse with water when clogged with old paint.

Coverage: Block off all the holes and trim the excess with an exacto knife. Stick a roll of newspaper in the seat hole.

Painting: Use two coats Rustoleum Painter’s Touch primer and generally two coats of paint for each color. Do light sanding between coats of color with 600grit wet/dry paper. Follow with a couple light coats of clear coat and let them dry in between.

Hello, Hipster TV Coming At'chu Live!

Today, you can check out the first trailer of the upcoming video series by Evil Monito, entitled The Process. Developed by Rickey Kim and Levi Maestro, The Process tells stories of creative people in the slick jeans, kicks, and hype industry. The trailer shows us upcoming episodes featuring Eddie Cruz, Pete from Cassette, as well as stories surrounding the creatives behind Hellz Bellz, Giant Robot and more. Definitely something I'm gonna keep an eye out for!

In Defense of Eye Candy

Regarding "pretty design" and all things similar; To affect, which is inexplicably linked to attitudes, expectations and motivations, plays a significant role in the cognition of product interaction…the perception that affect and cognition are independent, separate information processing systems is downright flawed. In fact, how we perceive comes together in a single, overlayed entity. Kinda like Nutella with banana and bread. A list apart.