Tag Archives: Inspiration

Books, Business, Feature, Inspiration

Dr. Seuss’ Timeless Advice for Kids and Adults Alike

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
—Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Dr-seuss-1-sized

Like many Gen Xers and Millennials, I grew up with Dr. Seuss: the books, the animated specials, and the movies (in the third grade, my career choice was to be the Cat in the Hat).

I was too old to read his final book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! when it was first published in 1990, but reading it now to my family I understand why it’s message resonates with adult readers.

This book has been popular with graduates since its first publication by Random House in 1990
This book has been popular with graduates since its first publication by Random House in 1990

It is a motivational self-help manual masquerading as a children’s book. Inspiring, practical, entertaining and insightful, it is worth the read and is far cheaper than attending a seminar or training!

“You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So… get on your way!”
—Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

 

Design, Feature, Inspiration

OMG: The Expressively Ubiquitious Work of Oliver Munday

Oliver Munday Illustration
Oliver Munday’s SciFi’s unimaginative food [illustration for]: The Washington Post.
Great graphic design should stop you in your tracks and demand your attention.

This is what the preceding image did for me early Sunday morning as I fetched my paper off the front porch (yes, I still read actual newspapers). Large as life and in glorious color: a green, one-eyed alien in a metallic spacesuit holding a decorative ceramic dish of what appears to be pork and beans!

I saved the section and made a mental note to read the artist credit— this was my formal (but not the first) introduction to the work of designer Oliver Munday. After visiting Mr. Munday’s archive site and current work on Tumblr, I began to quickly recognize book covers, posters, infographics, and the 826DC design work for the Museum of Unnatural History: the breadth, diversity, and high quality of work is overwhelming and impressive.

Great graphic design should also create envy, jealousy, and above all inspiration.

Mission accomplished.

Inspiration, Music

This Song May Change Your Life: Tame Impala’s “Let it Happen”

Artists draw their inspiration from a variety of sources and the link between design and music is a strong one. It isn’t a coincidence that many Graphic and Web Designers are record collectors, DJs, and musicians (present company included). I am constantly on the search for new and classic music to fuel my creative fire and Tame Impala’s ” Let it Happen” may well be my song of the season.

Kevin Parker’s psychedelic recording project since 2007, Tame Impala is on the verge of its third album, Currents and this opening single finds Parker at the height of his powers. Signaled by the opening keyboard swell and martial drumbeat, Tame Impala’s “Let it Happen” gallops with an energy, insistence, and purpose of creative possibility that seemingly cannot be contained in its sprawling 7 minutes and 30 seconds:

It’s always around me, all this noise
But not really as loud as the voice saying
Let it happen, let it happen (It’s gonna feel so good)
Just let it happen, let it happen

Alternating between moments of brashness and solitude, analog and digital, old school rock musicianship and postmodern electronic studio manipulation, “Let it Happen” redefines the parameters of the modern rock song (Doubtful?  Fast forward to 3:49 mark of the song to hear the track deconstruct and reconstitute itself to epic heights).

As Kevin croons to the song’s fade out:

Maybe I was ready all along
Maybe I was ready all along

The more appropriate question is, “Are you ready?”.