Font: –noun Printing.

You see a letter or a word, and I see brand image. Typography, the slightest difference, with the largest rippling effects. It controls the very character and essence of a company. And it really can be a make or break situation to change fonts mid-brand establishment.

Ikea, after 50 years of Futura, decided to embrace the more similar Verdana font face. To the naked eye, you might not even realize there is a difference at all, but to designers and marketers, the difference means the world, and possibly the entire reputation of the company.

Why the change so suddenly in 2010? Cost-effectiveness and generalization. Yes, you do see the contradiction here: Ikea is a brand created on design uniqueness and giving the artistic public exactly what it wants, some of which include, but are not limited to: clarity, purity, simplicity, and diversity.

“It’s more efficient and cost-effective,” said IKEA’s spokeswoman Monika Gocic. Verdana makes it possible for Ikea to use the same font all over the world, also allowing the print and web to equally share consistence. Usually, this is a smart move in terms of marketing, but not so in the case of Ikea. Designers are outraged, declaring a poor sense of aesthetics and corporate identity, and this doesn’t even cover what PR is flying. In fact, click here to sign the petition against font face changes for the company:

http://www.petitiononline.com/IKEAVERD/petition.html

And while the majority of the Ikea community remains outraged, the average customer has this to comment: “Typographic Madness, but I’m sure they’ll still sell plenty of hot dogs.”

For typography enthusiasts, this is a hot topic. What’s your opinion?

For more typography identity changes, note Audi @ http://fontfeed.com/archives/typographic-relaunch-for-audi/

An \”i\” Catching Death

I found this incredibly amusing, and how ironic that it comes from a company with an “innocence” appeal. No wonder it was the target of such a parody! Find the humor in it…

With today’s uncanny amount of methods of communication, I personally see no reason why any one person should be disregarded. This is especially true in the business world. Although many emails, text messages, and letters arrive daily, you wouldn’t miss responding to it if it were a client. You should always make a point to respond to your mail as it comes, or organize it in such a way that it can be addressed within 48 hours. Otherwise, you’ve neglected an opportunity.

Communication is essential. Even if you are waiting on someone else before you contact the original source, say so. That doesn’t leave anyone outside of the know; there is no question about the status of the situation. This is also true with contacting people in situation such as… an interview.

Let me explain:

A job offers an interview. You jump at the offer. It sounds great, even if it is just a start, even if it is extremely part time from home. It’s an opportunity, and right now, that’s much more than it was a year ago. I’ll take it. But here’s where they go wrong… That could be a great or pathetic person on the other side of the communication track, but really, it doesn’t matter. Nothing hurts giving a chance to someone. And you can screen them before you ever respond. You made the first initial move, but it really didn’t mean that you had to get a response… but you DID. That means the company is interested, even offered an interview… then nothing. This is where communication breaks down. In my opinion, even if it is to say that they will get back with you about a time and place, that at least needs to be said. It is wrong to toss out false opportunities you never tending on keeping. And although it is the job of the person asking for the opportunity, it isn’t solely there responsibility. They returned your email… You could do the same.

As I said, you never know who is on the other side of the communication. I wouldn’t risk the chance it was someone important, powerful, or simply an asset just waiting to be found. Or it could be nobody… But what does it hurt to fulfill your obligation? I’ll say one thing, it’s definitely a breakdown of your credibility at the least. It shows a lot about a company… And in this case, it doesn’t make the person asking for a job an easy feeling. They simply will walk into the interview, if it ever happens, with a lack of confidence in the people they are trying to impress. That’s… a recipe for disaster.

PR. Not only public relations, but personal respect. Do it justice.

There are many life lessons to learn. It’s part of the painful process of growing up. The hardest lessons being the worst ones of the bunch.

I had one of those! I think I’m suppose to feel empowered or something a bit more, I don’t know, less depressing. But, I’ve got a lot more growing to do, so instead, I feel about as wide as your thumb and index finger can spread apart (f.y.i. My hands are small, so for me, that’s really small).

I’m here to say this though, chances don’t come often, so you have to take them. They might bring with them [devastating] consequences, but that’s where those invaluable life lessons really kick in; live and learn. You can’t control anything, as much as you’d like to, and in this day and age, trying your hardest, obviously, only goes so far. You can look back on things all day long and say “If I had just…”, but in the end, you didn’t just do this or that, so make now that “just” moment in life and figure out the next step… That’s where I am. I left stability, took a chance, and it failed miserably, and has left me totally high and dry with no real options left. This my friends is what we call a bad choice, among several other [inappropriate] things I’m tagging this particular situation at the moment. Life is far from fair, get that much straight.

So for any of those people out there unemployed, hey, I’m with you [again]! Head high… This could be the opportunity of a lifetime… Let’s hope so at least. I haven’t been as happy as I wish I had been, so this could be a blessing in disguse. Paying the bills at the moment, on the other hand, isn’t in disguse at all [lol]. Yes, I laughed at my own situation, trust, that wasn’t my inital reaction. I’m a girl… We don’t laugh at losing our jobs. Definitely not a laugh, many other things… No to laughing.

For those out there with a job [ha], I’m a integrated marketing major, 4 1/2 years of college experience, live and learn, with a minor in art, specifically graphic arts. I love to design, among other things, which is why I feel I am sure a strong marketer overall. I think my combination of the two, given the right tools and opportunity, can go through the roof. I need a chance, positive encouragement, and well, a job, but besides that… I need the right environment that truly matches where I can go. Find me, and I might just be the greatest thing since sliced bread, if you don’t let me go 3 months later too. I see possibility in myself, and with my work ethic and drive and passion for what I love, I really see a lot of potential, just buried. I dabble in so much that I feel I am going to really be an explosive tool one of these days… and please no, I’m not cocky. Really, I just know I’ve got the goods, just nowhere to set them down at.

Feel free to offer me a job. Thanks for reading!  In the meantime… Back to meager retail. [Suffering artist syndrome]

For anyone Mac/Illustrator saavy, here’s a neat way to spend your free time i.e. I had some and  then… I didn’t have quite so much anymore. But hey, I like it! Not to mention it goes with the  current settings on my ipod touch (jailbroken, of course). And this suits my style nicely. It  definitely has a few rough places and needs touched up, but for a first attempt, I’d say not too  shabby, eh?

For those of you out there that have the few basics down on illustrator, or know me, obviously, let  me know and I’ll help you make one of your own. It’s more time consuming than anything, but  then again, I’m picky and it has to be just right (It’s bugging me when I start to see problem areas  already, so the fact that I’m now looking at it 24/7 will probably get the better of me real soon).

Next mission… learn how and create custom icons for my MacBook Pro. Kudos Apple.

So, this blog. Basically, it’s where I get the word out. Where I express thought. Where I choose to enlighten. To inform. To educate. To simply to strike topics that interest me and I feel might be of interest to others. Or just a place where you find a lot of vowels, adjectives, and compound sentences.

To me it is more than strings of letters divided by commas and ended with a period at the end. But thanks to the teacher that taught me to include those as I write. This blog, as insignificant as it might be, is a place. It’s the home of my free thought. A comfort zone if you will. A forum.

What you write is not as important as where you write, as long as it gets out. Each person, whether they realize it or not, has a place that they find they can consistently come to. This happens to be one of mine. But that is not the extent to it. Everyone must find the one place that thoughts are evoked the most. For some, it’s constrained to lines that dictate the straightness in which each measured line length runs. Others prefer to perfect the art of not tearing a hole in their left over napkin with a ballpoint pen. And others, well, they write in odd places, like when I read a guy likes to write in the dust on top of his refrigerator (he’s rather tall).

I’m much more a book person myself when I’m not blogging, but for me, the peacefulness comes in finding the right type of book. Not all will do. I do judge books by there covers, very critically. I’m fascinated with color and design, and I have a style that suits me, and that book is one of compliment to it. And it’s writing, together, form almost a piece of art to me when complete, as all writing should. And if I don’t finish to the end, or if I buy it and later feel something doesn’t tempt me to use it and it collects dust, well, whatever I had to say wasn’t meant for that time and place I suppose.

Point being, there is no such thing as writers block. It’s simply a mismatch of situation. You have to find the right piece to the puzzle before you can put it all together again. Same with writing. If you’re not where you need to be, the words won’t be either.  And who’s to say that it’s always the same place and way everytime, because I don’t know a single person that’s 100% predictable. If you have nothing but a bubblegum wrapper handy, and you’re have a thought that’s about to wisp away and never be remembered again, then the situation overtook you. But damn that’ll be the most important bubblegum wrapper you’ll never want to throw away.

The paper napkin on my beside table reads:

Breathe in, breathe out,

Dream about things

You think the most about.

Wish for things, tride and true,

And maybe those things,

Will come to you.

The flower symbolism associated with the daisy is purity, innocence, loyal love, beauty, patience and simplicity.

the opening refrence to number 99, ‘just as I am’ is refering to the hymn which goes by the same name.
Johnny Cash made this hymn popular in 1999 by using it in a song which also goes by the same name.

Charlotte Elliot wrote this song about how to find salvation through Christ. It has been used by many as the call to the altar at the close of services, as it brings a quiet simple message of sin, forgiveness, and salvation to all that listen.

An elderly man asked Charlotte Elliott if she were a Christian; she felt insulted, and told him to mind his own affairs. But after the man left, she could not get the question off her mind, and she went back to ask the man how to find Christ. He told her to come just as she was. She did, and wrote the beautiful song, “Just As I Am.” – By B. A. Scherr

She is reputed to have written the hymn whilst resting under the shade of a tree at the site of a property which was being built by her brother Reverend Henry Venn Elliott as a school for the daughters of impoverished clergymen.

That explains the little boy/girl who reads.

find the hymn and listen at http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/j/u/justasam.htm

Daisy

“And we sing this morning that wonderful and grand old message. 
I don’t know about you but I never get tired of it 
Number 99: Just As I Am.

I’m a mountain that has been moved
I’m a river that is all dried up
I’m an ocean nothing floats on
I’m a sky that nothing wants to fly in
I’m a sun that doesn’t burn hot
I’m a moon that never shows it’s face
I’m a mouth that doesn’t smile
I’m a word that no one ever wants to say…

[Child speaking.]
I don’t wanna be, 
He wasn’t finding anybody when he was on the shelf
I saw him in my dream

I’m a mountain that has been moved
I’m a fugitive that has no legs to run
I’m a preacher with no pulpit
Spewing a sermon that goes on and on…

Well if we take all these things and we bury them fast
And we’ll pray that they turn into seeds, to roots and then grass
It’d be all right, it’s all right, it’d be easier that way
Or if the sky opened up and started pouring rain
Like he knew it was time to start things over again
It’d be all right, it’s all right, it’d be easier that way

Well if we take all these things and we bury them fast
And we’ll pray that they turn into seeds, to roots and then grass
It’d be all right, it’s all right, it’d be easier that way
Or if the sky opened up and started pouring rain
Like he knew it was time to start things over again
It’d be all right, it’s all right, it’d be easier that way

Currently: Daisy.

Check it, my favorite band of all time, Brand New, dropped their album earlier than the September 22 release date, although it is not available for sale yet. FYI I’m obsessed with this band, and yes, I do already have tickets for the closest showing, and another yes to I’m considering driving quite a distance to see them play more than once. Brand New, in case you aren’t aware… basically never tours. The last show I saw was a few years ago after their release of The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me, and I was totally speechless for at least 4 hours afterwards. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t pass out during the show, but it was more than worth it and one of the best shows I’ve seen in my entire life live. They don’t even have to try to be the greatest… They just are, for their genre of course. Their lyrics are amazing, and incredibly deep. I challenge you to read a feed on the interpretations, especially from that last album, which to date is the best album I’ve ever heard in my entire life from any band, and yes, I listen to it 24/7. It touches me every time in a way I can’t even express. It’s godly, especially when you read up on the band’s intentions, the process of releasing that album, and all the meanings behind it.

Visit http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1171682 to see live videos and hear clips of the newest album.

Visit http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.artistalbums&artistid=4665058&ap=1&albumid=13667880&songid=56651366 to hear the album early. My god, I’m in love…

Track Listing (Daisy)
1. Vices 3:24
2. Bed 3:09
3. At the Bottom 4:04
4. Gasoline 3:32
5. You Stole 5:59
6. Be Gone 1:30
7. Sink 3:19
8. Bought a Bride 3:06
9. Daisy 3:06
10. In a Jar 3:05
11. Noro 6:26

Etsy: Where everyone is an artist. This website is home to thousands of handmade art creations, basically, an art fan’s legitimate Craig’s list central. The range of offered goods is outstanding, with jewelry being a top pick often. A friend of mine recently began book binding as a hobby, and conveniently enough, Etsy is now host to all of her marvelous new leather books, all handmade, all unique, all different. This is honestly by far some of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in my life, and of course, as very inspirational to the creative. I invite you to please browse obsessively. Warning: It’s extremely addicting. Side effects: Your wallet might find itself mysteriously drained of its contents.