It’s summer and I’ve been writing very little. (Lately the beach has taken priority.) A couple of weeks ago, Mark Dudlik asked me a few questions for a magazine he’s involved with called Fill/Stroke. Mark’s been kind enough to allow me to repurpose this piece on ideasonideas. Here goes… (and now I’m off to sit in the sun).

A while back I posted Random observations - Part 1. This is a follow-up. As noted earlier, these are personal ruminations on patterns I’ve uncovered through my professional practice. Some are topical, while others may feel rather disconnected. That being said, they all circle around the same things in my mind.

I’ve now been involved in some kind of creative activity for the bulk of my life. From design to running a business, I’ve found that certain patterns have emerged. Clearly there are parallels, and I’m slowly learning a few lessons. About a year ago I started to document these thoughts, with little notion as to what to do with them.

A couple of weeks back I took part in a panel discussion on Web 2.0, which quickly moved into a debate on the implications of social media. It’s funny; I don’t look upon myself as a particularly optimistic person. Throughout the course of the evening, however, I realized that in fact I’m not just someone whose livelihood is connected to the web. I’m a believer.

In art school I became friends with a colourful and interesting fellow named Ian. Although it has been years since we last spoke, I often think back upon his unique perspectives and the typically inebriated conversations we shared. Yesterday I was reminded of an idea he once discussed: that those who eat meat should at least once have to kill an animal.

Amea had passed some kind of a threshold, and her strength and good spirits were starting to fade. She was now in her 15th hour of labour, and she was just tired. I could hardly do a thing other than hold her, ensure that she could take more gas when the contractions subsided, and remind her that she was doing well.

I’m breaking my own rules. I had always said that this blog was about design, and not intended to be a personal document; nevertheless, I’ll write this and just see if I can stitch it all together. (I’m quite convinced that there’s something relevant to say here, if I can just move beyond a couple of clichés.)