NovemBEARD? Weak. Sauce. (Weak.)

Today’s Layer Tennis match is actually in Flash, which is fun.

1. REI Merino Wool socks
2. Gerber AUS-6 pocketknife*
3. An Apple Computer
4. A DVD of the film Serendipity
5. Camper Peu shoes

*currently, tragically, missing in action

I’m working on a CD package and a book jacket for two friends right now and it’s been so long since I’ve done a print project I almost forgot what a FREAKING AWESOME application Adobe InDesign is. Why can’t Photoshop be this awesome and easy to use?

When Asterik Studio split to pursue different types of projects, the Brothers Clark became Invisible Creature, and everyone else became Wonderful Union. WU has a new site of graphic design and interactive design that is oh-so-tasty.

This is my niece, Evie June Ayers. Being a tiny lion.

Ginormous Flickr collection of 40′s and 50′s illustrations from artists like Will Davies, Alex Ross, Frank McCarthy and more. I can’t stress how much I love this 1955 layout and illustration.

If you ever feel the urge to rent Art School Confidential, don’t give in.

I took a bunch of short exposure, out of focus while-zooming night time Dallas skyline photos while we were in town for Thanksgiving. I like them lots.

Useful A List Apart article on various ways web designers can allow users to resize text in CSS. It’s a pet peeve of mine that so many web layouts look stellar on first impression, but fall apart as soon as I size the text up. We have to understand that everyone doesn’t use the web the same way we do (we designers and our typically young, good eyesight.)

Quote, “Peter shoots lots of rock stars. He gets along with them because he’s a nice guy and not intimidating. This is confusing to Peter because he thinks he totally looks like a rock star…Peter’s best travel advice is to get a neck pillow and eye shade. He says you will look like a fool but sleep like a king.” Quite the About Page content there.

Brooklyn-based Texan Peter Yang has a simply beautiful, understated photography portfolio including editorial work for Rolling Stone, ESPN, and Texas Monthly. Dig through the archives; it’s worth it.

There’s a lot of premature hating going on. Hypercritical negativity is in season among a large set of the web’s independent tech observers.
— Jason Fried, 37signals on Amazon’s eBook reader/service Kindle

Should you go looking for me on 01.18.08, you will find me in a large movie theater, popcorn, Twizzlers, and Coca-Cola in hand, nestled in and ready to catch a matinee of Cloverfield on a huge movie screen, giddy like a 12-year-old.

Because the internet needs a blog dedicated to Mustaches of the Nineteenth Century…

And though I ebb in worth, I’ll flow in thanks.
— John Taylor

I’m in Dallas for some thanks-filled vacation until Tuesday. Anyone else in town? I have Chick-Fil-A to eat, and I might be interested in company for such wonderful endeavors.

Design blog Newstoday is officially gone, replaced by the rebranded QBN. I’m guessing the never-impressed, quick-to-negatively-comment masses will remain. The functionality of toggling between the editor’s list and the public list of links is a nicely-implemented feature.

I have difficulty even imagining how Bobby McFerrin does what he does. He’s one of the most singularly inspiring artists for me, and there’s such an infectious joy that accompanies his talent.

This bit, with jazz bassist Richard Bona (who is also great, pick up some of his solo albums), has more fantastic melodies in it than I will ever write.

For more McFerrin goodness, you should check out solo versions of Drive (absolutely incredible) and Thinkin’ About Your Body, or collaborations with accordion group Motion Trio or the Kuumba Singers choir (Hold On has such an amazingly powerful lament to it.)

You should be full up on creativity inspiration for the rest of the day now.

Before anyone asks, yes, I went to preferences > playback and changed all my smart shuffle settings to “less likely.”

I’ve got over 20,000 songs and iTunes shuffle has spit out 8 Ben Harper songs (ugh), 5 Slayer songs (metal!), and 4 Joy Division (depression!) songs in the last two hours. Obviously, shuffle isn’t doing what it’s supposed to. It’s like it finds one or two artists everyday and decides “I know you asked me to shuffle through your whole massive library of musical goodness, a land of rare gems and brilliant moments of beauty, but you really need to listen to this guy today. A lot.” That’s what albums are for, iTunes.

I shouldn’t have to start compiling a complex web of smart playlists based on last-timed-played just to get iTunes to shuffle well.

Start-ups succeed when they offer something different, they rarely succeed by offering a better execution of something that already exists.
— Brad Burnham, Union Square Ventures

1. The ever-widening potential infinitude of the universe
2. West Virginia
3. Chicken Fried Chicken
4. A showdown between The Juggernaut (unstoppable force) and Blob (immovable object)
5. Polaroid Film developing black magic