https://adrian3.com/Adrian3.com: RSS Feedhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2021/2021-01-01-My-2020-Year-in-Review.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2021/2021-01-01-My-2020-Year-in-Review.html2020 Year End Review Wow, what a great year! I know I am not supposed to say that about 2020, but as I reflect on this year I can’t help but feel blessed. It seems that with each passing year I hit January with more energy, optimism, and a sense that good things are waiting for mFri, 01 Jan 2021 17:30:00 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-11-24-The%202020%20Simulator.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-11-24-The%202020%20Simulator.htmlLet’s say you could load 2020 into a simulation that you could replay on your computer over and over. I know that sounds like torture but stick with me.Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:30:00 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-09-24-The-Invisible-Golden-Age.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-09-24-The-Invisible-Golden-Age.htmlThe Invisible Golden Age How 2020 broke the permanence illusion “We are powerfully imprisoned by the terms in which we have been conducted to think.” – Buckminster Fuller This might be the most optimistic view of the pandemic, maybe even life in general, that you will ever read.Thu, 24 Sep 2020 17:30:00 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-02-17-ETHDenver-A-Glimpse%20into-the-Future.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-02-17-ETHDenver-A-Glimpse%20into-the-Future.htmlI signed up for ETHDenver 2020 hoping to learn more about cryptocurrency. What I came away with was questions about the viability of, well, everything.Tue, 18 Feb 2020 04:23:44 GMTCreativityPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-01-02-My-2019-Year-in-Review.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-01-02-My-2019-Year-in-Review.htmlI entered 2019 with more optimism than I have ever had going into the new year. I just felt like big things were on the horizon. I was right.Fri, 03 Jan 2020 04:41:25 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-01-01-How-to-use-your-AirPod-Pros-to-Trigger-Flow.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2020/2020-01-01-How-to-use-your-AirPod-Pros-to-Trigger-Flow.htmlIt’s 2020 and if you are like me you are hoping to spend as much of this year in a flow state as possible. I am always looking for hacks that allow my to get into the zone faster, stay there longer, and increase my creative output. Here’s a new trick that has been working for me lately.Wed, 01 Jan 2020 17:44:44 GMTCreativityPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-10-20-Qualifying-for-Boston-In-2021.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-10-20-Qualifying-for-Boston-In-2021.htmlRegistration for the 2020 Boston Marathon has closed and there is a brand new set of data ready for analysis. If you are one of the runners who was accepted, congratulations! Qualifying for Boston is not easy, and as we will see shortly, it shows no signs of getting easier.Tue, 22 Oct 2019 04:46:32 GMTRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-09-28-The-US-Navys-100-million-dollar-checkbox.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-09-28-The-US-Navys-100-million-dollar-checkbox.htmlTwo years ago a Navy destroyer was ripped open by the nose of a Liberian tanker. Ten sailors were crushed or drowned as their sleeping quarters filled with water after the collision. At the heart of the tragedy is a single checkbox on a touchscreen. This is the untold story of how bad design caused a crew to lose control of the $1.8 billion _John S McCain_ destroyer and the mystery around how designers manage to avoid blame when their creations cause death and destruction.Sun, 29 Sep 2019 00:31:53 GMTDesign ThinkingSpecial Hell for DesignersUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-07-20-Mental%20Spacecraft-Two-Contradictory-Views-from-Space.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-07-20-Mental%20Spacecraft-Two-Contradictory-Views-from-Space.htmlFifty years after humanity’s first steps on the moon seems like a good excuse to imagine the view from space. You are floating, weightless, taking in the beauty of Earth, a tiny blue marble dangling below. An umbilical cord tethers you to your spacecraft.Sat, 20 Jul 2019 22:13:07 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-02-16-Bostons-Evolution.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-02-16-Bostons-Evolution.htmlMy Boston Marathon dataset expands to encompass the last 121 years. With the benefit of another century of data, what will we learn?Sun, 17 Feb 2019 04:46:32 GMTRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-02-23-The-5-Whys-Of-Running.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-02-23-The-5-Whys-Of-Running.htmlIf you ask "Why?" five times you can discover the motivation behind anything. At least that is what this simple interrogation method is supposed to do. It's never worked for me.Sun, 17 Feb 2019 04:46:32 GMTRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-01-26-Negative-Space.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-01-26-Negative-Space.htmlOne of the most important lessons you learn as a student of design is the importance of negative space. For every mark you make you are changing the space around it. Artists understand that this negative space is just as important as the mark itself. Visually this is a critical lesson, but it is equally important as a way to evaluate other aspects of life.Sat, 26 Jan 2019 21:38:48 GMTArtCreativityMy Heroeshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-01-12-Boston-Marathon-Data-Analysis-Part-1.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-01-12-Boston-Marathon-Data-Analysis-Part-1.htmlEvery time I line up at the start of a marathon I am amazed by the diversity of humans I see. Running is truly a sport for all shapes, sizes, and varieties of people. While the top finishers steal the headlines, the real story to me is the thousands of runners who finish behind the winners.Mon, 21 Jan 2019 04:46:32 GMTRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-01-19-Why-is-the-Boston-Marathon-So-Slow.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-01-19-Why-is-the-Boston-Marathon-So-Slow.htmlThe perception is that the Boston Marathon is a fast race. True, the winners always post blazing fast times, but what about everyone else? It might surprise you to learn that that the majority of Boston participants perform far below their capabilities.Mon, 21 Jan 2019 04:46:32 GMTRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-01-05-Abandon-Your-New-Years-Resolutions-and-Perform-System-Checks.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2019/2019-01-05-Abandon-Your-New-Years-Resolutions-and-Perform-System-Checks.htmlI had trouble making resolutions this year. Normally I love the process, I make my list, sketch out a plan, maybe even buy an online course or two. But this year I couldn’t do it. Why was my brain blocking the New Year’s resolution tradition?Sun, 06 Jan 2019 04:46:32 GMTCreativityInspirationPsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-12-8-Regaining-Write-Access-To-Your-Brain.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-12-8-Regaining-Write-Access-To-Your-Brain.htmlFor us the world is mostly predictable, but the child's reality is still expanding. What if you could get back there, recapture the joy you felt when everything was still waiting for you to discover it?Sun, 09 Dec 2018 03:28:35 GMTCreativityInspirationPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-12-01-How-to-Tell-if-Your-Job-is-Real.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-12-01-How-to-Tell-if-Your-Job-is-Real.htmlAfter quitting his job, a friend made an odd comment. He said, "It’s weird when you realize that none of it is real." His observation stuck me as both profoundly true and maddeningly confusing.Sun, 02 Dec 2018 03:07:13 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-11-17-The-40-Year-Old-Version.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-11-17-The-40-Year-Old-Version.htmlThere is a path weaving through the seven lakes of Loveland that hugs the western edge of Boyd Lake, kisses the tip of Horseshoe, parts the lips of Westerdoll and Heinricy, caresses the Upper and Lower Hoffmans.Sat, 17 Nov 2018 18:06:40 GMTInspirationRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-11-03-The-Greatest-Jedi-Mind-Trick-of-All-Time.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-11-03-The-Greatest-Jedi-Mind-Trick-of-All-Time.htmlWhat percentage of your visible world would you say you can see? Yes, you read that correctly. The obvious answer is "all of it." But stick with me.Sat, 03 Nov 2018 17:06:40 GMTCreativityInspirationPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-10-13-Hamster-Wheel-Upgrades.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-10-13-Hamster-Wheel-Upgrades.htmlIt is either the most beautiful song I have ever heard or something else. It’s one of those rare moments where you shed all the pessimism and your soul fills with peace and clarity until it leaks out of the corner of your eye.Sat, 13 Oct 2018 17:54:48 GMTInspirationPersonal StoriesPsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-09-29-My-Favorite-People-Dont-Have-Problems.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-09-29-My-Favorite-People-Dont-Have-Problems.htmlI walked into my boss’s office and said, "Mia, I have a problem." It was my first week as a graphic designer and I had no idea what I was doing. Before I could explain whatever trivial issue I couldn’t resolve, Mia stopped me.Sat, 29 Sep 2018 15:53:18 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityInspirationhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-09-15-In-Search-of-Another-Gear.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-09-15-In-Search-of-Another-Gear.htmlMost of my miles are a grind. Not unpleasant, but not bliss either. I run, measure my progress, and push myself hoping to get faster.Sat, 15 Sep 2018 16:57:57 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityInspirationRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-09-08-Tighter-than-Scum.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-09-08-Tighter-than-Scum.htmlA mile of scum clung to the edges of the grocery store aisles. Every night the machine that waxed the floor spit excess gunk onto the baseboards. Hal Smith pondered the mess from above, perched in a cloud of cigarette smoke, surveying his store from behind mirrored glass.Sat, 08 Sep 2018 16:34:30 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-08-25-Aggressive-Curiosity.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-08-25-Aggressive-Curiosity.htmlOn the edge of a lake a man sits at a bench with a camera on his lap. His expression is satisfied, the look of someone who has aimed at retirement and hit the bullseye a decade ahead of schedule. His life now has room for a hobby, he can become the wildlife photographer he has always wanted to be.Sat, 25 Aug 2018 16:51:15 GMTArtCreativityInspirationhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-08-18-Irresistible-Obstacles.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-08-18-Irresistible-Obstacles.htmlThe formula beneath any game that hooks players can be boiled down to the following. Voluntary Obstacle + Rules + Feedback System = Leveling UpSat, 18 Aug 2018 17:19:59 GMTCareer AdviceInspirationPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-08-11-Rediscovering-Your-Stride.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-08-11-Rediscovering-Your-Stride.htmlI felt the pain before I could see the wart. I thought it was a bruise, one of the many little tiny injuries that come and go as part of any runner’s training routine. But the little nemesis on the ball of my foot stuck around. It put up a good fight, injecting pain into my runs, reducing my mileage, taking up more mental space than the dumb thing deserved.Sat, 11 Aug 2018 17:21:59 GMTPsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-08-04-Unchecked-Depression-Boxes.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-08-04-Unchecked-Depression-Boxes.htmlAnd are you feeling depressed? Why should that question enrage me so much? I realize depression is a major health epidemic. I understand that they can't treat an invisible disease without asking if you are suffering from it. But all I wanted was to get a wart frozen off the bottom of my foot so I can get back to running.Sat, 04 Aug 2018 17:39:06 GMTPersonal StoriesPsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-07-13-Selecting-Sticks-and-Stones.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-07-13-Selecting-Sticks-and-Stones.htmlWhen my behavior was bad enough to warrant a swat on the butt, my family performed an odd ritual. Dad and I would go for a walk in search of a spanking stick. Today as an adult I punish my body by running. I follow another odd ritual before particularly demanding workouts.Sat, 14 Jul 2018 16:39:23 GMTPersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-06-30-Typo-Donuts.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-06-30-Typo-Donuts.htmlI end each of my Saturday stories with two words of encouragement. _Stay creative._ Why? Because your creativity is under attack. Tell me you don’t feel it. It takes tremendous determination to defend your best ideas day after day. Isn’t it tempting to take the easy path, to accept mediocrity, to produce work that is safe, approvable, and forgettable?Sat, 30 Jun 2018 17:17:46 GMTCreativityPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-06-16-The-IKEA-Defense-of-Flat-Earthers.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-06-16-The-IKEA-Defense-of-Flat-Earthers.htmlFlat Earthers are perhaps the only group of people that it is still socially acceptable to discriminate against. We just can’t bring ourselves to tolerate people who believe the world is flat. And yet the fundamental ideas powering a flat Earth believer is an approach that most of us agree with.Sat, 16 Jun 2018 15:45:34 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-06-09-Lost-in-Sawdust.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-06-09-Lost-in-Sawdust.htmlMost personal development takes the form of blade sharpening. You see an edge, take a class, and add a bullet point to your resume. You polish that blade, perfect it, and imagine yourself as a Samurai. Then you step out into the woodworking shop where a sword is not just embarrassingly impractical, it is dangerous. You trip on your sword, lost in the sawdust.Sat, 09 Jun 2018 16:06:08 GMTCareer AdviceInspirationhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-06-02-Fire-Hydrant-Fury.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-06-02-Fire-Hydrant-Fury.htmlIf you are an artist living in a city with a public art project you hope nobody blames you for it. Lincoln, Nebraska is covered with ugly bike-shaped sculptures covered with even uglier paintings. Loveland, Colorado lets people paint their electric boxes. Your city probably has its own version of the tragedy.Sat, 02 Jun 2018 17:42:57 GMTArtCreativityDesign ThinkingPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-05-26-Gravity-Prayers.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-05-26-Gravity-Prayers.htmlA cube of ice trembled in the hand of a stupid boy. Like a loaded dice, its melting walls possessed the power to steer the fate of the foolish teenager. From the top of the bleachers the boy considers a dare as a high school marching band blares behind him. Two hundred feet below a car is driving by with an open window.Sat, 26 May 2018 15:39:49 GMTPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-05-19-A-Tesla-Powered-by-Insects.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-05-19-A-Tesla-Powered-by-Insects.htmlAn exhausted beetle crawled across the palm of a young child’s hand. The boy rotated his arm as the bug walked, creating an endless treadmill for his little friend. Around and around the June bug went until eventually it flew away. As he watched it leave, the boy made a calculation.Sat, 19 May 2018 14:50:24 GMTCreativityInspirationMy Heroeshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-05-12-Tiny-Fingers-Stretching-For-Truth.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-05-12-Tiny-Fingers-Stretching-For-Truth.htmlOn the edge of my periphery a figure approaches. I feel close to death, sitting on the grass, wondering how my race could go so wrong. I am too tired to look around to see who is walking toward me. There is plenty of room behind to pass, nothing to worry about.Sat, 12 May 2018 15:21:21 GMTPersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-05-05-Boiling-Your-Kermit.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-05-05-Boiling-Your-Kermit.htmlDrop a frog in boiling water and it jumps out in shock. Place him in room-temperature water and he won’t mind if you slowly crank up the heat. He’ll look you square in the eye, absorbing the heat until it all goes black. Sorry, Kermit.Sat, 05 May 2018 23:11:44 GMTInspirationPsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-04-28-The-Journey-of-a-Single-Brush-Stroke.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-04-28-The-Journey-of-a-Single-Brush-Stroke.htmlThere's a painting hanging in my garage that I am not particularly proud of. I keep it around because of a single brush stroke. The rest of the painting is mediocre, a still life of dismembered baby doll parts, the standard assignment given to beginning painting students. I should probably scrap the painting but that one splotch prevents me from throwing it out.Sat, 28 Apr 2018 16:34:28 GMTArtCreativityInspirationPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-04-21-A-Job-Interview-Trap-Designers-Might-Avoid.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-04-21-A-Job-Interview-Trap-Designers-Might-Avoid.htmlI was caught off guard during a job interview after I told the story of my Ghost-O-Meter app. My audience was several designers and one developer who sat quietly on the edge of the group eying me skeptically.Sat, 21 Apr 2018 20:38:58 GMTCareer AdviceDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-04-14-What-Will-Happen-When-Your-Analytics-Become-Illegal.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-04-14-What-Will-Happen-When-Your-Analytics-Become-Illegal.htmlWhen your users become aware of the data you are collecting will they be angry? Will you lose their trust? How long do you think you will be able to keep this secret?Sat, 14 Apr 2018 16:06:48 GMTAdvertisingCreativityDatahttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-04-07-Masterpiece-Hallucinations.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-04-07-Masterpiece-Hallucinations.htmlWhat can you see through blurry eyes that you can't see with 20/20 vision?Sat, 07 Apr 2018 17:28:53 GMTArtCareer AdviceCreativityPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-31-Loose-Screws.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-31-Loose-Screws.htmlThese screws, they build up over years of odd jobs and weekend projects. I can't use them but I can't throw them out, either. So they collect in little piles here and there. Why now should I have the urge to organize them?Sat, 31 Mar 2018 14:35:05 GMTInspirationPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-24-Stepping-Inside-Hallucinations.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-24-Stepping-Inside-Hallucinations.htmlThe cake tilted precariously as I stumbled into my parents bedroom. Panic gripped me as I tried to steady the massive cake.Sat, 24 Mar 2018 14:09:00 GMTPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-17-Outrageous-Side-Projects.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-17-Outrageous-Side-Projects.htmlThe joy of side projects is that you don't have to answer to anyone but yourself. Free from the bureaucracy of your day job you can listen to those little voices that would normally get shouted down in business situations.Sat, 17 Mar 2018 16:39:58 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityInspirationhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-09-The-World-Is-Your-Toilet.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-09-The-World-Is-Your-Toilet.htmlToday I am going to share some design advice that you aren’t going to get anywhere else. They don’t teach you this at the university. You won’t find articles about it in the glossy magazines. The design blogs won’t touch the subject. Research would inevitably show that there isn’t a market for this kind of content. Pull on your rubber gloves, it’s time to get real. Let’s talk about leaky toilets.Sat, 10 Mar 2018 02:48:53 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityDesign ThinkingSpecial Hell for DesignersUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-02-24-Seven-Minutes-on-David-Letterman.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-02-24-Seven-Minutes-on-David-Letterman.htmlAbandon it in a garden and it may never catch anyone’s gaze. Lost in plain sight, it could be mistaken for an odd stone or the tip of a dark root protruding from the earth. The steel egg is alien, not beautiful in the way humans have decided is appropriate for display in art galleries.Sat, 24 Feb 2018 16:48:53 GMTArtCreativityMy Heroeshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-03-Ridding-the-World-of-Talent-One-Child-at-a-Time.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-03-03-Ridding-the-World-of-Talent-One-Child-at-a-Time.htmlDo you believe in a talent fairy fluttering around blessing special folks with abilities and flying over the rest of us unlucky souls? I don’t believe it. I prefer to use the word _skill_ and give credit to the countless hours spent honing one’s craft.Sat, 24 Feb 2018 14:30:41 GMTInspirationPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-02-17-Easier-Web-Hosting-on-Github.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-02-17-Easier-Web-Hosting-on-Github.htmlEasier Web Hosting on Github How to Use Whisper as a Jekyll Alternative Last week I introduced you to Whisper , a tool that let's you power your website with markdown files stored in a Dropbox folder. Website management doesn't get much easier than that. However, there isSat, 17 Feb 2018 18:00:26 GMTSelf Promotionhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-02-10-Introducing-Whisper.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-02-10-Introducing-Whisper.htmlToday I want to tell you about a writing tool called Whisper that I created for authors who don't want to let their art touch the gunk. But before I get to that, I need to describe my writing process.Sat, 10 Feb 2018 15:17:38 GMTSelf Promotionhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-01-27-Powered-by-a-Whisper.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-01-27-Powered-by-a-Whisper.htmlAs promised, today we are going to take a journey to the heart of the web. The web has become bloated and gluttonous. We need hungry scalpels, sharp mental x-acto knives to cut away the excess. What will we find at the center? Is there a truth worth saving at the heart of the web?Sat, 27 Jan 2018 17:40:40 GMTAdvertisingDataInspirationhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-01-20-Hungry-Scalpels.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-01-20-Hungry-Scalpels.htmlA wise designer's sharpest tool is an ability to reduce. Reduction requires a ruthless desire to slice through the clutter searching for a truth worth saving. Find truth and our job feels like a noble occupation.Sun, 21 Jan 2018 05:00:22 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-01-13-The-Search-for-Words-that-Transcend.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-01-13-The-Search-for-Words-that-Transcend.htmlThe perfect sentence. Lifetimes are spent in search of words that transcend. If you are lucky enough to find the words, the battle has just begun.Sun, 14 Jan 2018 00:31:00 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-01-06-Fives-Words-That-Might-End-Your-Design-Career.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2018/2018-01-06-Fives-Words-That-Might-End-Your-Design-Career.htmlIt is rare to be confronted with a truth so obvious, so devastating, that it causes you to abandon your belief system, to walk away from the thing that defines you as a person. My design career ended when I read five words.Sat, 06 Jan 2018 05:07:00 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-30-Three-designs-all-invisible.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-30-Three-designs-all-invisible.htmlThe first invisible design hides in plain sight. It is as transparent as a window, allowing the meaning to shine through. When properly executed, it never draws attention to itself.Sat, 30 Dec 2017 16:27:45 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityDesign ThinkingInspirationPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-23-Perpetual-Energy.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-23-Perpetual-Energy.htmlScience tells us that perpetual motion is impossible. Something about thermodynamics and physics. Does the same thing apply to emotional energy? Could you build a system that allows you to stay fully charged no matter what life throws at you?Sat, 23 Dec 2017 16:35:51 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingInspirationPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-16-The-Selective-Memory-Eraser.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-16-The-Selective-Memory-Eraser.htmlI can’t remember the day I won the top artist award in college. I know it happened, I know I was thrilled, but I can’t tell you anything specific about that day. Why did the high point of my college career, the culmination of my boyhood dream, vanish from memory?Sat, 16 Dec 2017 17:21:22 GMTArtPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-09-Greasy-and-the-Bottleneck.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-09-Greasy-and-the-Bottleneck.htmlI asked my future boss what his role was in the company he founded. I wasn't sure if I wanted to work for him yet. He told me his job was to apply grease. That sounded good.Sat, 09 Dec 2017 22:18:22 GMTAdvertisingCareer AdviceCreativityPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-02-Functional-Energy-Maintenance.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-12-02-Functional-Energy-Maintenance.htmlAre you as glad as I am that December is here? November did its best to bring me down. A pinched nerve derailed my running. There was an unexpected death in the family. Then there was the typical stress of interstate travel over Thanksgiving. And just as the worst of it seemed to be over I came down with a cold. Ughh.Sun, 03 Dec 2017 01:42:15 GMTPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-11-18-The-greatest-guitar-players-worst-concert.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-11-18-The-greatest-guitar-players-worst-concert.htmlPhil Keaggy struggled. He is recovering from a detached retina. There’s nerve pain in his hand. His guitar broke, so he had to borrow one from the opening act. The sound crew was questionable. It might have been the worst concert Phil has ever performed. And yet...Sat, 18 Nov 2017 15:59:45 GMTArtCreativityInspirationMy HeroesPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-11-11-When-the-world-begs-you-to-steal-a-Corvette.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-11-11-When-the-world-begs-you-to-steal-a-Corvette.htmlI didn't set out to steal a car that night, the opportunity just kind of presented itself. Perhaps my oldest fantasy, formed in the days when my life revolved around Matchbox cars, was to be the hero with the fast car, always escaping the police. I was just a good lil' boy, never meanin' no harm.Sat, 11 Nov 2017 16:23:51 GMTPersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-11-04-The-Locker-Room-Talk-of-Mentors-and-Minions.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-11-04-The-Locker-Room-Talk-of-Mentors-and-Minions.htmlI saw myself at 22, lifting a wheel, struggling under its weight to attach it to a car. Behind me was an experienced mechanic who has mastered the heavier machinery. He worked with skill, with a quickness that hid the forces he was wielding, making the power required to rip tires from rims and instantly inflate flat tires look effortless. He taught the process to me, mentored me, scared me with stories of decapitation that resulted from workers who didn’t respect the tools.Sat, 04 Nov 2017 17:24:38 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-10-28-Sabotaging%20the%20Beautiful%20Web.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-10-28-Sabotaging%20the%20Beautiful%20Web.htmlAt the peak of FontBurner’s success it was delivering fonts to thousands of websites. I was so proud of that tool. That’s why what happened next broke my heart almost completely.Sat, 28 Oct 2017 21:51:02 GMTCreativityPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-10-21-How-to-Make-Prairie-Dogs-Clap-their-Hands.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-10-21-How-to-Make-Prairie-Dogs-Clap-their-Hands.htmlPrairie dogs can’t clap. Their short arms can’t stretch across their pudgy bodies. When they spot me running through their field they duck into their holes for cover. As I pass they chirp prairie dog profanity at me. They seem to shake their tiny fists, threatening me, telling me that I am lucky they let me escape this time, but if I ever come back there will be retribution. My intrusion was an act of war.Sat, 21 Oct 2017 15:52:51 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal StoriesPsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-10-14-How-to-Emasculate-the-Mississippi.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-10-14-How-to-Emasculate-the-Mississippi.htmlWhat kind of filth was being carried downstream, rolling by, hidden under the muddy Mississippi River? Massive flooding had lifted the water to the top steps climbing closer to the base of the St. Louis Arch. As a photographer I stood in awe of the destruction, wondering how my camera could possibly capture the power of a river.Sat, 14 Oct 2017 15:52:53 GMTArtDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-10-07-When-the-Baseball-Card-Bin-was-Half-Full.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-10-07-When-the-Baseball-Card-Bin-was-Half-Full.htmlKen Griffey Jr’s face was sandwiched between thick plastic, his friendly grin locked up – screwed tight at four corners. A gold chain hung around his Mariner’s blue turtleneck, a bat rested on his left shoulder, calligraphic letters hovered above a gold star announcing the birth of a rookie.Sat, 07 Oct 2017 18:07:06 GMTMy HeroesPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-30-Jackson-Pollock-Found-In-Dumpster.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-30-Jackson-Pollock-Found-In-Dumpster.htmlThe world was beautiful before, back in my dumpster diving days. I remember standing knee-deep in garbage in an alley behind a grocery store. There, splattered on the side of a dumpster was a Jackson Pollock.Sat, 30 Sep 2017 20:40:31 GMThttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-23-Ways-To-Increase-Stress.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-23-Ways-To-Increase-Stress.htmlThis week you have a homework assignment. Below is a list of seven stress-inducing exercises. Pick one.Sat, 23 Sep 2017 17:15:25 GMTCareer AdvicePsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-16-The-Fruity-Cereal-Version-of-Your-Predicament.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-16-The-Fruity-Cereal-Version-of-Your-Predicament.htmlA dazed bunny landed inches from my head. It was the night before a race, the precious hours of sleep before my 4am wake up call.Sat, 16 Sep 2017 19:37:41 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-09-Why-Leaders-Should-Never-Back-Their-Car-In.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-09-Why-Leaders-Should-Never-Back-Their-Car-In.htmlThe culture of a company is a hard thing to suss out from the outside. When you are thinking about switching jobs it can be hard to know what you are getting yourself into from interviews alone. Initial meetings are biased by employees who paint rosy pictures of the company in hopes of enticing strong candidates. What are some of the non-obvious clues you can look for that might give you a truer look at what the employees are thinking? Here are five things you might not think to notice that might give you hidden insights into companies you are considering joining.Sun, 10 Sep 2017 04:00:39 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-02-The-Slow-Death-Of-All-That-Is-Known.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-09-02-The-Slow-Death-Of-All-That-Is-Known.htmlThe know-it-all can never be surprised. Everything he learns is an appendix to some distant education. What little new insight is gained is but a footnote to that framework of original knowledge, the dusty document of knowledge canonized long ago when his education was completed.Sat, 02 Sep 2017 16:31:04 GMTArtCreativityDatahttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-08-26-A-Frantic-Phone-Call.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-08-26-A-Frantic-Phone-Call.htmlI got a disturbing phone call the day after I quit my job. The voice on the other side of the phone was sincerely concerned about me. What have I done? She told me I had made a terrible mistake.Sat, 26 Aug 2017 17:33:56 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-08-19-Blind-Spots-Keyholes-and-Failing-in-Slow-Motion.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-08-19-Blind-Spots-Keyholes-and-Failing-in-Slow-Motion.htmlOne of the principles I live by is a belief that the more you look, the more you see. It's a simple mantra but it contains the meaning of life. Or at least I think it does. I am probably wrong.Sat, 19 Aug 2017 23:16:41 GMTCareer AdviceDesign ThinkingPsychologyUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-08-12-A-Lambo-for-the-People.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-08-12-A-Lambo-for-the-People.htmlIf you count eyeballs, the zombie-mobileis the most popular story I have written. This week instead of my normal essay I want to simply point you to a show that will surely appeal to fans of car design and haters of the crossover.Sat, 12 Aug 2017 18:11:02 GMTArt of the Living Deadhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-08-05-How-to-Trigger-Flow-States-with-Coffee.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-08-05-How-to-Trigger-Flow-States-with-Coffee.htmlMost of us use coffee to get through the day. It's a routine that we probably don't think much about. Wake up, pour a cup and go. When the buzz wears off it is time for another cup. But what if we used coffee more intentionally? Could we develop a system where coffee becomes your secret weapon? Let's explore how the humble cup of joe can transform into a trigger that you can use to instantly push yourself into a state of flow.Sat, 05 Aug 2017 20:14:08 GMTCreativityPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-29-Lost-in-the-desert-and-all-I-got-was-this-lousy-RV-brochure.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-29-Lost-in-the-desert-and-all-I-got-was-this-lousy-RV-brochure.htmlI am in a rental car outside Las Vegas heading toward the sand dunes they told me are popular with local dune buggy enthusiasts. I find the arrow drawn on faded neon paper pointing off the road. For a popular destination there sure aren't many people around. None in fact.Sat, 29 Jul 2017 17:39:22 GMTAdvertisingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-23-Graceful-Duck-Whiffing.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-23-Graceful-Duck-Whiffing.htmlI am lucky to work at a place that has a ping pong table in the back. The outcome of epic games hang on one or two points that could bounce in either player's favor. Nearly every game contains a moment where the back and forth battle tips when a well-placed ball is barely returned. The loose volley is lobbed in an arc that falls pathetically onto the oponents side. A duck.Sat, 22 Jul 2017 14:48:41 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-15-Building-Your-Personal-Efficiency-O-Meter.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-15-Building-Your-Personal-Efficiency-O-Meter.htmlInefficiency is the result of wasted energy. Understanding this you can start looking for ways to plug the leaks and recapture the lost energy that is slowing you down.Sun, 16 Jul 2017 04:49:28 GMTPsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-08-I-used-to-knock-on-the-doors-of-old-ladies.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-08-I-used-to-knock-on-the-doors-of-old-ladies.htmlNo, it wasn't a prank. Lonely women were the only people home in our apartment complex during the days when I was homeschooled. Most of the time the ladies would invite me in. They would offer me dry cookies or hard candy and tell me stories about their grandkids. Sometimes I would leave with treasure - foreign coins, stamps, rocks, or a book of matches for my various collections.Sat, 08 Jul 2017 15:00:42 GMTPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-01-the-most-profound-message-in-the-history-of-junk-literature.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-07-01-the-most-profound-message-in-the-history-of-junk-literature.htmlI have always been a slow reader. I get discouraged by dense text and I struggle to finish books thicker than the width of my thumb.Sat, 01 Jul 2017 14:44:57 GMTPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-06-17-Functional-Depletion-and-the-Pitfalls-of-Stress-Transcendence.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-06-17-Functional-Depletion-and-the-Pitfalls-of-Stress-Transcendence.htmlLast weekend I took time off from writing to run a race. This week as I limped around reflecting on the training that lead up to the marathon I wondered if we are wrong about stress.Sat, 17 Jun 2017 18:21:23 GMTCareer AdvicePsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-06-03-Talent-Myths-and-the-Story-of-Imperceptible-Gains.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-06-03-Talent-Myths-and-the-Story-of-Imperceptible-Gains.htmlI made a discovery as I sifted through the running data I have been collecting for the last nine years. After 897 runs and 4,659 miles I have gotten faster. How much faster? Well, for every mile I run I get 0.012 seconds faster. That's about as imperceptible as a fart.Sun, 04 Jun 2017 00:36:42 GMTDataPersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-05-27-Quantified-Self-Destruction.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-05-27-Quantified-Self-Destruction.htmlIt won't be long until we are surrounded by sensors that collect nearly infinite data, computers that purify it to maximum potency, and invisible devices that pump the data into your brain.Sat, 27 May 2017 16:22:21 GMTDataPsychologyRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-05-20-Three-Words-Invented-by-Buckminster-Fuller.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-05-20-Three-Words-Invented-by-Buckminster-Fuller.htmlA simple post to introduce you to three words coined by one of my heroes, Buckminster Fuller. When current words couldn't contain his ideas, Bucky would invent new ones. Here are three terms you should know.Sun, 21 May 2017 02:12:02 GMTBuckminster Fullerhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-05-13-Marathon-Sandals-and-Mediocrity.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-05-13-Marathon-Sandals-and-Mediocrity.htmlFive miles into my run in last weekend's Colorado Marathon I was passed by a long-haired man in sandals. While it never feels great to get passed it was inspiring to see a minimalist runner in action. Could he keep that pace up for another 20 miles?Sun, 14 May 2017 03:32:50 GMTCareer AdviceDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-05-06-Nikes-Two-Hour-Marathon-and-the-Source-of-Sensational-Failure.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-05-06-Nikes-Two-Hour-Marathon-and-the-Source-of-Sensational-Failure.htmlIf Eliud Kipchoge's run had been one second per mile faster Eliud would be the man who did the impossible. Instead, he is a loser. Or maybe we are the ones who are losing.Sat, 06 May 2017 16:48:36 GMTAdvertisingDataMy HeroesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-29-Eavesdrops-and-Dropouts.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-29-Eavesdrops-and-Dropouts.htmlI heard my name as I was coming up the stairs from the basement of the art building. Two art professors thought they were alone and were talking freely about their students. So before I opened the door, I eavesdropped. It was a chance to hear what they really thought of me. I was like Job overhearing God and Satan wagering over his future. One was betting for me, the other wanted to make my life hell.Sat, 29 Apr 2017 16:31:39 GMTCareer AdviceMy HeroesPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-22-Seeking-Good-Light.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-22-Seeking-Good-Light.htmlThere used to be a small park just off a Colorado highway down in the Big Thompson Canyon. If you stopped there you would usually see several photographers pointing their cameras at the glow of pre-married couples, the awkward smiles of pimply high school seniors, or toddlers propped up by short-tempered parents.Sat, 22 Apr 2017 17:32:46 GMTArtCreativityPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-15-Ickiness-Sensitivity.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-15-Ickiness-Sensitivity.htmlI thought I found a solution to my social media problem last week. I am not great at interacting with my followers or initiating conversations. It turns out that being social doesn't come easily for me online _or_ in real life. If only I could outsource the uncomfortable work.Sat, 15 Apr 2017 14:48:20 GMTCreativityPersonal StoriesSelf Promotionhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-08-Playing-Chicken-With-Eagles.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-08-Playing-Chicken-With-Eagles.htmlSome _thing_ has dragged a carcass into my path. It isn't the first corpse I've seen by this pond. The carp grow huge here and I marvel at the long skeletons strewn along the shore as I run by. Are the bodies discarded by disappointed fishermen or the prize of a lucky critter with an appetite for stinky fish? Perhaps the victims simply flop out of the water get caught up in the rocks and suffocate.Sat, 08 Apr 2017 15:47:13 GMTPersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-01-Pseudo-Sacrifices-vs-Speculation.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-04-01-Pseudo-Sacrifices-vs-Speculation.htmlObservers are stunned when they witness a queen sacrifice. For a chess player to abandon their most powerful piece seems like a daring risk. The sacrifice is followed by a decisive combo resulting in checkmate. Bravo, the crowd goes wild.Sat, 01 Apr 2017 18:43:21 GMTCareer AdvicePsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-03-24-Memory-Spin.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-03-24-Memory-Spin.htmlThe day after Patriot missiles streaked the skies and lit up our TV set with fuzzy trails narrated by nervous reporters I was screwing in a lightbulb. As I helped my dad install a flagpole in our front yard we talked about the Persian Gulf War.Sat, 25 Mar 2017 17:02:43 GMTPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-03-19-Inverse-Grudges-and-Brand-Burns.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-03-19-Inverse-Grudges-and-Brand-Burns.htmlI am not the kind of person who thinks people should be rewarded for doing their job. That's why I surprised myself by calling an 800 number to praise the service of the guy who sold me a water heater. I look for Bill when I am at Lowes and struggling with a weekend home project because Bill gets me unstuck. When someone gets you unstuck a few times you become loyal to them.Sun, 19 Mar 2017 18:13:13 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-03-12-Your-Communication-Leakage-Rate.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-03-12-Your-Communication-Leakage-Rate.htmlOver 85% of your communication is lost. It is wasted on deaf ears, hidden agendas, wandering minds, good intentions, and the low fidelity of human memory. I made the 85% number up, but it can't be far off. If you think my guess is unreasonable let me try to distort your reality.Mon, 13 Mar 2017 04:03:20 GMTCareer AdvicePsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-02-25-The-story-behind-how-you-stopped-drawing.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-02-25-The-story-behind-how-you-stopped-drawing.htmlMental blind spots, actively losing control, finding beauty in novelty, and a new app for unlearning how to drawSat, 25 Feb 2017 17:07:22 GMTArtCreativityInspirationPsychologySelf Promotionhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-02-18-Frank-Lloyd-Wright-and-Kitchen-Toilet-Camo.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-02-18-Frank-Lloyd-Wright-and-Kitchen-Toilet-Camo.htmlDon't let anyone say you can't have a toilet in your kitchen. You can. It isn't about aesthetics, a kitchen toilet is all about utility. It is about convenience. It is about value add. Efficiency. Optimization. ROI. If your architect tries to talk you out of that request that's unacceptable.Sat, 18 Feb 2017 18:36:22 GMTArtCreativityDesign ThinkingInspirationMy HeroesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-02-11-My-dad-is-gonna-bash-your-dads-head-in.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-02-11-My-dad-is-gonna-bash-your-dads-head-in.htmlMy friend was the kind of kid that parents don't let their kids play with. The kind of kid who eats doggy biscuits to make his wiener dogs jealous, then laughs when the beasts take a bite out of your little sister. The kind of kid who yells the n word at the apartments down the hill just to see if anything happens.Sat, 11 Feb 2017 15:18:58 GMTMy HeroesPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-02-04-Retaking%20the%20Test%20of%20Time.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-02-04-Retaking%20the%20Test%20of%20Time.htmlThey don't play Dylan on 93.3, Denver's modern rock station. Not today, not in 1999 when I spent the summer burning stencils and cleaning ink off silkscreens at a family-owned t-shirt factory.Sat, 04 Feb 2017 16:35:23 GMTMy HeroesPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-01-28-Atrocity-Capacity-and-the-Gentle-Giant.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-01-28-Atrocity-Capacity-and-the-Gentle-Giant.htmlMy pencil box concealed a weapon. It held a pencil on one end and a metal spike on the other. You're supposed to use it to draw circles, but thrust it at soft flesh and you will draw blood. Third-graders are cruel but most of us weren't stupid enough to actually stab our classmates.Sat, 28 Jan 2017 17:13:08 GMTPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-01-21-Design%20Masochism%20and%20the%20Five%20Stages%20of%20Anguish.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-01-21-Design%20Masochism%20and%20the%20Five%20Stages%20of%20Anguish.htmlEarly on I remember choking back tears when my designs made first contact with outside eyes. The feedback stung. Every word holding a hint of negativity was a dart that penetrated my tender puerile flesh. I wondered if I had chosen the wrong career.Sat, 21 Jan 2017 17:18:34 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityDesign ThinkingSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-01-14-The-Time-I-Saw-a-UFO-and-Only-One-Person-Believed-Me.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-01-14-The-Time-I-Saw-a-UFO-and-Only-One-Person-Believed-Me.htmlI was lying on my back in a field in Nebraska when the alien ship flew by. I went out that night hoping to see a shooting star and saw a UFO instead.Sun, 15 Jan 2017 02:13:28 GMTPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-01-07-Anti-Hero-Abandoning-the-Movie-Inside-Your-Head.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2017/2017-01-07-Anti-Hero-Abandoning-the-Movie-Inside-Your-Head.htmlIf we are stuck as the heroes in our imaginary movies our lives are destined to be controlled by rationalization. Change is not possible. But if accept the movie for what it is, an illusion, perhaps we can abandon our imaginary hero personas and become people that actually change the world.Sat, 07 Jan 2017 16:06:22 GMTPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-12-30-Inspirational-Design-Stories-You-Missed-in-2016.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-12-30-Inspirational-Design-Stories-You-Missed-in-2016.htmlThere is a good chance you missed some of my best writing in 2016. Let's fix that.Sat, 31 Dec 2016 16:42:54 GMTDesign ThinkingInspirationSelf Promotionhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-12-17-Screw-Management-Point-Yourself-at-Piles-of-Rubble.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-12-17-Screw-Management-Point-Yourself-at-Piles-of-Rubble.htmlI knew a guy who cashed in by matching odd jobs with cheap workers. There is good money to be made in convincing people to do subhuman work. I was an easy mark.Sat, 17 Dec 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-12-10-A-Reflection-In-Birds.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-12-10-A-Reflection-In-Birds.htmlLast Sunday I needed to make a decision. I was debating leaving my job, unsure which way to go. So I went for a run in search of clarity. I hit the trail dressed in black, only my white head exposed to the winter wind.Sat, 10 Dec 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-12-03-That-Inspiration-Stuck-in-Your-Teeth.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-12-03-That-Inspiration-Stuck-in-Your-Teeth.htmlRemember the last time inspiration blessed you with its divine presence? The clouds parted, angels sang, and an idea descended like a holy dove. What, it doesn't happen that way for you? Me neither.Sat, 03 Dec 2016 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingInspirationhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-11-19-Fingerprints-on-the-Feculence.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-11-19-Fingerprints-on-the-Feculence.htmlIf you don’t claim responsibility for the user experience who will? Is there a stronger advocate for quality, anyone more in touch with good taste than you? It is time to fess up to poor UX.Sat, 19 Nov 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for DesignersUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-11-12-Evidence-that-Steve-Jobs-was-aware-of-his-reality-distortion-field.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-11-12-Evidence-that-Steve-Jobs-was-aware-of-his-reality-distortion-field.htmlI thought that the reality distortion field theory was just an invention that Apple haters invented in hindsight. I didn’t realize that it was a part of Steve Jobs vision from the beginning.Sat, 12 Nov 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingMy HeroesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-11-05-Unusual-UI.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-11-05-Unusual-UI.htmlI knew if I built my app exactly the way I wanted there was a chance it might not make it through Apple’s approval gauntlet.Sat, 05 Nov 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingSelf PromotionUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-29-I-just-want-to-make-art-man.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-29-I-just-want-to-make-art-man.htmlMy nostalgic love letter to my first design class described how professors open our eyes to an invisible world. I might have got it wrong.Sat, 29 Oct 2016 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-22-The-Designers-Invisible-Skill-Set.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-22-The-Designers-Invisible-Skill-Set.htmlHow some designers become magicians while others remain stylistsSat, 22 Oct 2016 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-15-Color-Theory-Scams-Exposing-How-Designers-Manipulate-You-With-Color.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-15-Color-Theory-Scams-Exposing-How-Designers-Manipulate-You-With-Color.htmlI am here to give you permission to call them out next time you hear color jargon. It is time someone exposed the babble for what it is, manipulation.Sat, 15 Oct 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPsychologySpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-08-Make-Your-Stone-Sing.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-08-Make-Your-Stone-Sing.htmlMost sculptors will tap the stone to hear if it is solid and without fractures. A nice solid stone will make a very beautiful clear sound. If there are unseen fractures anywhere in the stone it will sound dull.Sat, 08 Oct 2016 19:00:00 GMTArtCreativityhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-01-The-Best-Lawn-in-the-Entire-Post-Apocalypse.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-10-01-The-Best-Lawn-in-the-Entire-Post-Apocalypse.htmlWhat kind of an idiot am I that I would be doing lawn maintenance during the zombie apocalypse? Let me tell you.Sat, 01 Oct 2016 19:00:00 GMTArt of the Living DeadPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-09-24-Science-is-all-in-your-head.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-09-24-Science-is-all-in-your-head.htmlScience seems to support the idea that you are a pattern recognition machineSat, 24 Sep 2016 19:00:00 GMTPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-09-17-Becoming-Bobblehead-Buddha.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-09-17-Becoming-Bobblehead-Buddha.htmlWe have been fooled into believing in the supremacy of human data processing. As a result of our programming it becomes second nature for us to crush anything carrying a whiff of supernatural.Sat, 17 Sep 2016 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-09-10-Recalibrating-Your-Pattern-Recognition-Machine.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-09-10-Recalibrating-Your-Pattern-Recognition-Machine.htmlChanging someone’s opinion requires you to change that person’s _reality_. You have to change the filter, the part of the brain that is working long before rationality and logic kick in.Sat, 10 Sep 2016 19:00:00 GMTCreativityPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-09-04-The-Pattern-Recognition-Machine.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-09-04-The-Pattern-Recognition-Machine.htmlAt some point our work inevitably makes contact with people who won’t be able to match your work with their mental patterns. Pattern recognition is convenient when we are stocking the shelves but it can be stifling when we interact with concepts that want to change us.Sun, 04 Sep 2016 19:00:00 GMTCreativityPersonal StoriesPsychologyArthttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-08-20-Your-Skulls-Fourth-Wall.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-08-20-Your-Skulls-Fourth-Wall.htmlInside your skull a movie is playing. You, obviously, are the hero in this movie. You narrate as a cast of characters play the supporting roles of friends and family, misfits and villains.Sat, 20 Aug 2016 19:00:00 GMTPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-08-13-My-First-Golden-Combover.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-08-13-My-First-Golden-Combover.htmlMy design education had indoctrinated me with belief in the purity of flat design. I was a true believer. I was faced with a moral dilemma on my very first assignment. What did I do?Sat, 13 Aug 2016 19:00:00 GMTPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-08-06-Mouth-Lookers-and-the-Connection-Illusion.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-08-06-Mouth-Lookers-and-the-Connection-Illusion.htmlMy girlfriend told me I was do it wrong. How was I supposed to know? They don’t teach this stuff in school.Sat, 06 Aug 2016 19:00:00 GMTPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-07-23-The-UI-UX-of-Motorcycle-Maintenance.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-07-23-The-UI-UX-of-Motorcycle-Maintenance.htmlThe motorcycle of tomorrow will be so simple to operate that you no longer need a driver’s license. Safety advances make it nearly impossible to kill yourself on the formerly dangerous vehicles.Sat, 23 Jul 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-07-16-Deadly-UI.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-07-16-Deadly-UI.htmlA look at the design decisions that lead to the death of Anton YelchinSat, 16 Jul 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingUI/UXhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-07-09-Font-Blocking-Invisible-Words-and-Flames-of-Shame.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-07-09-Font-Blocking-Invisible-Words-and-Flames-of-Shame.htmlYou never know when you will be confronted by a test of character. There will come a moment when you are forced to choose. Do you stick to your beliefs, or do you fold under the pressure and sacrifice your very identity?Sat, 09 Jul 2016 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-07-02-Boosters-and-Drainers.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-07-02-Boosters-and-Drainers.htmlLife hacks have their place but there is only so much you can do before your life devolves into a chaotic mess. I prefer the idea of building a personal system.Sat, 02 Jul 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-06-25-First-Loop-Fright.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-06-25-First-Loop-Fright.htmlBreakthrough success and catastrophic failure seem random at first, but they are more systematic than they appear.Sat, 25 Jun 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityDesign ThinkingPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-06-18-I-Am-Data-Drivel.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-06-18-I-Am-Data-Drivel.htmlConsider quitting Google Analytics With MeSat, 18 Jun 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingDatahttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-06-04-Steep-Embankments.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-06-04-Steep-Embankments.htmlMy police officer friend (and design mentor) once told me the story of a strange death he investigated where a woman was found floating face down next to a shopping cart.Sat, 04 Jun 2016 19:00:00 GMTPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-05-28-The-Flywheel-Formula.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-05-28-The-Flywheel-Formula.htmlDo you know anyone like that, the type of person that seems unsinkable? No matter what life throws at them they persevere. Every blow makes them stronger, they always come out on top, and they make it look so easy.Sat, 28 May 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-05-21-Doom-Loop-Triggers.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-05-21-Doom-Loop-Triggers.htmlToday I want to talk about the difference between unproductive mopes and highly successful people. Imagine a spectrum with prolific artists at the top and ineffective slugs at the bottom.Sat, 21 May 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdviceCreativityDesign ThinkingPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-05-14-Heart-Sneeze.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-05-14-Heart-Sneeze.htmlImportant Medical Advice for Creative PeopleSat, 14 May 2016 19:00:00 GMTPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-05-07-Pissing-in-the-Wind.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-05-07-Pissing-in-the-Wind.htmlQuestioning the results of a study criticizing Dyson's hand dryer.Sat, 07 May 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-04-23-Fatal-Side-Effects-of-Specialization.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-04-23-Fatal-Side-Effects-of-Specialization.htmlWhat is the opposite of specialization? It's not generalization. We don’t need more general knowledge, more generic solutions, or more oatmeal. We need to transcend the silos of specialization.Sat, 23 Apr 2016 19:00:00 GMTBuckminster FullerCareer AdviceDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-04-11-Special-Hell-8-Telepathy-Blockers.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-04-11-Special-Hell-8-Telepathy-Blockers.htmlWhen I was young I believed that adults had telepathic powers. Like living Zoltar machines, these enhanced beings could predict my every move. It was uncanny. Telepathy was the only explanation.Mon, 11 Apr 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-04-05-Month-3-of-Daily-Art.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-04-05-Month-3-of-Daily-Art.htmlSince January 1, I have been posting one piece of art a day.Tue, 05 Apr 2016 19:00:00 GMTPersonal StoriesSelf PromotionArthttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-04-02-Special-Hell-7-Stasis-Crackers.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-04-02-Special-Hell-7-Stasis-Crackers.htmlOn the hard days I get close to walking away from everything. Goodbye world. So far I have never given in. Except for that very first time.Sat, 02 Apr 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-03-26-Special-Hell-6-Dymaxion-Man.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-03-26-Special-Hell-6-Dymaxion-Man.htmlMeet Buckminster Fuller, the visionary crackpot who held Earth’s rudder.Sat, 26 Mar 2016 19:00:00 GMTBuckminster FullerCreativityDesign ThinkingMy HeroesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-03-19-Whats-Your-Talent-Stack.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-03-19-Whats-Your-Talent-Stack.htmlCould understanding Donald Trump’s success help designers get hired?Sat, 19 Mar 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdviceDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-03-12-The-Top-17-Design-Tools-You-Must-Master-in-2016-to-Stay-Relevant.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-03-12-The-Top-17-Design-Tools-You-Must-Master-in-2016-to-Stay-Relevant.htmlCould there be a single skill that makes all that software irrelevant?Sat, 12 Mar 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdviceDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-03-05-Special-Hell-5-Ad-Addiction.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-03-05-Special-Hell-5-Ad-Addiction.htmlToday I am going to tell you the story of how I used my web design skills to steal from little old ladies and feed my ad-diction.Sat, 05 Mar 2016 19:00:00 GMTAdvertisingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-29-My-Second-Month-of-Paintings.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-29-My-Second-Month-of-Paintings.htmlSince January 1, I have been posting one piece of art a day.Mon, 29 Feb 2016 19:00:00 GMTArtSelf PromotionPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-27-Two-Imaginary-Cages.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-27-Two-Imaginary-Cages.htmlOne mouse, one bird, and two cages. A grim parable for modern workers.Sat, 27 Feb 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer Advicehttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-20-Stop-Dribbbling-Get-a-Design-Education-at-Costco.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-20-Stop-Dribbbling-Get-a-Design-Education-at-Costco.htmlMy design mentor Paul was a commercial artist in Chicago in the era before computers, back when being a designer still involved ink-stained fingers and drawing pictures.Sat, 20 Feb 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdviceDesign ThinkingMy HeroesPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-13-Racing-Shadows-and-Dodging-Doldrums.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-13-Racing-Shadows-and-Dodging-Doldrums.htmlWhen I get down, one of the things that pulls my head back above water is running. If snow blocks me from the trails, the cabin fever sucks the life out of me.Sat, 13 Feb 2016 19:00:00 GMTPersonal StoriesRunninghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-06-Death-by-Toothbrush.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-02-06-Death-by-Toothbrush.htmlApple products are notoriously hard to open because they are obsessed with hiding screws and minimizing seams. But if you are able to crack open one of their products you will see something beautiful.Sat, 06 Feb 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-31-The-First-31-Paintings-of-2016.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-31-The-First-31-Paintings-of-2016.htmlSince January 1, I have been posting one piece of art a daySun, 31 Jan 2016 19:00:00 GMTArtPersonal StoriesSelf Promotionhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-30-Got-a-brand-problem-Put-a-bird-on-it.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-30-Got-a-brand-problem-Put-a-bird-on-it.htmlThe story behind why there weren’t any logos on the thousands of RVs that were sent to the victims of hurricane Katrina?Sat, 30 Jan 2016 19:00:00 GMTBrandingDesign ThinkingSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-23-A-Special-Hell-for-Designers-Like-Me.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-23-A-Special-Hell-for-Designers-Like-Me.htmlIn case you think I am pointing fingers from my ivory tower, today I want to confess my own contribution to this mess.Sat, 23 Jan 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesSpecial Hell for Designershttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-16-The-slow-steady-inevitable-march-towards-oatmeal.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-16-The-slow-steady-inevitable-march-towards-oatmeal.htmlPushing back against the idea that you are doomed to become a commodity.Sat, 16 Jan 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdviceDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-10-Fooling-the-Focus-Groups.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-10-Fooling-the-Focus-Groups.htmlWhy car companies view their brands as a liability and what they are doing about it. Spoiler, It's a Chevy.Sun, 10 Jan 2016 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingAdvertisingBrandinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-09-Hidden-Weaknesses-and-Outsourced-Risk.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2016/2016-01-09-Hidden-Weaknesses-and-Outsourced-Risk.htmlThe benefits of not asking for help (even when you desperately need it)Sat, 09 Jan 2016 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdvicePsychologyPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-12-30-Affordable-Idealism.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-12-30-Affordable-Idealism.htmlHow to maintain your ideals without obsoleting yourselfWed, 30 Dec 2015 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-12-10-The-Day-Jennifer-Smiled.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-12-10-The-Day-Jennifer-Smiled.htmlIn order for a guy to get the girl he has to do something heroic. My chance came in a basketball game in eighth grade. She was a cheerleader named Jennifer.Thu, 10 Dec 2015 19:00:00 GMTPersonal StoriesCreativityhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-12-01-Why-Do-the-Homeless-Hate-Whoppers.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-12-01-Why-Do-the-Homeless-Hate-Whoppers.htmlA story about the stories we tell ourselves.Tue, 01 Dec 2015 19:00:00 GMTPersonal StoriesPsychologyhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-11-20-The-500-Rule.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-11-20-The-500-Rule.htmlLearn a secret method for generating incredibly original ideas. (Use with caution, because it is also the easiest way to flush all the creative life out of a room.)Fri, 20 Nov 2015 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-11-15-Caution-Workers-at-Play.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-11-15-Caution-Workers-at-Play.htmlI am going to take a wild guess that your workplace isn’t condusive to play. In fact, playfulness is probably frowned upon in your office. I was once lucky enough to work in a place where that wasn’t the case.Sun, 15 Nov 2015 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-11-09-Nirvana-Sucks.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-11-09-Nirvana-Sucks.htmlWhy some people “just get it” while the rest of us end up looking dumb time and time again. Is there anything we can do?Mon, 09 Nov 2015 19:00:00 GMTPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-11-03-25-Questions-You-Didnt-Know-You-Needed-Art-of-the-Living-Dead-to-Answer.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-11-03-25-Questions-You-Didnt-Know-You-Needed-Art-of-the-Living-Dead-to-Answer.htmlA starting point for anyone curious about reading a book about creativity and zombiesTue, 03 Nov 2015 19:00:00 GMTSelf PromotionArt of the Living Deadhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-29-If-a-manifesto-is-published-on-Medium-and-no-one-recommends-it-does.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-29-If-a-manifesto-is-published-on-Medium-and-no-one-recommends-it-does.htmlAnybody can write a manifesto and there is nothing that says it has to inspire anybody. But if you are going to fill space with corporate jargon, what are you hoping to accomplish? Why would you share it with the world if you have nothing new to contribute?Thu, 29 Oct 2015 19:00:00 GMTDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-26-The-Horrific-Symphony.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-26-The-Horrific-Symphony.htmlThere is a faint whistle from the nose of a coworker as he exhales. Someone slurps his morning cup of coffee. I think about the rhythm of these sounds, wondering if they will sync up.Mon, 26 Oct 2015 19:00:00 GMTPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-25-When-Unicorns-and-Robots-Hold-Hands.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-25-When-Unicorns-and-Robots-Hold-Hands.htmlAre you data-driven or design-driven? Doesn’t matter, either way you will probably fail.Sun, 25 Oct 2015 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdviceDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-11-A-confession-from-Ghost-O-Meters-creator.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-11-A-confession-from-Ghost-O-Meters-creator.htmlI released Ghost-O-Meter with a secret. I realize now that it was a mistake.Sun, 11 Oct 2015 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesSelf Promotionhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-06-How-I-almost-became-a-child-millionaire.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-06-How-I-almost-became-a-child-millionaire.htmlBy the time I was 16 I had either forgot the plan or realized it would never work. It was my first get-rich scheme but it wouldn’t be my last.Tue, 06 Oct 2015 19:00:00 GMTPersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-01-In-the-future-everyone-will-be-creative-for-fifteen-minutes.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-10-01-In-the-future-everyone-will-be-creative-for-fifteen-minutes.htmlWe were promised a future of flying cars and robot slaves. I love my smart phone, but pinch me if the future doesn’t look an awful lot like the 80's. I blame the creative people.Thu, 01 Oct 2015 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingBuckminster FullerMy Heroeshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-09-15-Polaroid-you-broke-my-heart.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-09-15-Polaroid-you-broke-my-heart.htmlWhat does it feel like to be contacted by a brand you love and admire? Well, if the person reaching out to you is a lawyer from their trademark protection team it probably feels like a kick in the gut.Tue, 15 Sep 2015 19:00:00 GMTPersonal StoriesSelf Promotionhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-02-22-Curiosity-plus-obsession-plus-clarity-equals-quality.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-02-22-Curiosity-plus-obsession-plus-clarity-equals-quality.htmlWhy the Business of Building Websites Generates So Much GarbageSun, 22 Feb 2015 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-02-16-The-Resignation-Letter-I-Couldnt-Send.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-02-16-The-Resignation-Letter-I-Couldnt-Send.htmlWriting a resignation letter is easy. Knowing whether or not to send it is the hard part.Mon, 16 Feb 2015 19:00:00 GMTCareer AdvicePersonal Storieshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-01-26-Asimov-on-Fame-Fortune-and-Creative-Breakthrough.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-01-26-Asimov-on-Fame-Fortune-and-Creative-Breakthrough.htmlPart 2 of an Analysis of Isaac Asimov’s Long Lost Letter on CreativityMon, 26 Jan 2015 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingMy Heroeshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-01-19-Brainstorming-Advice-from-a-Long-Lost-Isaac-Asimov-Letter.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2015/2015-01-19-Brainstorming-Advice-from-a-Long-Lost-Isaac-Asimov-Letter.htmlWhen a writer like Isaac Asimov talks about creativity I take note. What can a lost letter about creativity written by Isaac Asimov from 1959 teach us?Mon, 19 Jan 2015 19:00:00 GMTCreativityDesign ThinkingMy Heroeshttps://adrian3.com/blog/2013/2013-12-01-The-Heroes-Behind-Healthcare-Dot-Gov.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2013/2013-12-01-The-Heroes-Behind-Healthcare-Dot-Gov.htmlThe untold story of how a small team of innovators almost fundamentally changed governmentSun, 01 Dec 2013 19:00:00 GMTDesign Thinkinghttps://adrian3.com/blog/2013/2013-11-03-Five-Things-I-Learned-After-I-Left-the-Marketing-Agency-World.htmlhttps://adrian3.com/blog/2013/2013-11-03-Five-Things-I-Learned-After-I-Left-the-Marketing-Agency-World.htmlAfter about 8 years of working at advertising/marketing/design companies I hit a wall. I was disappointed in the work I was doing. This is the story of why I became an in-house designer.Sun, 03 Nov 2013 19:00:00 GMTDesign ThinkingPersonal StoriesCareer Advice