And I’ve had my ImageKind gallery kicking around for a while but I haven’t really promoted it. ImageKind is great if you want to customize your own paper quality, matte and framing options. And because the image files are uncompressed, you can order HUGE prints.

Please buy often and lots.

• Design at Alltop
• Design Observer by
• CommandShift3’s daily leaderboard (and, for fun, I like to peruse the losers)
• We Made This is the blog of UK design firm We Made This, Ltd
• I Love Typography
• Logo Design Love

And Ethan over at Unstoppable Robot Ninja just posted a link to classic Blue Note album covers. I’ve already poached a few ideas just from scrolling through that incredible archive.

1. Caffeine - Coffee (black), green tea, or yerba mate being the preferred delivery method
2. Internet
3. Camera
4. iPod
5. The love of a good woman (the woman, in this case, being my wife)

And in the category of things that might cause me to whine a little if I were to be without them, but on the whole I would be able to function in their absence:

1. Advil
2. My Sigg Water Bottle
3. Moleskine Squared Reporter Notebook
4. Mechanical Pencils, preferrably with a .07 lead
5. Chocolate

I should get over this. Because, really, I know I’m worth what I charge. While I am self-taught, I bring with me an extensive fine arts and mass communication education as well as the experience of working on a wide range of projects, from large-scale Web sites to small print jobs for non-profits. I have been a vendor and I have been a client. I leverage my project management as well as my volunteer experience. Creatively, I am well-versed in a variety of techniques. And if I don’t know how to do something, I’m smart enough to find someone who can show me.

So why the fear of sticker shock? Because I assume that most people don’t know how much good design costs. Remember, dear client, ideally you are hiring a specialist, someone who does one thing and does it well because they are passionate about what they do.

(Three appointments with contractors later, things are now moving along at a reasonable pace. I pray to whatever benevolent force there is in the universe that we will have a new kitchen before too long.)

Now picture a major family crisis days before Christmas. The unexpected loss of someone much too young. Confusion. Tears. Anguish. Grief. Meanwhile, you are barely holding yourself together because there’s too little money and too many bills. And you’re not exactly getting along with your spouse.

That, people, is what you call a shitstorm. A not-so-cheery holiday season. 2008 couldn’t come fast enough.

Meanwhile, back in the Hall of Justice: After one year and much experience later, I am redesigning the site. It’s been quite a process, and this time my better half will be helping with the PHP. If all goes well, I should be ready to launch on the one-year anniversary of the debut PIXELBERG (March 2008).

Also looking forward to: Seeing Neko Case LIVE at Calvin Theater on February 2nd. I just want to say now that in some bizarro alternate universe, I am Neko Case. And I don’t mean that in a stalker kind of way. Just in a wishful thinking kind of way. Like, whenever I listen to her I think that perhaps I am a failed musician.

But all things considered, I think I’ll stick to the photography.

It’s been an interesting summer. I was doing very well until I experienced something that took the wind right out of my sails. It’s not worth going into detail here. But while the rational side of me is able to learn from the experience and grow, the sensitive artist-type inside me is feeling — I’ll be brutally honest here — crippled and shamed.

I have no doubt that I’ll recover myself and get back on track. But I have much to sort out. I’ve started acupuncture with a wonderful practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and I am taking creative comfort in my photography. I think I’m starting to find my “voice” in that area (if that makes any sense). And I’m looking forward to the next great challenge, wherever it comes from.

The bottom line is: I didn’t go to school for commercial art. I studied photography, print-making, video, performance, art history and critical theory. My current means of expression, design, isn’t just a means to an end or just a job. It is a passion. While I don’t spend wads of time reading design essays and theory, I think about everything I interact with every minute of every day. Fonts, colors, shape, etc. A problem to be solved. And though I may not have the technical skills to practice my avocation in the most efficient manner, the point is that I know my instincts are sound.

I love what I do, and I want what I do to matter to people. I don’t want to make a thing that looks like everything else. It is not the easiest (or most lucrative) path to take. But it’s the one that feels right to me.

Yesterday I spent the day trying to catch up on sleep.  Today I’m trying to catch up with my real (as well as virtual) life.  And I don’t even know what day today is.  Figuring out what the next step of my employment quest will be. Resolving to clean my office. Freeing up space on my external hard drive so I can get the vacation pictures off Jane’s laptop, which I will then need to process and upload to Flickr. Writing to all of the amazing people I met at the Con. Eating. Unpacking. Laundry.  Avoiding clients for a few hours more until I can take care of the items above.  The list goes on…

There I was in the local hipster baby boutique this afternoon (shopping for a gift), when I spied the CD on the counter.  I came home and streamed it online.  I admit…I was lulled.  And I can’t wait to see what young, brash film director uses these tunes in his/her next indie hit.

Clearly, my next step is to get a decent job. One where I can learn something — I mean, I can only get so much experience sitting in my home office…