Today I was walking down to DLX with all around good dude Justin Baum to buy a new skateboard and we had a nice little chat about life and junk and stuff. We were talking about how epic life is (spoiler alert, life is fucking amazing!!!) and the conversation naturally progressed to where we work and what we do. It’s no secret that I love my job and that I feel that I work at one of the worlds best interactive ad firms. Let’s face it, for the past 9 months I have been putting in some serious hours, much of them voluntarily because I simply love what I get to do with brands. I wake up everyday going “HECK YES, BRING IT ON!”

But perhaps I’ve let my love for my job take over a bit too much. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve missed out on doing some damn amazing things over the past few months, especially since I’ve been back in San Francisco. Recently there has been a new motto in my life that I fully support: “NO HESITATIONS!” Basically, I’m going to stop pussy footing around. I’ve been putting off life far too much, choosing working on designs over other things in life, and shit is now about to get “for real.” I still love my job far too much, but I need to do other epic things in my life that are just as “fuckin rad” so I can basically be happy non-stop. Deal with it.

This changes now.

• I will skateboard more.
• I will go to museums and art shows.
• I will air guitar whenever and where ever I want.
• I will read more books.
• I will go to the beach always.
• I will start mosh pits at punk shows.
• I will run more miles.
• I will finally buy a Vespa.
• I will try to not be in my apartment ever.
• I will buy the clothes I want.
• I will high five more people.
• I will laugh non-stop with friends.

If anyone wants to join me on this Vision Quest, I will not stop you. Life is basically supposed to be awesome as hell, so why not just man up and get rad! BRB, I need to go and blast my stereo now and air guitar, because HECK YES NO ONE WILL STOP ME!

I’ve been designing for the web for the better part of 7 years, professionally for 4, so while I’m no expert, I have made about eleventy billion mistakes over the years. Each of which I have learned from. Here’s some bad-ass tips that I wish someone had told me:

1. Learn how to design with form elements. These are a fundamental flaw of millions of sites on the web, and something that is sadly overlooked by many designers as an after-thought. I can’t stress this enough. If you can’t design a from that gets a user from the beginning to the submit button within a form without making them think, then I suggest you read this book: Web Form Design – by Luke Wroblewski
2. Research! In nearly every aspect of web design, examples of solutions can be found everywhere. If you’re designing a page that needs to display a recipe, find out what others are doing online. But don’t stop there: you can take cues from magazines, video games, letter-pressed posters, television, and even architecture and industrial design. They all have a wonderfully rich history to reference. The best answers will be found in the most unlikely of places.
3. Every pixel counts. The entire screen is your canvas, so don’t let all your hard work go to waste because you didn’t think anyone would notice that your buttons look like ass. Your horizontal rules are just as important to telling a visual story as your video player or main navigation. Don’t let a few flat notes ruin an otherwise awesome web site.
4. It’s alive! This isn’t print media, and this isn’t television. It’s not a passive experience, so give the user an experience they can invest in, something that is uniquely only available on the web. Make them fall in love with the actions of the site, not just the content. Make them love clicking a button. Make them smile as often as possible.
5. Step back as often as possible. Let your Mom, who is scared of the internet, test your site. Don’t help her. Just watch and listen. You’d be surprised at how much a few confused comments will help your work. Always test for your audience, since no one will ever know you design’s intentions as well as you do.
6. You aren’t the King of the Planet. OMFG RAD! You made an award winning website! So what, that doesn’t mean you have all the answers. Know what others are doing, because they might have solved a design problem you ran into way better than you ever thought to do. Never stop learning from others just because people tell you that your agency is totally epic. (But definitely be stoked to be there!)
7. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! Never fear, even the most complex problem can be solved with the least complex of design solutions. Don’t make your users have to think about the interface, but rather make considerable efforts to make them enjoy it.
8. Understand the nerdy shit. Get your feet wet in as many aspects of web design as you can. Learn how to code what you build. Understanding the strengths and limitations of the “nerdy code stuff” will help you design a site is an all around better experience. Hell, you might even realize that all those awesome gradients you love to use are actually a pain in the ass to code.
9. There are no rules yet! Everyday, a new site pops up with wonderful new solutions for presenting content to a user. Break boundaries and rules as often as possible. Make your own rules, and then break those as well.
10. Enjoy everything you make! Just like anything else in life, if you don’t put all your heart and soul into it, people will definitely know. Some of the best sites out there were obviously fun to design. Find what you love in every project, and then dive in!

Maker Faire 2009 was basically epic to the max.

Highlight of the day (demonstrated above by Josh Carr) was an “adult sized playground” that was composed of two sets of swings and a see-saw. These were then connected through the magic of arduino (a Barbarian Group favorite) to a computer, which then generated music using the measured voltage to modulate the signal. A swing set, that was basically synthesizer. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

Are you still not convinced? There was also a life sized version of that board game Mouse Trap that was basically this epic Rube Goldberg. AWESOME! Do you love socially awkward people wearing corsets, welding goggles, and far too much make up? OMFG SO DO I!! There was about a gabillion steampunk kids at Maker Faire as well. I also saw a Tesla Roadster, infinity robots, a belly dancer, a diet Coke + Mentos explosion AND a high school band whose guitarist played a totally amazing flying V guitar. Shred Nation!

You’re super duper jealous, admit it.

SPOILER ALERT: San Francisco is totally a fun city to ride your bike in!

Just over a month ago, I moved back to San Francisco from New York to help build a design team at the office here. In the process of moving, I sold nearly everything I own in order to make the move more affordable and I also love the feeling of “starting over.” One of the many things I sold was my old bike that I loved. Since I hate of paying for cabs and waiting for buses, I got a new one built up this week. It’s my best bike yet!

I have a super amazing scheme to convince everyone in the SF office to ride into work as well. We shall be one step closer to completing the Hawt Office Initiative I have been working on in my mind. I predict that TBG/SF will be underwear models by the years end. VICTORY!

I needed to take my new bike for spin and since I had a few things to do at work for a Monday deadline, I decided to roll into the office, take a few awesome pics to make everyone jealous of my life before I got down to work. Below is a photo of me winning everything, ever. ENJOY!

Recently at the office, we had a group of students visit us from Carnegie Mellon. Our relentless leader, Rick Webb, lead one of the more enjoyable Q&A sessions that I have sat through in quite some time. Afterwards I sat thinking: what do I wish I had heard years ago had I been in their shoes?

Fall in love with your client.

There is no better advice I can give someone. I could spend hours explaining what books or blogs to read, what methods work for myself for the creation of concepts, and blah blah blah. This is all personal and highly subjective. What works for myself is radically different than that of my peers. I will not bore you with the details, for we all have our own process. NO DUH! There is one thing though all successful designers share: the ability to understand what lies at the heart of the project, the ability to find what makes the client special and to fall in love with it.

It’s a tough business working for clients. There is always a more exciting client than the one you are currently tied to. It’s a lot like dating someone and seeing a cuter/younger/more exciting person than your boyfriend or girlfriend. On the surface of things, there is always something better, but you stick with your mate (unless you’re a total douche!) because you have seen something wonderful about them that makes them so damned beautiful. Working with a client is no different in this respect in that we need to find makes the client amazing, even if it’s the smallest detail. It’s our job to find that voice that perfectly sums up what makes them special, and to use that voice to guide us through the obstacles and evolution of the project. You need to really appreciate what makes your client beautiful, for if you don’t, your work is a waste. It will seem hallow and without meaning.

You will complain at some point on any client you work for just like you will hear your peers and co-workers in the office complain about the client they are working for. Every project takes it toll on you, for it’s not a simple task to read the minds of the client, and it’s always frustrating when you don’t get it right. Just know that with every risk you take, and you should be taking LOTS of risks in your work, will bring one step closer to understand what the voice of the client is.

In the end, it is your job to make something that you would really love to see using their voice as your guide. Care deeply about passion, vision, determination, and optimism. They a without a doubt the most useful tools any designer has at their disposal. It’s a tough job, but in the end you gotta do what you love and the trick is finding a way to love something about the client. That love will make amazing work.

p.s. Also, use tons of sweet lasers in all of your work, ever client ever will think you are totally brilliant. You’re welcome in advance.

Last night was awesome. Nicole, David, Bill and I all got together at the end of the day and took part in a totally awesome tradition here at the San Francisco Barbarian Group office: Running Club!

We plan to keep doing this every week. By mid-summer, I bet we’ll be referred to as “The Hawt Office!” and everyone will totally wanna have make out sessions with us. No big deal.

I’m moving back home to San Francisco next month! There, wow, I’ve been holding that little secret in for a while now. It’s been something I’ve thinking about doing for a few months now, and it was well known that my companies San Francisco office needs a designer like myself to make epic things in Photoshop. I had already booked my flight home for an earlier date because I had yet to visit the San Francisco office and had heard tons of great things about it, so I felt that while I was there, I would know if it would be a good fit or not. I flew into the Bay Area, spent just over two weeks at home, and was reminded of all the places and people I miss so much. I also ate a ton of burritos, In-N-Out burger, enjoyed the fog and nature and the ocean, and got really hyped to see all my old friends and family.

While I am beyond excited to come home finally to my favorite city, I am of course going to miss far too many people back here in NYC. You know who you are, and you know that you guys made this choice really difficult for me to make.

What does this mean for you? If you live in NYC, be prepared for the going away party of the century just before I leave in mid to late February! If you live in SF, please keep your ears open for any people that are looking for the most fun roommate ever (me!), and also be prepared for tons of high fives non-stop, cause that’s what is coming to town again!

Does anyone else besides me realize that this year is going to fucking destroy all other years? Everything is currently perfectly lined up to be non-stop rad times. I’ve been with my current job for just over 9 months now, and I feel this year we are going to make bonkers-level work for some amazing clients. My social life is totally high five worthy because I had the maturity to let a few friendships go that weren’t healthy to be around, and now my life is a whole lot less dramatic. I’ve also gotten myself into a somewhat consistent workout routine, so in time I will have the power to kick through solid steel.

I’m not gonna waste your time with listing any new years resolutions here cause I really have only a general one: don’t waste your life! Say yes to things instead of looking for excuses. Surprise yourself non-stop. Live everyday as if it’s the party of the century. Smile forever!

Today news was released by Creativity Magazine that The Barbarian Group was named “Digital Company of the Year.” Do you wanna know how awesome this is? Ok, imagine that you see a woman walking down the street. She has a totally huge rack and she wears a t-shirt (a wet one, of course) that reads “HIGH FIVES ARE THE NEW BLACK!” She comes up to you and whispers into your ear: “I have an F-14 Tomcat jet airplane, and I totally wanna party forever with you!” You totally fall madly in love with her and she invents a way to never ever get a period ever again.

That comes close to describing how awesome it is to work at The Barbarian Group.

p.s. you have to get boners for girls to understand what I’m talking about here. Sorry for the confusion, straight girls.

I just upgraded my Wordpress to version 2.7 and I’ve gotta say I’m completely impressed. The dashboard is so much easier to use and navigate through. If you are running Wordpress, I definitely recommend this. This is just an imeadiate responce to the new version 2.7 of course, and I am saving a final “I love this” comment until I’ve really seen what this baby can do.