Tell me something I don’t know

You know those variable message signs that are parked at the side of the road? Their purpose is to warn of dangers, delays, closures or any important information you need on that road at that time. That’s their purpose. Sadly they are mostly used for what I call “we’re gonna get ya” messages. They tell us not to speed, not to forget our seatbelts and all sorts of other unnecessary information. They remind us that “they” are watching and we will be caught and punished should we stray.
I hate thinking that I should take heed to these helpful orange letters only to be told that drinking and driving is bad and will not be tolerated. Thanks.

Anyway, I was delighted to see this sign this morning (click on it for a larger size). At last, an honest VMS.
I fell over and don’t where I am. Or who I am. Somebody rescue me.
It’s a sad robot’s cry for help.

Letting Roxy go

The leached and faded colour of the photo tells us it’s time to take down the posters. This is one of the few on which beautiful Roxy is still sort 0f recognisable.

Lost Roxy posters were put up around my local area about five months ago. Why are they still there? Are Roxy’s owners hopeful or just lazy?
I hope they don’t leave the task to some local council worker. Taking down these posters would be a good way to acknowledge and accept that Roxy’s not coming back. Closure.

I remember driving past one of these posters in late December and my daughter said: “I don’t know whether to feel sad for Roxy’s owners or happy for the kid who’s getting her for Christmas.”

I can’t hear you because my ears are shouting

It’s been a year since I did a logo appraisal. Last Easter I had a great logo for you and the one before was not so great. Let’s maintain the balance and look at a bad one.
I have to walk past an Australian Hearing office on my way to work and as I do all I’m hearing in my head is the sound of fingernails on a blackboard.

So, where do we start?
We have the generic dancing, arms out person. Usually used for joy, freedom, carefree nature-loving, and of course dancing. Not sure what it has to with hearing but we can assume he is happy because he can hear better. What makes me think the person is male? The face. There’s no need for a face at all, especially one with such an ambiguous expression. T0 me  it looks like a confused bald man. Also, thanks to the face, the sound waves seem to be aimed less at the ear and more to the back of his depilated head.

OK. The sound waves. We have conventions. And we follow conventions because everyone agrees on their meaning and we don’t have to relearn everything as we go along. Imagine I drew a map and put South at the top. If I was being particularly pro-antipodes and saying that we need to right a terrible wrong and that the southern hemisphere should be the top and the northern hemisphere should be called ‘down under’, it would be acceptable. If I was simply drawing a map, it would be a stupid mistake. It’s alright to break convention if you have reason. It’s always fun to bend and play with conventions. But you are not allowed to ignore them.
With this in mind, have a look at the sound waves. They are radiating out from his head. He’s not receiving, he’s transmitting.

I’m not even going to bother wasting typing,backspacing,retyping time on the typography. I got stuff to do.

Dragging my heart around

I was poking around on bandcamp today and was struck by this album art. It’s by Annie Hardy aka Giant Drag. Click on it for a larger pic.
I can’t think of any way to improve it. Does that mean it’s perfect?
Beautiful photography. Don’t you love the backlighting? And the pose.
Then there’s the composition. That lovely expanse of starry sky.
The title is great in itself. But I love the way it sits at the top not trying to intrude with the understated G and D.
But what about the actual music? Here’s a sample:

Soundtrack

My son gave me some quality headphones for Christmas. Coupled with my daughter’s hand-me-down (or up?) ipod, they have turned me into one of those zoned-out-on-public-transport people.
But I was slow to convert. I’ve always agreed with the people who made these signs
and don’t want to become this guy
although he is a very snazzy dresser.

But the sound.
It’s like a warm blanket on a cold night or a cool breeze on a hot night or a drug fuelled rave party in my head.

Anyway, here’s a brief look at what my morning commute is like.

Sorry for the quality (phone).

The little things

This morning I was on the train in a semiconscious state. I was facing the stairs but not looking. Then a five dollar note fluttered down the stairway like a diver doing a pre-bellyflop lateral twist. It was followed by a man who picked it up and crilley runned away.
It made me smile.
Footnote:
crilley = quickly. The phrase “crilley runned away” has been adopted by my family since we read it an early piece of creative writing from one of my daughters. More.

Merry Christmas and God bless us every one!

One year – don’t ask me when – one of my children – don’t ask me which one – suggest that a broken Ken doll’s head could go at the top of the Christmas tree.
Then it became a tradition. So Ken and I would like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a great new year.
To quote Tiny Tim: “Tiptoe through the tulips with me.”