Archive for February, 2009
Enjoying Every Minute
Feb 27th
If there is one thing I’ve learned in the past two weeks…then it is this.
If you are not doing what you love, Stop, and start doing it.
Your whole life will change when you finally start to follow your dreams. Of course don’t be silly if you have a family to support, make plans, and find your way back to your dreams one step at a time.
Do not sit in an office and die a little bit each day if it’s not what you want to be doing. When you have fun, with your work, you work better, and the money comes.
Read about people who’ve done this (Robert Kiyosaki, Richard Branson etc), find out when’s the best time to ‘Quit your Day Job’. Make your plans, make your escape and start to live your life. Life is way to short to spend it doing something you hate.
Seriously.
A few weeks ago, I started pursuing a dream, I already do what I love, but this was adding to it. Expanding on what I’m already doing. It’s something I’ve been interested in doing – since high school, and just never thought I could. Until now.
The work is rolling toward me like that big ball in Indiana Jones, and honestly, I can’t wait. Because right behind that big ball of work is an even bigger ball of money.
BRING IT ON!
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Home Improvement
Feb 24th
Living in a rental house has many advantages for us right now. Considering we’re wanting to emigrate soon, it means we’re not stuck with a house to sell, especially in the current market. As soon as the husband finds the right job (in the right country) we can basically give notice, pack up and go.
It does also, unfortunately have it’s down side too. Naturally, we’re not able to make any major improvements to the house (or at least why would we spend the money on someone elses’ house?), aside from a bit of painting that I did to spruce up the kids rooms, that’s pretty much it. So I suppose on the plus side of this, I don’t buy home improvement magazines anymore, saving some money, and the less time spent drooling over funky new styles of faucets, the better!
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Being Creative with Office Furniture
Feb 20th
When starting out in a new home business, it’s not always necessary to go big with equipment and supplies. I mean, as much as I’m always talking about my dream graphic design/photography studio all the time, I realise that when I finally get my own space at home (as opposed to a desk, a foot from the end of my bed), I don’t need to go rushing off to IKEA or Office Max or another office furniture store and spend a fortune. Unless of course, I have the spare cash, and all my other new business needs are taken care of, as in 24″ iMac, stationery, supplies, funky pens and pencils etc. I could quite happily start out with something simple, like patio furniture, or a more industrial type shelving system etc. Sometimes if you use your imagination, you can really come up with cool solutions.
Challenge yourself, the next time you’re in your local building and hardware store, like Builders Warehouse for example, look around and see what you can make for yourself. I came up with the idea to use a blank, basic door, with two tall trestle legs as a workspace. Then I can paint the door in a thick gloss enamel in a color of my choice, and I’d probably spray the trestle legs in silver. This would make a great work area for spreading out designs and proofs. Since I’d use the high trestle legs, this would be a good height to stand at, and it would be good for me to have a reason to get off my backside too!
The reason I chose a door, because for one, it’s cheap, plus it’s also reinforced, whereas if you simply bought a wooden plank – it would warp downwards if you placed too much weight on it.
Yes there are many solutions out there, if you only open your eyes and be creative.
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Take Your Customers By Surprise
Feb 18th
There is a local computer store, which is part of a chain ’round these parts.
I used to love to shop there. The shop assistants were true geeks. Helpful geeks. This was back in the day before I had a Mac.
Then they went and got regular dumbass shop assistants. I knew more than them (maybe it was me that got smarter I don’t know), assistants that had to go and ‘ask someone’ the answer to my question, and then leave me standing on the shop floor for way too long.
Then they got pricey.
So guess what happened? Of Course.
I simply stopped shopping there.
Then I got a Mac, and not only did I NOT shop there, I told everyone else to stop shopping there too. Because they sucked.
Let’s fast forward a moment to yesterday. With my youngest at day care (half day) as of this week, I suddenly found myself with some time on my hands (after working for 2 hours straight at a local wifi hotspot on a clients website), and a little time to kill in the mall before fetching my eldest from school. So I ventured inside.
OMG.
They are now a certified Apple dealer.
They had a real 20″ iMac on display, ready for me to fawn over.
They now sell Mac software (though the range is VERY thin).
They have a trade in deal going on now. As in bring in your old hardware, and we’ll give you discount on new hardware.
The deal they were offering on the iMac was cheaper than if I had it sent out from the USA.
I was honestly and totally gobsmacked. They’re no longer sucky, evil, highly priced, corporate asses.
They’re enlightened, community uplifting, school donating (the old hardware), ecologically aware, DISCOUNTING, MARVELS!
I was and still am surprised. Way to go Incredible Connection! You have a new supporter in me! Now if they just had some tv deals for me to look at too, I’d probably be back there today again.
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Busy Weekend
Feb 14th
The OPU and I had a fun evening out last night, with the kids in tow, for a pizza evening at a friends house (home made not ordered in pizza), and tonight, my mom is babysitting and we’re heading out again! This time to a Turkish restaurant.
Can anyone tell me what the heck Turkish food is like? I’m quite excited to try something new actually. Although with going out like this TWO nights in a row, I may have to consider weight loss supplements! Considering that we don’t get out much at all with the kids still being so young, my body is probably going to have a freak out by Sunday morning wondering why it’s a) having so much food thrown at it, b) having strange food thrown at it and c) not getting the already meagre amounts of sleep that it’s used to!
Oh well, I’m not complaining, just glad to be getting out like a real adult again 
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Some Extra Freelance Work for Graphic Designers
Feb 13th
I just made a discovery of sorts. One that’s allowing me to test and flex my newly discovered graphic design muscles. It’s called 99Design.
It’s basically a site that anyone with some graphic design skill (or judging by some of the entries a distinct LACK of graphic design skill) can sign up for. Inside it’s hallowed halls, you will find people who are offering a set some of money, and have submitted a design brief.
For example Joe X might be offering $100 for a nice 200px by 200px logo for his latest blog, he might specify some colours that he prefers and maybe one or two things to avoid – most people are quite open about what they dont want, often it’s a kind of font they dont like that they ask you NOT to use.
Anyway, the entries are open for a week, and anyone can submit a design. The smarter designers seem to hang back for the early contenders work to be given feedback (by the person wanting the logo), or be eliminated. It’s a good way to evaluate more closely the likes and dislikes of the client.
After the week is up, the client picks his favourite design, and the designer is paid via Paypal, and then supplies the hi-res version.
It’s a great way for designers who are looking for work, or coming back into work, to practice, build a portfolio and get valuable feedback from real clients. Plus, some of the offers are really, really good like $700+. Plus as the client you’re getting a very very wide selection of work to select from, so everybody wins.
You can bet your sweet backside I will be all up in the koolaid talking about it on facebook just as soon as I have a winning design.
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How Fast Can You Run?
Feb 12th
As fast as a Leopard. (Yes that’s a Cheetah, I know, but I’m quoting one of Mel Gibsons earliest movies “Gallipoli” you philistine!) Come to think of it, why were they using the Leopard as an example of a fast runner in that movie? From what I know (which can be limited at times yes) they mostly hang around up a tree until the odd gazelle lollops by, and then they pounce. Or maybe it’s because they hunt at night, so no one can really see how slow they are. (!)
I think Cheetahs are awesome. I saw one up close recently at the Spier Wine Estate, where they also have a Cheetah Rehabilitation Centre. According to the guy who was getting a little closer to one than I would have liked to, Cheetahs pretty much run, and then pass out. They literally will run themselves to a burn out. So it’s best they have a successful hunt as many times as possible.
What’s my point? I’m not sure, but I suppose I do have running on the mind lately. I was looking at some treadmills the other day, and I could really use one. I already have the use of an elliptical trainer, but it’s no conducive to starting slowly, and building up, the way you can on a treadmill. Because everybody can walk right? To start off with. The elliptical immediately starts to kick my ass, like right after 2 minutes. Exercise is not supposed to be hard work. Heh.
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Did you see it? Huh? Didja?
Feb 11th
So, like I hope that the gazillions of you out there reading this avidly on a daily basis, noticed my new mini header?
Yeah, like totally rad man. (Ooh, I think I just made teenagers in a ten mile radius cringe).
Anyhoo, then there’s this little 125×125 baby that I threw out today.
Yeah, like I’m not exactly sure where all this green is coming from. It’s probably my inner desire to save the planet, or maybe this particular green has something to do with the fact that I love camouflage, or men in uniform. That and I sorely miss watching Army Wives every monday night since we had our DSTV turned off on purpose to ’save money’.
Oh well, at least I have my beloved photoshop and blogging to keep me busy!
If you’re getting a kick out of this 125×125 and would like me to design one for you, drop me an email okay? It’d be my pleasure. I’ll do it in exchange for a little linkage from you.
Here’s a photo that I took yesterday, that I’m getting a big kick out of working with at the moment. I’m designing a series of posters around it, in various states and forms. In some of the posters all the warm colours are in, others the colder ones etc.
It’s a zen thing for me, working on this kind of thing.
So what’s your zen thing?
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A Good Old Fashioned Sale
Feb 10th
Sometimes getting back to basics with marketing can reap benefits for small business. So often consumers are bombarded with special offers that have so much fine print, that they are mistrustful of them. Aren’t you personally sick of hearing the phrase, “Terms and Conditions Apply” ? Well in my opinion if your sale is that complicated that you need to have terms and conditions, then maybe it’s time to re-evaulate what you’re promoting.
Of course the phrase ‘terms and conditions’ was coined because of the fact that we have become a litigous society. Sometimes we have to cover ourselves, because some people will try to take advantage. A sad fact.
So, perhaps you should consider have a good old fashioned simple sale. Some red stickers and a sign that screams “20% Off Selected Items”. Then name those items, and offer 20% of the total price. Don’t go and get smart and say 20% off when you make a purchase of X, Y and Z because that just puts people off.
Happy Small Business-ing to day People! Let’s have some fun!
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Cool (and Handy!) Stuff for Graphic Designers
Feb 8th
Wouldn’t it be great to have a rug that looked like this? Especially in a funky design office. Although it would have to have really fine fibres for you to see the codes clearly.
I’m always referring to an online version of this, and it is available as a mouse pad here. They also have a great selection of wall posters in various formats and sizes. It’s so handy when you’re looking for matching or similar colours and want to make sure they’re web safe, and won’t show up all weird on your web page.
Anyhoo, just a short one this evening. But it sure is purdy huh?
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