So the replacement laptop broke fairly quickly. Something internal. Since it was a refurbish, Apple took it back and let me order a new M5 Pro. It just came in and seems pretty wonderful so far. Long adventure without a computer. So happy that adventure has come to an end.
new laptop to replace the one that burnt up. time machine backup made the transition almost seamless.
Had a house fire a few weeks ago and lost my laptop. Just put in the order for a new one. Can’t wait to once again have a functional device when I need it. I’ve been making do with alternative workflows and limited devices. The process has not been much fun.
Relevant to absolutely nobody since I’m fairly invisible on the internet, but I did make a neat things post for this week.
I have survived six and a half hours of professional development on a wintry Monday. Hoo-boy I need a cup of coffee.
Second week back with high school students. First week back with college students. First week is always the hardest. I think the semester is starting off really well.
Pitching my class to potential students for next year. This is the annual presentation I need to kick-ass on so I can remain full-time for another year.
Built a new class brand today. Happy with how it turned out. Will be showing it off to future students tomorrow. Hoping it goes well.
FYI: a rubber duck cult formed in my class about five years ago and there are now well over a hundred ducks in my classroom with more showing up all the time.
School starts back up tomorrow. Alarms are turned back on. It is going to be hard as hell to deal with that blaring siren at zero-dark-thirty tomorrow morning. Looking forward to seeing the students and jumping back into design stuff again.
Since it is the start of the year, I’m reviewing and updating things. Good to clear out and reset, right?
I updated my tools i use page for the first time in a few years. Turns out there weren’t too many to swap out, although I did add several new ones.
Feels like I’ve been expanding my need for simple, clean, minimal tools that work without any extraneous bells and whistles. I appreciate single use tools that do one thing extremely well and then get out of the way.
I took a shower today. This is a big deal.
holiday break beginning. turned off the alarm clocks. two weeks of sleeping in starting now.
80s synthwave music is keeping me going lately. Amazing how productive I’ve been with those beats running in the background.
Pantone color the year is basically off white. This is the year for a much needed calm reset.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about my use of AI as a kind of spatial relationship. Where do I stand in relation to the machine—above it, beside it, under it? Each position carries a different kind of power dynamic. To be above is to steer, beside is to collaborate, below is to serve. — Frank Chimero I like this visual approach to how you are using AI. Are you steering it completely as a tool fully under your control?
I was approached by ArtGratis to potentially share a link on my website list of free commercial use images. All of their content is mostly AI generated instead of traditional stock photography. This feels like a novel and yet completely natural development in the creative production world. Why spend all your time mucking around with AI image generation tools when you can simply let someone else do the dirty work and let you choose from their curated results?
After several weeks of missing (self-imposed) deadlines to post weekly, I have finally added another weekly neat things post.
It isn’t much but does feel damned good to finally get something personal done. Classes start winding down soon so I should have more time to be more consistent with my own web work.
This is a set of questions sent to me by a college student during the Thanksgiving break of 2025. It turned into a longer response than I was expecting. Worth sharing here. How large is the department in terms of students and faculty? I’ve heard that the art/animation industry is losing popularity, is this true? I work primarily at Lansing Community College, although I do teach some classes at Michigan State University.
My focus is an elusive little bastard lately.
Pudding cups make everything better.
Watched a Domino’s Pizza delivery car pull into the McDonald’s drive-thru. Then saw someone in a McDonald’s uniform coming out of a Domino’s restaurant. Wonder if I’ve stumbled upon a fast food conspiracy happening in plain view.