![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor
I thought talent was a prerequisite for being an artist. And who's the Twat that makes shit decisions at Versailles?
Couldn't modern "art" be instead called "modern interpretation of art."
For the most part, our technical responsibilities are split up as such: “designers” do the client-side things (HTML, CSS, Javascript, Flash, etc.), and “developers” do the server-side things (PHP, Python, Ruby, Java, .NET, etc.). Somewhere along the line, we decided the gap between front-end and back-end would be a good place to divide up our responsibilities. But is it?
Besides an understanding of basic interaction design principles (color, layout, topography, composition, human-computer interaction, user interface, etc.) and a killer portfolio, some of the bullet-points you’d like to find in a web designer’s sill set include an understanding of HTML and CSS and competence with several key pieces of software. This pretty much constitutes a “complete” skill set.
But more and more, web designers are expected to also be competent Javascript and/or Actionscript programmers — the soaring popularity of AJAX and rich Internet experiences has demanded it. Often times, in house web teams for corporations need this kind of expertise on staff, but not necessarily in a full-time capacity. So, because of our artificial front-end/back-end line in the sand, client-side programming falls in the lap of designers.
But Javascript and Actionscript are programming languages. Like, real, full-on, object-oriented, programming languages. Programming is an entirely different skill set than design. By asking web designers to be competent at client-side programing, are we unfairly expecting them to be experts in two totally separate fields (design and programming)? I’d argue that we are.
Competence in Javascript and Actionscript is much, much more compatible with the existing skill set of a web developer than it is with the skill set of a web designer. Programming is programming — even if they’ve never written Javascript before, all a developer really has to learn is a new syntax. The basic concepts are all the same.
If your team isn’t going to hire dedicated Javascript/Actionscript programmers, I would suggest you consider dropping the front-end/back-end dividing line and have your developers take on this responsibility.
Thank you to JeffCroft.com and his intelligence. But, in my experience, to make money you must have not only design skills but competent programming skills as well (front-end and back-end). If you know both not only will the website run smoother and will be easier to manage but you will be getting paid a competitive salary that graphic artists would only dream of. When I begin hiring for my agency, both will be required.1. Oh - wait.. before I begin- bitching about web browsers is getting old. for now, until all browsers are the same, i think what makes a good coder is one that can code for all browsers. Hacks are what they are - if they work, good for you - if you use them and it looks like shit in an another browser, you don't know what your doing and should go find a book or a good tutorial. Any design can be done - thats why I say "what makes a good coder." -end-
1. con't: "Very long, stupidly-complex, user-unfriendly URLs—this issue has got to be addressed!"
Some complicated urls are inevitable. But ones that are like this :www.blahblbahblah.com/soyouknowyouraroc
are ridiculous. If a company wants you to refer back to their website for a promo, more information, etc. atleast make it
www.blahlbahlblah.com/may
2. "Blogs: Great idea, bad in realization. A great way for ego-trippers with too much time to fill the web with useless content. Granted, some blogs are great resources, but the majority are a load of papp. There should be a blog rating system included in search engines to weed out the real time-wasters."
Obivious. Right now, I have alot of time to waste and I choose doing it here to vent than playing webkinz.
3. "I’d guess you will and won’t be surprised by my “most hated of today day” choice: AJAX.
Well, it’s rather the implementation of it that gets my eyes twitching and boggles my mind. There is a simple reason behind this and the reason is spelled “browser back button.” Anything that has to do with an AJAX application isn’t bad, in fact I find it wonderful and plan to use it in upcoming projects. However, as a person surfing the web I’m baffled by the normal text fields “powered by AJAX” that suddenly empty themselves when the back button is used.
Many more casual users will find this even more irritating, not knowing what to blame when their back button is no longer working as they expect it to."
AJAX is widely over used and now corporate is fawning over it like Flash. They don't know what it is, but they want it now.
4. "MySpace. I absolutely hate myspace.com everything about it. From the concept of it, to the people at my college who use it, to the fact that the design is made from nothing but tables and iframes. It’s something the internet could do without: a website that promotes use of table layouts, spacer GIFs, CSS generators. (A typical MySpace profile put through the validator on W3.org.)"
This should have been number one.
5. "Pay-per-clicks. Google ads on blogs, etc. I don’t mind so much. It’s the results that appear above the natural listings that piss me off. Most of the time they aren’t even approaching accurate and just get in the way. Go ahead, search for “tsunami victim” on Yahoo!. The first listing on the page will offer you “The best deals on tsunami vicitims.” Sometimes I like to just click away on those things and pretend I hear quarters dropping out of the sky someplace."
6. SEO - "Yes, I am fully aware of why it is important to you, Mr MBA. Yes, I understand that organic traffic basically means free revenue, and of course I realize that direct deposit on the 15th and 30th aren’t divine intervention. Yes, I get it, you want to block out the competition. Ok, ok, I understand we’re helping the user by movin’ our site up. I get it!
What if we focused on deploying quality content, instead? What would the result be if instead of this SEO mania, we rolled a out a truly useful product? You know, maybe people would come back, not because of how we rank, but because we offered them value. Isn’t that your prized word, Mr MBA? Ever heard of CraigsList?
As a designer, I am offended by all of this junk I now have to accommodate. It serves no human purpose and does nothing for the user. It ruins my aesthetics. Everything has to be “real text” because it weights higher. I now have people that don’t even know how to view source asking if the alt “tags” have keywords in them."
This comment gets a little ridiculous to me and taken a bit to far. Real text is great. And if your a good designer you will be able to make a website fantastic with lots of text. If you struggle with this - its time to go back with a pencil and paper and draw a website out. It seems people will pay for what they don't understand - and I will never get that.
So here is what I wish for the web:
1. For CSS to have database capabilities. Perhaps I only wish this in the current database situation I'm in - because this would be pointless with a system that works proper. With the database I'm working with, Perl is greatly overused and crashes the server. And also crashes the server because I don't know Perl well enough - nor do I care to. I've never wanted to be a "back-end" developer.
2. For Macromedia to separate from Adobe. The merger is unbearable.
I really cannot wait to have the summer off. People aren't thinking straight and I think it has to do with the unconscience economy and taking action a little to late. Going "green" should have happened when Vietnam ended. War used to be profitable and now look what its doing. Ever thought that war could have been the answer to an economic slump in previous years? "Hmm.. our economy is shit. Lets start a war so we can open our foundrys and dying factories back up fulfilling our employment demand." Not working so much. Not to mention the loss of lives and families. This doesn't seem to affect anyone unless they've experienced it.
Ah well.
But heres what pisses me off (along the same lines as a web design agency using templates without letting the client know AND charging the same price as a unique design). I found an web "design" agency (hint, sounds like Include) that charges companies a VERY inflated fee for "good web design" using a CMS. This is as bad as charging a client for a template design. There is no thought involved and no work. Its data entry. woo.
I suppose its the potential clients fault for being so ass-head stupid that they don't look into what makes a website. This usually falls on the marketing department which is always full of douchebag bad decision makers.
SEO -this falls under the same subject. This is another area that a marketing department chooses to sink its money into with NOTHING to show for it - but a nice new PPC that they show off to potential investors. Are you a good editor? Then you should write on your resume that you specialize in SEO. Oh, and make sure your rate per page is $500.
So what about today makes me rant about these things? Well in short, it has to do with the falling dollar, shitty gas prices, low supply of oil and produce. In a "throw-away" society, these companies that practice the above survive while organic (no, not organic like non-pesticide, dip-shit) companies are overlooked because of ignorance and laziness.
P.S. - When you hear a designer say they "need inspiration" that usually means "I need to look for a good design to rip off." Walk out of the meeting when you hear that - you're about to get screwed (and not uniquely).
Dads birthday was really really fun. Went to Chilis and drank daiquiri's then fell asleep on the side of the pool, woke up in drool. Went to Sharkys and had a bloody mary then went to Mics and had a beer, played pool.
Saturday we went to saint augustine. bought bill a 1808 treasure coin thing (came with certificate of authenticity). went to mill tavern - for long time. went to scarlett o'haras - ate much. went to shops. went to bed. lol.
Sunday we had breakfast in town then walked around while shops were opening up. not alot of people out yet so it was really nice.
Overall a very nice trip away and I would do it all over again. I did miss gwynnie and bill -next time they will come with.
It does go further than that. My friend Donnie and I had a conversation in Chicago about living in the "NOW." Meaning, you dont worry about the past nor the future - you concentrate on right now. So since that conversation things have been going smoother since I havent thought so much about my imminent death. Hardly any arguments, enjoying every day, etc.
Before I go to sleep at night I always think of the what ifs. What if I survived a plane crash - it happens. What if I become dismembered? blah blah blah. And since I've thought these things I've read more frequently about plane crashes that have happened most recently with these senarios.
I think too that on May 1st people will see me for the last time up on the big screen. Captured on film for the last time. Creepy in a Ledger sort of way. So I try every day to make the most of every hour - though theyre numbered - and not kindly. If something does happen, please make sure my storage bill in Spokane is taken care of and my debt to the IRS. You would think that one sure way to keep yourself from dying unexpectedly is by having debt to the IRS. Well, I've countered that by being married and leaving it to my husband. Nice huh?
Oh another subtle hint just the other day was an article on how to talk and explain to your kids about death. Needless to say, I didnt read the article. I wouldnt be here anyway to explain it - obviously.
I've wondered - what are the ways you know your going to die? There must be something. I imagine seconds before death a rainbow unicorn pops up in front of you and licks your face. Then *poof* you've been instantly snuffed out like <insert witty here>.
I'm not leaving any farewells to my daughter or husband because I'm not taking this so seriously. BUT, if I have any dreams the night before or any day dreams that carry a ginormous foreboding - then I will leave a post-it somewhere at the airport for someone on the night shift to sweep up. This post-it will be found years later and put in a museum like the Hindenburg postcard.
So that I do not panic during every bump and turn on the plane - Ive rented the first season of The Office. It seems the rainbow unicorn of death doesnt laugh much and frankly, I think the noise scares it away. With all this said and done - farewell... until Sunday night when I return home, thankful for my feet to be on the ground and not in it.
::EDIT::
To prove my subtle hints on imminent death, when I just viewed my post and moused over the moth image this image came up: And since posting this edit when I mouse over the moth, this image does not show up. Now - I'm not crazy am I?
Today in history emperor Caracalla was assassinated. His fathers names was "Septimius Severus (as in Severus Snape). And Caracalla was originally known as Lucius Septimius Bassianu (as in Lucius Malfoy). The lineage may not be correct (as in Snape was not Lucius's father). And here's another: Septimus Wesley married Cedrella Black. Spelled differently yes - but perhaps taken from the same source.
Anyway. Someone with lots of time on their hands made a family tree for all families in Harry Potter.
Update:
Huh.. this is flattering. I mouse over my "Read more here" and I get not only Methadone but Ana Nicole (love her!) AND Victoria Secret. Awe.. someone besides me knows I need new underwear.
You know your a Graphic Designer When...
- You have bags under your eyes so big you’d have to check them in at Heathrow Airport
- You watch the superbowl just for the commercials
- You can spot bad typography from 100 yds away
- You are pro-facebook because 95% of the myspace accounts burn your retinas
- You can name more than 200 fonts in under five minutes
- You are completely immune to subliminal advertising
- You look upon a well-designed project with either:
- sympathy OR extreme jealousy
- Your hand is permanently stuck in the shape of a mouse
- You tell stories of exacto-knife inflicted wounds with grizzled sort of pride
- You practically take caffeine intravenously
- You have an appreciation for everything unique
- You’ve been spending three days non-stop on a project and it still looks like shit. You find yourself overcome by Deathlust.
- “You find your pulse increase at the sight of a lovely ligature, glasses steam up when an unusually elegant arm, leg, or tail comes in view, and a well-kerned paragraph is apt to make you break into a sweat with excitement.”
- “You know you’re a Graphic Designer when… you buy a CD or DVD for the artwork, even if you have no idea what the actual music or film is like”.
- (even worse, you don’t actually watch or listen to it, just stare at it for hours and hug it in adoration)
- “You know you’re a Graphic Designer when… you look at the clock and see it’s about midnight and think ‘I’ll go to bed now’… and you actually go to bed about 2-3am”.
- “You know you’re a Graphic Designer when… you need someone else to point out that you’re sitting in a room in front of the computer with all the lights off, and haven’t noticed”
- “…when you know what “kerning” is and you really, really like it.”
- “… when you wear two [ke] [rn] pins on your bag, and only you know what the mean. To others its probably a band of sorts..”
- Forget the boy-wonder and the man of steel; your heroes have names like ‘Tibor Kalman’, ‘Stefan Sagmeister’, ‘Paul Rand’, and ‘Paula Scher’.
- You don’t wear black to look cool, you wear it to hide the gauche.
- You have a thing for chairs. You don’t know why.
- You giggle whenever you use the colors F0CCED, EFF0FF and 44DDDD
- You’re in the sun and you look around for a Drop Shadow to sit under.
- You give your relatives a lecture about color spaces and profiles when you email them your vacation photos.
- Seeing someone use Lens Flare or Comic Sans adversely affects your blood-pressure
- You maintain a grid system for your refrigerator magnets.
- You organize your CD collection according to the Pantone chart.
- You sit at work for eight hours straight just looking at your monitor, waiting for a spark of inspiration that doesn’t come.
- You’re up ’til 5am because you came up with the best idea ever while brushing your teeth.
- The hottest dream you ever had was “Trace contour… Find Edges… Pinch… Extrude… Smudge Stick… Motion Blur…. Sprayed Strokes…”
- You know Lorem Ipsum by heart.
- Your kid knows Lorem Ipsum by heart.
- The preschool teacher complains your child won’t color inside or outside the lines – only indicate colors on a separate sheet.
- Activating your entire font collection makes your computer crash
- You deliberately butcher your perfectly cross browser compatible site in IE by placing a “Too Cool for IE” banner on it.
- You prefer a Layer Style of 50% Opacity (or less) on your wife’s Satin.
- You spend $200 on a font for your personal website because “it’s the only one where the lower-case g is just right…”
- Looking at a menu make you go “hmmm, ITC Baskerville italic” rather than “mmmm, lunch!”
- And when you finally order, you go for Layer Based Slices with Grain Texture…
- You use words about fonts you dislike that other normal people reserve for fascist dictators and serial killers.
- Apple+Z is the first thing that goes through your mind if you drop and break something.
- You refer to colleagues as Strict, Transitional, Loose and the Future Unemployed.
- You refer to your privates as “the Magic Wand”.
- You know that rivers are more than just water.
- Your best friends are all employees at the local print shop
- The only people who seem to know what you do for a living are other Graphic Designers (ex: Graphic Design? What’s that? You’ll never be able to make a living being an
- artist!)
- Kerning and leading on your shopping list actually matters to you, and you don’t see a problem with that.
- Several South American economies suffer noticeably any time you try to give up coffee, or even cut your consumption of it by half.
- You know that “bleeding” doesn’t hurt.
- when your significant other/ friends have threatened to never speak to you again if you point out one more font to them.
- when you know the difference between fuchsia, magenta, and maroon.
- If you could go back in time you wouldn’t go back to see the rise and fall of civilizations, you’d go back in time to destroy comic sans and papyrus.
- You Know You’re a Graphic Designer When deciding on the right crop doesn’t involve a choice between corn or wheat.
- You’ve considered naming your children things like ‘Kern’, ‘Pica’, ‘Bézier’, and ‘Serif’.
- You can understand everything on this list.
Attended a party for a 2 year old. Got Married.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I cant remember if I made any last year. I made a few for this year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Semi-close - Rick. He used to come in the bar.
5. What countries did you visit?
My own
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A New Car!!! Skinny jeans. Confidence going out by myself.
7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 2nd, I was married.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Is marriage an achievement? I dont really think so. Beyond that... I have achieved new skills. Began filming second movie.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Arguing with Mr. Perfect.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Cold.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My cell phone.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My daughter
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My husband lol
14. Where did most of your money go?
BILLS
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Married, Christmas, My birthday, Gwyns Birthday, Florida, New jobs
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2007?
How about band... Kill Hannah
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. Happier or sadder?
Happier
ii. Thinner or fatter?
Thinner
iii. richer or poorer?
Richer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent Christmas in Florida.
23. How many one-night stands?
zero
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Rock of Love lol and I Love New York. Nip Tuck.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No
26. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter (final book)
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Kill Hannah
28. What did you want and get?
Slideshow photo frame, mixing bowls, money, gift cards, Maybe Baby perfume
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went to the Harry Potter book party. You'd think I turned 12 but no, I turned 27
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Tropical in 20 degree weather
34. What kept you sane?
Goals
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Johnny Depp. - same very year
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Most recently - Bhutto assassination
37. Who did you miss?
family, Joe, friends from Idaho/Washington
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Michelle, Maggie and Melinda :)
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
Make sure you think out EVERYTHING - even if its "what am I going to eat." I assure you that even the little decisions matter in the big picture.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
The simpsons song.
This is taken out of an article on yahoo here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080102/tv_
So.. if we still have ties to Bin Laden as a "valuable business relationship" I assume that Osama's family estrangement is bullshit and that the reason the US hasn't found him is because he is essentially a vital asset to our economy. No?
Work is very good now. 25 hours a week and I have two days home with Gwyn. Pay isnt bad for such a short work week. The tree outside my office window has officially lost all of its leaves. Oh wait... theres a few left behind on the bottom branches. The water outside is pretty too. When I get a chance I walk down to the pier and walk back. It takes up my whole lunch period.
Sorry my subject isnt unique and whitty - i stoll it from the main lj page; which i think I will do from now on. Its much easier than thinking of something I want to talk about.
Cosimo's and Susie's tonight!!! I stayed late at work last night just so I could get off early enough to go.
Springtime
Which dress should Gwyn wear in our wedding?
it was during this time that i developed a bit of e.d. but in a way it didnt become so damaging that i needed rehab and besides, it couldnt be prevented. what caused it was lack of money and chain smoking. neither of which do i want now -- who would? unless chain smoking is your thing and you like to be poor.
my lowest weight since having gwyn was 108 around her first birthday (and all the mothers say "fuck you"). when i lost my job back in february i sat on my ass almost a month and weighed 117. i got a gyym membership and consumed between 1150 - 1500 calories, drank water, and basically did everything healthy. that was all fine and good until i plateaued at 114 for 2 months. i quit the gym.
bills schedule allows me to eat ( 1 of 2 ways) how i have been oh so wishing for since we got together. the first: eat heavily in the day time and for dinner have a salad. the second: eat normal breakfast and lunch and have dinner normally but early.. like 4:30/5 pm. And thats it. So far this has been the most effective. I stop eating between 5 and 7pm drinking only water and tea for beverage. Im now at 110 losing .5 lbs a day. I exercise at night with The Girls Next Door on my ondemand service :)
there seems to always be a gimmick with weightloss and i have apparently found mine. ive never been a healthy person and at the point i am at now, i am the healthiest i have ever been. eating light, drinking only water and i havent had a smoke in months. its amazing how i feel now. bill has been losing weight also and he even feels that our new eating schedule is the best.
what is it with girls and weight. i never had an issue with this until i noticed how emaciated i looked.
i started selling with the body shop and i have my first party on saturday! i also am scheduled for an interview next week with whirlpool. i am really liking this not working thing except i cant go shopping and my shoe collection is dwindling. my unemployment was accepted because GS couldnt come up with a good reason to fire me. duh.
in a nutshell this is my life at home so far.
ive been waiting to hear back on a job for some time now and my patience is trying. i thought i would get a final answer today but no. ive been through 3 interviews and 2 tests for this position. its between me and someone else. i thought how funny it would be if it were with ang. i dont know who else would be my same caliber. she was very good at what she did and i followed in her footsteps.. a protege i suppose. i had an excellent teacher.
anyway.. i must go. gwyn is at the gym daycare while bill is working out and i need to get her.
Courageous is setting up a wage deduction with the IRS to pay off 2001 tax debt.
Why are their two pagents with basically the same title ie Miss America and Miss USA? Sure hope a background check was done on Miss America. It would be a shame to have another talentless bitch be the spokesperson for this country. We already have one brainless shithead -- why have another?
After their meeting Bill gets on his holy roller pedestal and says that Gwyn will be baptized this Sunday. I go along with it because as his fiance and someday (god forbid) his wife I must stand beside him. Really in the long run so that he would do the same for me though he's an absolute hypocrite and mocks my beliefs like a child.
I called my gran today and asked her if she would like to come. "NO" was her blunt answer. Its not something I believe in she says. Well I dont believe in it either but yet I have to go.
How absurd to "speak" for a child and save her sins. Ridiculous. Ive never understood christian religions and for this very reason. Bill brought home papers that have quotes from the bible to back up their beliefs in baptism. When I talked to Gran she got out her bible and read me quotes that are against baby baptism. It says "repent, then be baptized."
I love my religion because its so straight forward, common sense and isnt contradictory and doesnt say "this is the one and only true way to believe." Its accepting of all religions. And I wish I could mimic that but its hard for me to understand something that makes no sense.
Im forced to put my beliefs aside to make him happy and I hope that someday he understands what Im doing for him. Once again I feel hes crushing my being and my "me-ness." I knew what I was getting myself into before we even had gwyn or knew I was pregnant. Same thing I knew when I dated a jew.
How are two opposite religions suppose to live under one roof?
Victoria Secret Gown Original sell price of $150 .. on Laundro for $100 (size xs-s)
Cocktail Dress -Art Nouveau design Original sell price of $130 .. on Laundro for $90 (size s)
Candies Original sell price $80.. on Laundro for $50 (size m)
Empire Waist dress Original sell price $25 .. on Laundro for $10 (size m)
Will trade!!! Looking for clothing by Christian Audigier, books (art history mainly, Vargas, childrens books), clothing in bulk (abercro, hollis, delias, urban outfitters (furniture as well), anthropologie, childrens dvds (baby einstein, disney), Moda fabrics, toile fabrics, acrylic paints, canvas, scrapbooking stuff, size 6.5 - 7 shoes, Benefit cosmetics, Origins cosmetics, favorite band stuff (Blind Melon, Modest Mouse, HIM, Vains of Jenna, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Sleater Kinney, Pearl Jam, Beta Band), snowboarding stuff (Roxy only), .... the list is endless lol. Oh.. and I love diy clothing!
- Mood:
awake
