This is Spring?

Last night about 3:40 a.m. I was woken up my rain. At least that was my first thought. Then it started to come down harder and harder. When it started to hit my window I realized it wasn't rain, but hail.

Hail is very unusual for the Sacramento Delta. Especially, when they are the size of marbles and it literally covered the streets and lawns in matter of minutes. (Usually, hail melts on impact) And it came soen so hard that is was very, very loud. I am sure someone from the midwest would think this is common and normal. Just remember this is California! The noise would be about the same as having the TV on a channel with static then turning the surround sound on and to it highest volume. And this lasted for about 5 to 7 minutes. Along with a lightning show that lasted for about a half an hour. (serious lightning shows are unusual here too)

If this is spring can we just skip directly to summer?

Saturday Night

It's Saturday Night just chilling at home and surfing the web. Actually, it is just another boring night at home. I have been thinking to myself that I need to work on a website. I am so far behind actually, doing a website for myself.

The biggest challenge is being my own worst client. I just can't find something I like. The second is money. But who cares about money? Maybe uncle sam will give a few bucks back and I can actually, spend my own money.

Oh well, Someday soon. I am still learning how to make a website anyway. And it is just another project on my to do list.

Really, I Know How to do My Job

[RANT]

I have to wonder, why is it that some poeple don't let me do my job. I have years of experience in Graphic Design. Yet, some people insist that they can do it themselves. And when I finally recieve their "work" it looks horrible. Plus, 9 times out of 10 there is something wrong with it (this was no exception, I had problems).

I thought about going into details, but really who wants to hear me complain the entire time about minor details. I will say this, I know part of the reason why they are doing the work themselves. (designers will appreciate this logic) They do not want me to mix up the artwork with the discription and price. Becuase, I do not know a lot about their products. They don't think they can trust me to do the ad. Now, what's wrong with this picture?

I don't know their products, that's true, yet do they know how to do my job as a designer? Nevermind, the simple solution of actually giving me detailed instructions on what product belongs with what discription. (Afterall, I give them a proof to double check my work) and if there is a mistake I will be happy and more than willing to change it. It's not like I am out to make them look bad. That's bad for business. I even offered to work with them so I would be familiar with their products. I am not even going to argue the fact that they didn't make the ad the right size or that it was made in a program that is weak in layout.

I suspect it is all about control. If I make their ads they think they have no control over the design and quality. True, I often take some artistic liberties, however, if the client asks for something I will do it and I will make it look as good as possible. The work I do is also a reflextion of myself as well as the business I work for. So you better believe I want to to look good.

[/RANT]

A Day of Freedom

Tomorrow, I am taking the day off. Nothing really formal planned, just heading up to Sacramento to take it easy. Plus, Meet my girlfriend for lunch (since I work during the week and in a different city) I don't get to have lunch with her all the time. So, this is a mini vacation if you will.

Yea me!

Rivited to My Seat

Last night, I watched Robots. Actually, a better discription to say I laughed almost the entire time, while watching Robots. It was absolutley unbelievable. The story was great, the one liners were great, the visual effects were great, and even the music a perfectly composed.

The nice thing I liked about the movie is it was not overdone. While, "Robot City" had amazing detail and, in fact, overwhelming it was not overdone. I didn't get the impression that they were trying to prove that they could "shoke an awe" the audience with their superior design and computer effects. Instead, the effects were mastered and almost unnoticed (a perfect quality for the background of a movie). I was once told in a photoshop class. "If you have to add a shadow to the photo and the first thing a viewer notices is the shadow, then you over did it and the photo is useless." Robots by no means over do the subtlies at all.

My only complaint about the whole thing is an Ice Age short that featured Scrat. They showed it at the beginning and there was a "to be continued..." at the end. So, they left us hanging without anyway of knowing what happened or when we will see the next installment. I even waited until all the credits were over to at least see Scrat falling into a neverending abyss, but I was disappointed that there was nothing.