Design: I Like That!

Dan Pink's A Whole New Mind chiseled away a few layers of built-up callous from my mind.  As children we were devoid of callous, free to play and imagine till our little hearts were content, or at least till mom called us in for dinner.  Dan re-introduced me to the concept of design - one that had been calloused over by school, adulthood and jobs that sucked the spirit and life out of my body.

I do believe that folks who were right-brain dominant growing up were oil and the rest of us were water. We tried to impose our rules of callous, but their slopes were too slippery and we merely fell by the wayside.  They evolved and we became calloused-over androids.  Well, that's a bit harsh and over exaggerated.

So, I'm b-boppin' around now getting in touch and jiggy with my new found inner design side.  I like design.  Then I realized that everything from the universe to a paper clip is designed.  "Holy anxiety Batman."  Time to calm down.  Time to try and reconnect with feelings, however fleeting and whimsical they might have been, about things that had caught my fancy.  Two themes registered.

The Art of Communication - For the last twelve years I have been infatuated with how people communicate.  I like watching commercials, I read all junk mail, I love to review ads and I love reading magazines and books.  I also love to watch and listen to people.  How do they express themselves?  How do they convey their point?  As far as design though, it is both the graphical and contextual parts of communication that I am attracted to.

Stuff - Mostly from the industrial side.  I include furniture and home furnishings with this.  What really makes my heart skip a beat is stuff that is new, different and can make our lives easier.  The Dutch Boy easy pour paint can that came out around 2002, comes to mind.  Imagine, all of those years that we used those standard-slop-paint-over-everything paint cans. 

Both themes revolve around things that are different.  I trudge the world in the cement shoes of status-quo.  How liberating then to cross paths with products designed by folks who are trying to invent a lighter weight shoe that looks good!

I haven't been trained in design, engineering or architecture.  I am not qualified to look at an item and say, "this is good design."  But I can look at an item and say, "I like that!"  And for me I am grateful enough to be able to do that, grateful for less of a callous build up.

"David, why don't you play a little longer.  We've got microwave ovens now.  We can reheat your dinner."

Comments

[Debra Estep]

Dave,

I'm betting your 'inner design side'
was just peaking around the corner
waiting for an invite to come out
and play. :)

xo xo
Deb