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I practically peed my pants…

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Starting a fire under kindle sales…

The Amazon Kindle© (which, I’ve previously bashed here before) is growing with potential in my mind. I’ve recently gotten into audio books. I wonder if I could get into the ebooks?

I like that it is a wifi device, so you can browse the net, look at blogs, and listen to audio through it.

So far, the problem with Amazon’s business model with the kindle is the lack of ability to get it in my hands.

Ebooks have been the promise of the future for a long time. Unlike the ipod though, I can’t take it for a test run. I can’t sit in an Apple Store or Target or Best Buy and give it a go…I’m not spending $400 on a device that I can’t get into my hands and take a test drive first.

So, as brilliant as Amazon has been at creating the online marketplace, they have missed the mark so far with this one. I just don’t think you can create a revolutionary hand-held device and not give people a way to get it in their hands…

Eventually, Apple will release a device that makes this look like a piece of plastic nonsense.

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3 Ways to Maintain Your Identity.

Last week I shared 3 Easy Ways to Lose Your Identity. This week, I thought I’d flip it around.

Maintaining your identity essentially means you will be intentional about looking on the outside like you really are on the inside.

1. In the words of Buddha, “Be One With Everything.”

In everything you do, maintain one front, one ethos, one spirit that is supported by the overall purpose of your organization. Don’t stray from your purpose. What drives your organization? That should drive your identity too. Remember that identity design is simply about making your outside appearance match the inner heartbeat of the organization. Don’t let the two go in different directions.

2. In the words of Outkast, “So Fresh, So Clean.”

Maintaining your identity doesn’t mean that the same look you had back in ‘88 should still be lingering in ‘08. Your audience changes and so should you. Freshen up. Clean out. Your logo might stay the same, but you can modernize your logo without changing everything. Subtle shifts in color to keep the palette current or even font variations can help you keep your look familiar to your long-term audience while growing and reaching new markets. Don’t be afraid to freshen up a bit.

3. In the words of Madonna, “Express Yourself!”

What’s brilliant and innovative about you. What do you do that sets you apart from the next organization? Your Identity should express yourself. Take all that is unique about you and let your audience know about it and celebrate it. If hip hop is your sound and your culture, then don’t be trendy and scenester. If you use flashy media in your worship services, don’t dilute your print materials by keeping them mundane. Your potential audience needs a reason to choose you over everything else in their lives. Show them why you’re unique and you just might give them a good enough reason.

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Eater's Manifest by Michael Pollan

Just in case you don’t get around to reading the whole book, “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto,” read the Eater’s Manifest by Michael Pollan on your lunch break. Nice read. I find his work to be continually enlightening right now…

Change This has a lot of big concepts in small packages. Check em out…

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I think LoudTwitter

is too loud for me. I’m out.

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Daily Twitter Round Up

• 22:10 It seems like Clinton doesn’t have the fire anymore. Like she’s given up….? #
• 00:33 kickin out some work…and my new blog design… #
• 00:51 I’m a technogeek trapped inside the budget of a technopeasant. #
• 08:42 what’s that pungent aroma? #
• 09:54 design team, up next… #
• 12:28 Let’s put the design in design team! #
• 14:19 NEEEED CAFFEINE! I miss you starbucks. Forbidden Love. #
• 17:28 great meeting with living stones church today. i’m excited to design their website… #

This Daily Twitter Round Up was automatically posted by LoudTwitter

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The new blog design is done…

Still looking for someone to slice it up into a Wordpress Template for me.

I’ll trade design work if you’re interested…

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Daily Twitter Round Up

• 18:57 lo mein no rock. #
• 18:58 the boys from 12minutes.wordpress.com are gathering tonight. #
• 09:56 Rockin with Spearhead #
• 11:44 Staff meeting was short and sweet. I actually have time to check my emails before lunch. #

This Daily Twitter Round Up was automatically posted by LoudTwitter

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Wee House – Totally PreFabulous

Wouldn’t this make a great cabin retreat?

I love the emergence of modern prefab housing. My wife, well, she loves Shabby Chic…Maybe there will be a compromise there someday…

Anyway…check out the weehouse…

Sustainable, clutter-free, simple, beautiful, delivered to your lakeshore.

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Kiva Portfolio

We’re in our second round of Kiva Loans. Several of the original loans are all paid back.

Here’s the portfolio: The Power of We.

Neeraj points to Saad

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I can't take it anymore.

I’m such a nimrod with css, but I can’t stand these wordpress templates… I’m designing my blog tonight.

Anybody want to cut up the css for a Wordpress Template from an Illustrator file for me? I don’t want to pay for it. But maybe I figure out how to do it myself…much faster if you help me though…

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Forced to Breath

Seeking rest.

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I've got some new recipes over at TastyPlanner.com

Check em out!

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The ups and few downs of Keynote.

I hate sounding like an Apple fanboy all the time, but it’s hard when you’ve worked on both sides and can easily see the advantage of the Apple experience. I don’t usually have to do much in Power Point, but when I do, I hate it.  

Today, I had to throw together a “state of the church” slideshow for a meeting on Sunday. I decided to use Keynote instead of Power Point. 

Wow. What a better user experience. Almost everything is easier in Keynote than on PP. Apple did a great job. I’m using one of their built in templates. When it came down to making a chart, I could believe how simple they made it. It was also so easy to make it look professional, that I didn’t even try to “design” a slideshow, I just used the template.

Ups:

• Fast
• Intuitive
• Clean and Uncluttered
• Puts the polish on for me
• Nice built in templates
• Animation is a hundred times easier on Keynote than PP
• Font consistency. A dream come true. PP is always trying to resize things

Downs:

• Still not crazy about how Apple deals with the font pallet. It seems clunky for the most widely used tool in the program.
• Floating pallets are still a clutter factor when you have 5 of them open and they don’t lock into a position. 

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We're still taking 12 minutes…

Though I’ve missed somedays just because of the insane busyness of this season for Sarah and I, I’m still committed to seeing things through…. visit 3 friends on a 12 minute journey at www.12minutes.wordpress.com 

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TastyPlanner.com

Oh yeah. I love this….

You’ve got to check out TastyPlanner.com

So, now that I’m getting into my own recipes, I wondered about how I could share them online.

Tasty Planner allows me to do just that.

Here’s how Tasty Planner describes what you can do:

1.  Find & Share Recipes
2. Save recipes to your Recipe Box
   
3. Plan meals weekly
   
4. Create a grocery list
   

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3 Easy ways to lose your identity.

1. Have too many of them.

Not everything in your organization needs a name, logo and stylesheet all to itself. When you overbrand, you dilute your core message. When everything has it’s own identity, you end up competing with yourself. It’s like Fight Club all over again.

2. Borrow it from Someone else.

It’s easy to get inspired by design. Somethings are just drop dead beautiful. But it’s hard to be yourself, if you’re trying to be somebody else. Be inspired, but design yourself, don’t design to be somebody else.

3. All Sparkle, No Substance.

Design is great, when it communicates truth. if you’re trying to sell yourself as more than you really are, eventually, people will figure you out. You can only fool people for so long. A candy coated brussels sprout isn’t going to hide the bitter taste when you bite into the core.

As a designer, I’ve been guilty of all of these, but I always strive to be a better communicator.

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Spoken Word Dancing

This is too haaaooot!

thanks Ariah. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjqqZyfpeUQ&rel=1]

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Totally Obsessed with Cooking!

I’ve been obsessed with creating new recipes lately. A few weeks back it was Salmon with Ginger Orange Glaze, Last week it was Asian Lettuce Wraps.This week, I made my mark with Caprese Mozz Burgers. The picture isn’t so great; mostly because I ate half of it, before I remembered I wanted to take a picture. But you can tell what’s going on…The recipe is loosely based on this Elvis Burger from Jamie Oliver. 

Here’s the Recipe (I never measure, so I’m just guessing, sorry): 

Ingredients for the Burgers

• 1 1/4 lbs. Organic Grass Fed Ground Beef (splurge a little on the fat and get 85/15)
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesano Regiano
• 1 Organic or Free Range Egg
• 1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
• 1 Shallot, finely diced
• 1 Red Chile, finely diced
• 1 tbls. Tarragon (fresh is better, but hard to find in MN)
• 4 Fresh Basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 Tsp, fresh Thyme
• Sea Salt & Coarse Ground Pepper

Get down and dirty and mix all of those ingredients by hand. Form it into 4 patties and chill for bit.

 

Ingredients for the Caprese Mozz.

• 1 Large Tomato, cubed (discard the seeds and watery portions.
• 6-7 Fresh Basil Leaves, finely chopped
• Sea Salt and Coarse Ground Pepper
• Hearty Drizzle of Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Mozzarella, cubed (1/4 inch cubes)

Stir it up, and throw back a hearty spoonful (this stuff is great by itself).

Fry the patties over medium high heat for 10 minutes, turning every minute or so to keep them from getting scorched.

 

Get some big crusty buns and slice them in half. Toast the inside of the buns by laying them in a hot pan with some olive oil. Push their faces in the pan to give em a nice even crustiness. 

Serve that Spicy Burger on the crusty bun and drop a heap of the Caprese Mozz on top. 

 

 

P.S.  I’d love it if someone else would give it a try and let me know what you thought.

 

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I'll be honest, this is my new favorite thing.

I love cooking. I love trying new recipes. Jamie Oliver is my new favorite for recipes….Check out his podcast, or catch him on the Food Network. 

I’m making these for dinner tonight.