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It's the Weekly What? for Friday, May 4th.
May the 4th be with you... always.Okay, we'll warn you right now that, in honor of this being the first-ever Star Wars Day edition of the Weekly What?, we're going to pepper the copy with bits of wisdom from everyone's favorite 900 year-old Jedi Master. "Wait, 'Star Wars Day'? You're making that up, you big nerds!" you may say. Nope. May the 4th...be with you. Get it? "May the Force be with you"? "May the fourth be with you"? Well, we hope you get it otherwise... Anyway, go re-caffeinate yourself, unleash your inner nerd and enjoy the newsletter. Later this morning, when you're bored with work, head on over to our Facebook page for even more time-wasting diversions! Fun! And don't forget to leave an answer to the Weekly What? question: "Who was your favorite teacher (and why)?" 
If you haven't ever been to the Archie McPhee store, you have our sympathies......However, that's all about to change. Apparently the Google maps camera car took a detour right through the aisles of the Archie McPhee store in Seattle. Prepare yourself for the Awesomeness. Seriously you won't even believe it until your head explodes. Which will happen if you view it in 3D. (Right click on the image, select "3D mode on" from the pop up menu. Pow!) Underpants Candy!! >> "Named must your fear be before banish it you can." "Stop doodling and listen!"Actually, no, please DO continue to doodle away in meetings, seminars, and such like. A study published in 2009 found that people who doodled their notes retained more information that non-doodlers! Hey, we coulda told you that images help the viewer access and retain information! Anyway, lots of big companies are discovering the value of visual note-taking and the power of even simple drawings to aid communication. In fact, there are professional visual note-takes and they're called "Graphic Recorders." Portland currently only has one full-time Graphic Recorder. Here's a fascinating feature on Nitya Wakhlu, whose clientele includes Nike, Oregon Health & Science University and the state of Oregon. "Woah, trippy!"That's what you'll be saying when you take a look at these surreal paintings by artist Vladimir Kush. There's not much we can usefully say other than take your time and lean in really close to the screen, because there's lots to see and lots to miss! "Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision." >> "You will find only what you bring in." A paintbrush for the iPad!Our resistance to getting an iPad continues to erode in the face of ever more pro-level apps from Adobe and cool painting apps from other, smaller developers. The one thing that has continued to put us off is having to poke away at the screen with our little sausage fingers. Well there finally appears to be the killer interface tool for creative types: the capacitive brush (which also turns into a stylus!) Now we can actually "paint" on the iPad. Okay, where's that credit card... No more finger painting! >> Amazing new office furnitureThere's been lots of research demonstrating that a relaxed and somewhat playful office environment makes for more productive employees. Take a look at these amazing office installations. Never mind the children in the photos... it was obviously "Take your kid to work day." I want the whale thing for our next conference room.. >> "Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned." MAKE THIS BIGGER! MAKE THAT BIGGER!We're sure this has happened to you at one point or another: You present the office newsletter (or business card or whatever) and you're asked to make some element "bigger." Make the logo bigger! Make my name bigger! Make the photo bigger! Here's a great article that explains the "make it bigger syndrome" and it's effects on visual communication with the aid of some really cute monsters. Rawr! >> Are your Ebay photos awful?The single best thing you can do to move your population of My Little Ponies is to light them well. No one wants to bid up a Little Pony that looks all moody and shadowy. Here's a fantastic tutorial for making a small, simple, dirt-cheap lightbox (think mini photo studio) for your precious treasures. C'mon Fizzy Pop, project! Project!>> "If you choose the quick and easy path...you will become an agent of evil." Make a super awesome Dragon Cake!We suppose that you could save this for a birthday party, but seriously, who wouldn't want a cake with a dragon and little candy eggs on top? Y'know, whenever? Check it out! >> The writing process of one of the real "Mad Men."David Ogilvy was one of the original "Mad Men" and a founding partner of the Ogilvy & Mather ad agency. (Maybe you've heard of them...) In 1955 he wrote a letter outlining his writing process. While he described it as "appalling" we think it seems pretty typical, at least around these parts! Well, maybe not the bit about the Handel oratorio. >> "Do or do not... there is no try." Share the fun with a friend! It's easy, just click the "Forward email" link below. They'll be glad you did! |
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