“So, what do you do?”

Design is one of those funny words – like love, engagement, or synergy – that can represent something profound or (more often than not) nothing at all. Some clever folks might be quick to say that design isn’t simply about aesthetics. It’s about solving problems. And they’d be right.

But design is more than just problem solving.

Design is about asking questions — good ones, and lots of them. You can’t solve a problem you don’t understand. If you never question things, your life ends up being limited by other people’s imaginations. Or worse, you keep emulating what’s been done before without ever considering why.

Design is an adventure. It’s not a rigid structure with steps to follow, but a path to discover — filled with obstacles, achievements, and wisdom to be gained.

Design is about making the world more enjoyable – to entertain, inform, connect, and inspire – through better personal and shared experiences.

I’m a designer. It’s what I do.

All work and no PLay ma es Jack a dull boy.

Even outside of work, the arts and sciences have always been a huge part of my life. I can easily spend hours wandering around my favorite gallery, museum, or a local art fair.

The liberal arts are … well, liberating.

I listen to a lot of music, most of which you’ve probably never heard of — everything from indie pop and contemporary folk to ambient, experimental, and electronic music … along with a modicum of sludge and metal.¹ But my first love will always be rock, mostly post- and prog. It’s what I grew up on, and what I like playing most as a drummer. I also have a thing for the grunge artists of the 90s and 00s: Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, Jane’s Addiction, and the like.²

I’m always fascinated by a person’s taste in music and books, as you can glean a lot from how one chooses to spend their time and attention. Though, looking at my music collection, one might think I suffer from a multiple personality disorder.

Favorite books? That’s a tough one, though my favorite children’s book is easy: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. I absolutely adore that book on so many levels … oh, and those enchanting illustrations by Jules Feiffer. Picking favorites gets trickier after that. I try to have one fiction (often of the science variety) and one nonfiction (also, usually science-y) book going at any given time.

I need to spend time outdoors. Part of what I like about hiking or cycling – heck, even just walking, for that matter – is that it allows my mind the freedom to think and observe. I’ve started to pay special attention to our local plants and animals. So now it’s “a great blue heron” or “showy goldenrod,” rather than “oh look, a big ol’ bird …” or “… what a pretty flower.”³

I’ll leave it at that for now, otherwise I’m liable to continue rambling and somehow end up justifying the grudge I still hold against my second grade teacher.⁴